British actor and comedian Stephen Fry has renewed his call for the return of the Parthenon marbles to Greece, comparing their removal to Nazi Germany stealing the Arc de Triomphe.
Fry made the comments on the Australian TV series “Stuff the British Stole,” arguing that even if Lord Elgin had permission to take the sculptures, it wouldn’t be legitimate.
Speaking to the presenter Marc Fennell, Fry argued that even if there was “the most scrupulously written document” that gave permission to Britain’s Lord Elgin to remove the Parthenon marbles from the Acropolis in 1802, “it’s like saying ‘Well, Germany claims it should have the Arc de Triomphe and there’s the document that proves it.’ But the Nazis were an occupying force. What right did they have to give away parts of France? It wasn’t theirs to give away.”
For the past decade, the actor, comedian and writer has campaigned for the return of the 2,500-year-old sculptures to Greece.
In 2023 he said their removal was the same as “removing the Eiffel Tower from Paris or Stonehenge from Salisbury” and in 2012 he proposed the UK use the 2012 London Olympics to “redress a great wrong”.
He believes returning them would be a “classy” move for Britain and acknowledges their cultural significance to Greece.
The British Museum, which has held the marbles since 1832, argues they represent ancient Athenian civilisation for a global audience. While acknowledging the marbles might be worse off had Lord Elgin not taken them, Fry believes their rightful place is in Athens due to their cultural and historical importance.
