Europe

Soldiers arrive at spot where Nazi train may be buried

Armoured Nazi train believed to be carrying gold and loot has been buried for 70 years

Chocolate Gold Bars, souvenirs inspired by the quest for the so-called Nazi Gold Train are on display for sale at Ksiaz Castle in Walbrzych, Poland. Photograph: Maciej Kulczynski/EPA
Chocolate Gold Bars, souvenirs inspired by the quest for the so-called Nazi Gold Train are on display for sale at Ksiaz Castle in Walbrzych, Poland. Photograph: Maciej Kulczynski/EPA
Fri Sept 04 2015 - 13:58

Polish military personnel arrived on Friday at the spot where authorities suspect a Nazi-era train, possibly carrying guns and looted jewels, may be buried.

Soldiers wearing uniforms identifying them as members of a de-mining unit walked around the area, talked to local officials and took pictures, a Reuters photographer witnessed. There was no sign they had started digging.

Authorities Poland’s Lower Silesia region said they would hold a news conference on Friday afternoon about the search for the train which, according to local folklore, entered a tunnel in 1945 and never emerged.

Soldiers and officials arrive to inspect site (65 km of railway between Wroclaw and Walbrzych) in an area where the Nazi train is believed to be. Photograpg: Kacper Pempel/Reuters
Soldiers and officials arrive to inspect site (65 km of railway between Wroclaw and Walbrzych) in an area where the Nazi train is believed to be. Photograpg: Kacper Pempel/Reuters
Journalists visit underground tunnels, which are part of the Nazi Germany “Riese” construction project, under the Ksiaz castle in an area where the Nazi train is believed to be. Photograph: Kacper Pempel/Reuters
Journalists visit underground tunnels, which are part of the Nazi Germany “Riese” construction project, under the Ksiaz castle in an area where the Nazi train is believed to be. Photograph: Kacper Pempel/Reuters

Last week, a deputy culture minister said he was almost certain the so-called “gold train” had been located, but his ministry backtracked, saying it had no knowledge on the issue.

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Two amateur treasure hunters, a German and a Pole, said in August they had found the train, and said it should be exhumed and displayed as a tourist attraction.

Peter Koper and Andreas Richter claimed that they discovered the armoured train from World War II, dubbed by the media the 'Nazi gold train', near Walbrzych.

The World Jewish Congress said that any valuables that had been stolen from Jews murdered by the Nazis must be returned to their rightful owners.

Reuters