The bodies of two German soldiers from World War Two have been discovered in Budapest's Danube River, exposed by record-low water levels following an intense drought that has gripped the region.
According to the German War Graves Commission, the remains were found alongside the soldiers' identification tags, a largely intact German army Wehrmacht motorcycle, a wedding ring, and a Kuban shield—a combat badge of the Wehrmacht. The discovery has sparked hope that some families could finally learn the fate of their ancestors, more than eight decades after the war ended.
Arne Schrader of the German War Graves Commission told the German newspaper Bild, "Now begins a puzzle, in which we will try to determine the identity of the two dead." The wreck was reportedly spotted on August 2 when a passerby noticed part of the motorcycle protruding from the rocks on the riverbank in downtown Budapest. The team also found anti-tank mines, leading to a temporary closure of the riverbank as a bomb disposal unit was deployed.
Some of the items, notably the identification tags and motorcycle, are remarkably well-preserved due to the mixture of harbor sludge and oil on the riverbed, the commission said. The motorcycle is thought to be a DKW NZ 350-1 model, produced specifically for wartime use from 1944. Of the two tags found, one belonged to a Wehrmacht soldier, and the other to a member of the Waffen-SS, which was declared a criminal organization at the Nuremberg Trials.
During WWII, German soldiers' identification tags were split in two upon death: one half stayed with the soldier, the other was sent to German army authorities to notify relatives. The commission said the families of these two soldiers would have "waited in vain" for official notification of their deaths. It has begun an investigation to identify the soldiers, and anyone missing a relative can search its database.
However, determining their identities will take time, as the commission must ascertain whether the tags and Kuban shield actually belong to the two soldiers found. "The names of the original wearers can probably be found quickly, but that is only the first step," the commission said. "Too many pieces of the puzzle need to be gathered, and the outcome is uncertain." Bone analysis would be a key method for identification.
The news has gained attention in WWII-related social media groups, with one Facebook user commenting, "As bad as the low water level is, I am glad that bereaved families can once again be informed about the whereabouts of their relatives, and that the fallen soldiers can be given a dignified burial. Rest in peace." The soldiers are to be buried at the German war cemetery in Budaörs, just outside Budapest, which was the site of fierce fighting between the Soviet Red Army and the German Wehrmacht late in the war. Other WWII remnants have recently emerged in the Danube, including a broken hull near Prahovo in Serbia.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk