An unsolved art heist, 91 years later: ‘Mysteriejagers’ on VRT 1

On April 11, 1934, Ghent is thrown into turmoil. Two panels of one of the most important artworks in the world, The Ghent Altarpiece by the Van Eyck brothers, are stolen from Saint Bavo’s Cathedral. One of them, Saint John the Baptist, is quickly recovered. The other, The Just Judges, disappears without a trace. Ninety-one years later, the mystery remains unsolved.

In the brand-new four-part docuseries Mysteriejagers (Mystery Hunters), Danira Boukhriss Terkessidis, Jacotte Brokken, Arnout Hauben and Thomas Vanderveken join forces to investigate what really happened to the missing panel. Each of them approaches the case from their own expertise, curiosity and fascination, diving deep into one of the most legendary unsolved art thefts in history.

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Arnout Hauben explores the historical context of the theft and reconstructs the events of 1934 with a historian’s eye, connecting the dots between people, places and timelines. True crime enthusiast Danira Boukhriss Terkessidis focuses on the criminal investigation, digging through police files and the archives of both official and amateur investigators. When it comes to art, Thomas Vanderveken examines why The Ghent Altarpiece is considered one of the most influential works ever made—and why the disappearance of one panel still resonates worldwide. Jacotte Brokken brings in science, looking at how modern research and forensic techniques might still contribute to this decades-old mystery.

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Across four episodes, the series reconstructs the crucial first months after the theft, when hopes of recovery were still alive. From there, the story expands into the remarkable world of amateur detectives who have spent decades searching for The Just Judges. The team speaks with witnesses and experts, with members of the judiciary and passionate amateurs, with genealogists and art historians. They visit archives and churches, laboratories and exclusive service clubs; all in an attempt to get as close as possible to the truth behind the world’s most famous missing painting.

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At the heart of the story stands Arsène Goedertier, a name that has become inseparable from the case. After falling ill during a political gathering in Dendermonde, he utters a cryptic sentence on his deathbed: “I alone know where the Ghent Altarpiece is. In my office… drawer…” before passing away. Was Goedertier the thief, the blackmailer, both, or neither? Mysteriejagers (Mystery Hunters) carefully unravels the theories, doubts and contradictions that have surrounded his role for nearly a century.

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The series also raises the question many have stopped asking: does the panel still exist? While some believe it was destroyed long ago, others remain convinced that The Just Judges is hidden somewhere in or around Saint Bavo’s Cathedral itself. As new insights clash with old assumptions, Mysteriejagers shows how this mystery continues to fascinate and divide researchers, experts and believers alike.

Mysteriejagers (Mystery Hunters) airs from January 7, every Wednesday around 8:45 PM on VRT 1, and from 6:00 AM on VRT MAX.