The bodies of two German soldiers from World War II have been discovered in Budapest after the Danube River level dropped sharply due to a severe drought. The remains were found along with the soldiers' personal belongings, as well as a military motorcycle preserved in exceptional condition. The discovery could help identify the two soldiers, more than 80 years after the end of the war, and give their families answers about the fate of their missing relatives.
Among the items found were two military ID cards, a wedding ring and a German army battle emblem. Experts believe the motorcycle is a DKW NZ 350-1, a model manufactured for military use. The discovery was made on August 2, when a passerby noticed part of the motorcycle sticking out from between the rocks on the banks of the Danube. Further searches uncovered remains and other military equipment. Anti-tank mines were also found in the area, forcing authorities to temporarily cordon off the area and call in a specialized explosives disposal unit.
One of the identification cards belongs to a Wehrmacht soldier, while the other belongs to a member of the Waffen-SS, the armed wing of the SS, which was declared a criminal organization during the Nuremberg Trials. The metal identification documents of German soldiers were designed to be split into two parts in the event of death. One part remained with the body, while the other was sent to military structures for death registration and notification of the family.
In the case of the two soldiers discovered in the Danube, it is suspected that their families never received an official notification of their deaths. The German War Graves Commission has begun the process of identifying the two victims. However, authorities must first confirm that the documents and belongings found actually belonged to the two bodies.
"Now a puzzle begins, through which we will try to determine the identity of the two dead," said Arne Schrader of the German War Graves Commission. Comparing the names in military documents with archival records and examining the remains are expected to be crucial in determining their identities.
After the procedures are completed, the remains are expected to be buried at the German military cemetery in Budaörs, near Budapest. Budapest was one of the scenes of the fiercest fighting in the final months of World War II, when Soviet forces clashed with German troops. The fall in the Danube has recently brought to the surface other remnants of the conflict, including parts of sunken ships and military equipment.
The discovery of two soldiers and a motorcycle in Budapest is further evidence of the traces that war has left along the river, which are coming to light after more than eight decades.
