Rare Gutenberg Bible Found In Russia 50 Years After War

MOSCOW - A rare 15th-century Gutenberg Bible that was among the treasures the Red army brought back as trophies from World War II was hidden so well in Russia's State Library that even the curator didn't know it was there.

The Bible belonged to a museum in Germany, and was brought to Moscow in 1945 with other manuscripts and rare books, the newspaper Izvestia quoted the library director, Igor Filippov, as saying.

The Gutenberg Bible is considered the world's first printed book. Johann Gutenberg printed only 12, and the copy in Moscow is better preserved than most of the others. Filippov estimated its value at about $4 million.

The Bible had been kept in such secrecy that even Filippov only learned about it about a month ago, the newspaper reported yesterday.

Other European treasures taken to Russia have surfaced recently. They include a collection including works by Van Gogh and Rembrandt, and gold objects found in Troy.

Russian authorities have agreed to negotiate their return.