Mystery Surrounds German Soldiers Found With WWII Motorcycle in Danube
The discovery of a mud-covered motorcycle and the remains of two soldiers in Budapest raises questions about their fate.
A World War II Wehrmacht motorcycle, along with the remains of two German soldiers, has been recovered from the Danube River in central Budapest, more than 80 years after the conflict concluded. The discovery was announced in August by the German War Graves Commission, an organization dedicated to locating, recovering, and identifying German war dead.
The motorcycle, identified as a DKW NZ 350-1, was found encased in mud and rust but with its frame, wheels, fuel tank, and storage boxes largely intact. The German War Graves Commission noted that the "harbor mud is mixed with gas oil," contributing to the preservation of the motorcycle and associated identification tags.
Unidentified Remains
Officials also recovered two identification tags alongside the soldiers' remains. Typically, one half of a soldier's identification tag was left with the body, while the other was sent to the Wehrmacht Information Office for notification of next of kin. Despite the discovery of these tags, the identities of the two soldiers remain unknown.
Diane Tempel-Bornett, a spokesperson for the German War Graves Commission, stated that while the tags were found with the remains, their ownership is not definitively confirmed, though it is considered possible. The intact nature of the tags could suggest that the soldiers were never officially recovered or accounted for after their deaths.
Ongoing Investigation
Identifying the soldiers is described as a "long, painstaking process." Investigators examine the remains for clues such as height and age, as well as personal belongings like wedding rings, glasses, jewelry, and papers, to help establish an identity. These findings are then cross-referenced with military records and historical evidence.
"Here, we work closely with the German Federal Archives in Berlin," Tempel-Bornett said. "Only when everything fits together is the person's fate considered to have been clarified."
The final step involves contacting any known relatives. If relatives are actively searching for the missing soldiers, it simplifies the process. Otherwise, the commission works to identify potential family members through registration authorities.
For now, the circumstances surrounding how the two soldiers and the motorcycle ended up in the Danube River remain a mystery. Officials can only speculate on the cause of death, whether it involved attempting to cross the frozen river, an accident, being shot, or drowning.