24-year-old woman detained for stealing sword from Wrocław's iconic Fencer fountain statue
A 24-year-old woman was caught on surveillance footage climbing the fountain at Plac Uniwersytecki early Saturday morning, removing and damaging the replica sword. City guards detained her on the spot before handing her over to police.
What happened
At around 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, 11 July, Wrocław municipal guards detained a 24-year-old woman who had stolen and damaged the sword from the Szermierz (Fencer) fountain on Plac Uniwersytecki. Surveillance footage showed a second woman helping her climb onto the fountain basin and then filming the act with a phone.
The cost of making a new replica (from cheaper materials than the original) is around 600 zł, and the perpetrator must cover both the production and installation of the new sword.
Both women, who were under the influence of alcohol according to police, were identified, processed for the offence, and released. A court will now decide on penalties.
A recurring plague
City officials say the sword disappears 3 to 5 times per fountain season. In winter, when the water is drained, the sword is removed pre-emptively because theft frequency rises. The plume from the Aleksander Fredro monument on the Market Square vanishes even more often, with officials estimating over a dozen such thefts per year and a record of 19 incidents in a single year. The sword itself has been stolen several dozen times overall.
Monuments are part of the history and image of our city. Let us enjoy them without destroying them.
Motives and old traditions
In past decades, stealing the sword was treated as an elite student ritual, a proof of daring and dexterity. Students usually returned the artefact after a few days, both during the German era and after 1945. Today motives range from foolish bets and souvenir hunting to plain vandalism.
The sword has disappeared several dozen times already!
Why the sword cannot be welded permanently
Officials have explained that welding the sword in place would risk damaging the figure itself during any future forcible removal attempts. The secessionist fountain, unveiled in 1904 and designed by Berlin Academy of Fine Arts professor Hugo Lederer, is described as one of the most recognisable symbols of both the University of Wrocław and the entire city. A local legend says the statue depicts the artist himself, who gambled away everything including his clothes upon arriving in Wrocław as a student, with the sword left to him as a symbol of noble and student honour. The fountain was meant as a warning against gambling and alcohol.
Consequences for the perpetrator
The woman faces a fine of up to 5,000 zł imposed by the court. She must also cover the approximately 600 zł cost of fabricating a new replica sword plus installation. The act is classified as a misdemeanour (wykroczenie), not a criminal offence.
Monitoring and enforcement
The Plac Uniwersytecki is under constant surveillance, and the Market Square area is similarly monitored, where frequent thefts of Fredro's plume occur. City guards respond in real time to acts of vandalism, and the high-quality footage makes identification of perpetrators straightforward.
