Danube river's low water levels reveal remains of WWII soldiers and motorcycle
A remarkably well-preserved motorcycle and identification tags were found alongside the bodies.
Two World War Two German soldiers have been discovered in Budapest's Danube river due to unusually low water levels, a result of a prolonged drought. Alongside their remains, identification tags, a motorcycle, a wedding ring, and a Kuban shield were found. The German War Graves Commission expressed hope that families could now learn the fates of their ancestors from over 80 years ago.
The discovery, made on August 2, prompted a temporary closure of the riverbank due to the presence of anti-tank mines. The well-preserved items, including the identification tags and motorcycle, are attributed to a DKW NZ 350-1 model, a Wehrmacht military vehicle produced for wartime use in 1944. The tags belonged to a Wehrmacht soldier and a Waffen-SS member, both of whom would have their deaths tracked by German authorities and notified to their families.
The German War Graves Commission is working to identify the soldiers, utilizing bone analysis as a potential method. The remains will be buried at the German war cemetery in Budaörs.
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