T
he brazen overnight theft of one of the Holocaust's most chilling and notorious symbols early Friday sparked outrage from around the world, and Polish leaders declared recovering the 5-meter (16-foot) sign a top priority. The sign read "Arbeit Macht Frei"
- work makes you free - a grim Nazi slogan etched in the minds of millions.
Interior Minister Jerzy Miller ordered police to question all possible witnesses and suspects in a nationwide effort to find the sign.
The director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial museum, who was visibly shaken by the dramatic theft, told The Associated Press he believes it was carried out by professionals and that none of the memorial museum's staff are considered suspects.
"I think it was done by specialists," Piotr Cywinski said. "It was a very well-prepared action."
Security guards patrol the site around the clock, but due to its vast size they only pass by any one site at intervals. He said that gave thieves between 20 to 30 minutes to remove the sign and carry it off.
Museum authorities said they don't know how much the sign weighs exactly but spokesman Pawel Sawicki said it is made of hollow steel pipes and is believed to weigh only around 30 to 40 kilograms (65 to 90 pounds).
"A single person could lift it," Sawicki said.
Sawicki said the entire Auschwitz staff was deeply shaken by the theft. He defended security at the camp but said no one could have ever imagined thieves seizing on the gate's sign.
"Thieves are also able to robs banks and museums. Clearly this was well planned. It's a blow to our human heritage," Sawicki said.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a leading Jewish human rights group, urged Poland to intensify its investigation and bring the thieves to justice.
