09/01/2021 18:35
Clarín.com
Cities
Updated 09/01/2021 19:09
"Argentine Agricultural Wealth". Such is the name of the mega monument, with its fountain, which dominates the entire scene of
the Plaza Alemania
, in Palermo. It is a gift that the government of that country made to Argentina for the celebrations for the Centennial of the May Revolution. In those years, these large-volume presents were intended to beautify cities and, especially, to show signs of friendship between nations. Buenos Aires would not be the same without them; they are an essential part of what the City looks like and how those who visit it see it.
Germany Square is located between avenues Del Libertador, Ugarteche, Castex and Cavia, a few meters from the Mounted Police Corps of the Federal Police.
But still barred and in one of the most exclusive neighborhoods, with public and private security cameras everywhere, the
monument "Riqueza Agropecuaria Argentina"
suffered the setback of insecurity.
They were stolen seven bronze shields.
These shields represented the federal states of Germany and were located at the base, arranged one next to the other, in a sort of semicircle.
In total there were 16;
the remaining 9 were removed by MOA
(Monuments and Works of Art) to preserve them.
The Riqueza Agropecuaria Argentina monument was a gift from Germany for the centenary of the May Revolution.
Photo Luciano Thieberger
From the City Police they informed
Clarín
that "in the security cameras of the square you cannot see the moment of the robbery. And they are looking in the private cameras of the area. According to the first hypothesis,
the robbery would have occurred at over several nights
. "
Faced with this situation that is repeated throughout the City, they assured that "
night security was reinforced
in open spaces with monuments that contain bronze pieces. For now, no new complaints have been registered," they reported.
From the Buenos Aires Ministry of Public Space and Urban Hygiene they shared a statement and specified that the shields represented the states of Hamburg, Bremen, Berlin, Nordrhein-Westfallen, Sachsen, Brandenburg and Niedersachsen.
Germany Square.
The bronze plaques before being stolen.
Photo: Google Street View
From Public Space they also confirmed that the remaining 9 shields, which made up the set, were removed.
"In addition
, the 16 nomenclature plates were removed.
The MOA will be in charge of their conservation, restoration and enhancement, and will use them as an artistic basis for the reproduction of the missing ones."
Without further details, they estimated that "by the year 2022/2023" all the bronze pieces will be replaced. "
"It cannot be believed. In recent days it was everyone's comment. We think that if it is possible to steal in this way in this square, then
the City is given over to vandalism
,"
María Victoria, a neighbor who goes all
, told
Clarín
the days with their sons, daughters and friends. And that, like many other families in the neighborhood, it has been two years since it celebrates all birthdays in this square.
No one can explain how the robbery could have occurred: "Not only is this a neighborhood full of cameras, but
there is a lot of police presence, a plaza guard
, there is an important bank on a corner and even a security checkpoint. It is not understood The most ironic thing is the little signs left by the Government: a QR code that can be scanned to see what the shield was like. We don't know whether to laugh or cry, "he concluded.
They put QR codes so people can see what the missing shield looked like.
And the neighbors find this ironic.
Photo Luciano Thieberger
In addition to this grandiose monument, Plaza Alemania has a particularity: it
was designed by Carlos Thays
, the brilliant French landscaper, who put his signature on many other public spaces in Buenos Aires, including the 3 de Febrero Park and the Congreso and Mayo squares.
He also founded the Botanical Garden and planted more than 150,000 trees on the sidewalks of the City.
The truth is that, beyond the symbolic value that these shields have, which are also part of a sculptural group,
there is also a real value
.
Since February, the Ministry of Justice and Security of the City has recorded
92 procedures
coordinated with other areas of the Buenos Aires government to combat the theft of bronze and other metal items from public roads and private property.
During these operations, 39 illegal warehouses or warehouses that offered stolen materials, such as plaques and crucifixes from cemeteries or copper cables, were closed.
In addition, 6 closure violations were found and 164 minutes were drawn up.
These deposits pay around $ 750 for each kilo of bronze and do not ask what its origin is.
Copper is paid for even more, at the rate of $ 1,000 per kilo.
They took 7 of the 16 bronze shields from the Plaza Alemania monument.
Photo Luciano Thieberger
Spokesmen for the Buenos Aires Police explain that this crime is fueled in general by the need of some people in vulnerable situations, who are looking for metal to obtain a few pesos:
"We consider that these are not organized gangs
,
" they
explained.
And they understand that there are also unfaithful cemetery or maintenance employees in telecommunications companies, who have the opportunity and the elements to get hold of the metal on a larger scale.
On the other hand, in an attempt to combat this problem that becomes more acute when major economic crises occur, the City installed
cameras and lights in cemeteries, where private security was also increased
.
In cemeteries there are also many cases of vandalism;
They came to identify vaults that were used as deposits for items stolen from other tombs.
Objects were taken out at night, thrown over walls
NS
Look also
Theft of metal: where do the bronze pieces that are taken from cemeteries, houses and monuments go?
Grave looters in the Chacarita Cemetery: broke into a vault and desecrated niches