Prime Minister Juhan Parts presented German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder with a 16th century altarpiece looted by the Soviet Army in the final year of World War II

Prime Minister Juhan Parts presented German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder with a 16th century altarpiece looted by the Soviet Army in the final year of World War II, to be returned to a Bremen art gallery. Schroeder called it a great day for relations between Germany and Estonia, which joined the European Union at the start of the month. The altarpiece wing depicting John the Baptist was painted in 1503 by German artist Albrecht Duerer. It was removed from the Bremen Kunsthalle gallery in 1943 to be protected from Allied bombing of the city. In 1945 it was taken by advancing Red Army troops and hadn't been heard of again until last year, when it was discovered in Estonia.