President Luis announces transformation of Nazi bronze eagle into peace dove

Uruguay has declared its intention to melt down a bronze eagle, recovered from a sunken German destroyer dating back to World War II, and recast it as a symbol of peace.

President Luis Lacalle Pou made the announcement on Friday, highlighting the country’s commitment to transforming a “symbol of violence and war” into a powerful representation of harmony and unity.

Weighing a staggering 350 kilograms (770 pounds), the two-meter (6.5-foot)-tall bronze bird, clutching a Nazi swastika in its talons, once adorned the stern of the Admiral Graf Spee, a renowned battleship that played a role in the early naval conflicts of World War II. The vessel’s captain, Hans Langsdorff, intentionally scuttled the ship, one of the Third Reich’s largest, on December 17, 1939, after the Battle of the River Plate.

After an arduous ten-year search, the sculpture was discovered in 2006 in the waters of the River Plate, just off the coast of Montevideo. Two years ago, a court ruling mandated the sale of the bronze eagle, with the government and the salvage team sharing the proceeds equally. This 50-50 division had been agreed upon in a contract signed between the salvagers and the Uruguayan navy in 2004. However, the treasure hunters later filed a lawsuit alleging that the government had violated the terms of the agreement.

Uruguay’s Supreme Court settled the dispute last year by ruling that the ownership of the bronze eagle rested with the state. Building upon this decision, President Lacalle Pou revealed that the esteemed Uruguayan artist, Pablo Atchugarry, has been entrusted with the task of crafting the peace dove. The transformation is projected to be completed by November, symbolizing Uruguay’s dedication to peace and its rejection of the dark ideologies associated with the eagle’s previous form.

This initiative marks a significant milestone in Uruguay’s ongoing efforts to promote harmony and commemorate the victims of war. The country’s commitment to transforming a symbol of violence into an emblem of peace serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of unity and reconciliation on a global scale.