In May 1991, the exhibition "Russian Art of the Age of Alexander II" opened in Genoa, it featured 75 paintings from the Tretyakov Gallery. The exposition was a huge success. There were only three days left before its closing, as on the night of September 25-26, one of the halls of the Villa Croce Gallery was robbed. The Art Carabinieri, the world's first special unit, which searches for stolen cultural property both in Italy and abroad, helped solve this high-profile case.

The theft of the painting "Saint Luke" by the Dutch artist Frans Hals from the Pushkin Museum has become one of the most famous crimes in the field of art. It was even made into a feature film based on it. However, few people know that even before this abduction, the fate of the canvas was filled with tragic events.

Recently, Italians shared some unique information. They discovered an ancient prison where Russian prisoners of war were held during the First World War. For 100 years this story has been considered a legend. But by the centenary of the end of the First World War, Trieste, like many cities in the world, declassified its archives, and the legend came to life. What were the Russians doing here? Why was their captivity carefully hidden from the whole world? Why doesn't Trieste appear on the official website of the Red Cross, where all the camps of the First World War are marked on the map? And why was the prison where the Russians were kept walled up? And finally, what is the fate of these Russians in Italy? Did they return home, or did they forever remain in the terrible catacombs of the ancient city, forgotten in their homeland, where by that time there was already a new government?