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The German War Graves Commission, known as Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgraberfursorge, was responsible for recovering the two soldiers from the riverbed. Remarkably, the mud had preserved both the bodies and their identity discs in excellent condition. In addition to the human remains, recovery teams unearthed several items, including German Tellermine 35 anti-tank mines, a military decoration, a petrol can, and what experts believe to be a DKW NZ 350-1 military motorbike. These artifacts provide a rare glimpse into the tumultuous final days of the war in Budapest.
Significant Discoveries from the Riverbed
The most notable find was the German military motorbike, which was located on August 2 near the harbor at Batthyany Square. The Institute and Museum of Military History facilitated the recovery of the motorbike, which experts have identified as a DKW NZ 350-1 model, a vehicle known for its durability and reliability during the war. The presence of this motorbike, along with other military items, indicates the intensity of the fighting that occurred in Budapest during the war's final stages.
Preservation of Human Remains
The recovery of the two soldiers has garnered significant attention due to the exceptional condition of their remains. A reburial specialist from the German War Graves Commission collaborated with Hungarian experts to conduct the exhumation. The thick mud at Batthyany Square, mixed with gas oil, played a crucial role in preserving the bodies and their identity discs, which remain legible after nearly 80 years submerged. This preservation is vital, as identity discs served as the primary means of military identification during the war.
Each Wehrmacht soldier carried a disc made of two matching halves, with one half sent to the Wehrmacht information office in Berlin upon a soldier's death to officially record the loss and notify the family. In this case, both halves of each identity disc were found intact, suggesting that the deaths of these soldiers were never officially reported. The preserved discs may now assist authorities in identifying the soldiers before their reburial. The German War Graves Commission continues its mission to locate, recover, and rebury German war dead in various countries where battles occurred during the Second World War.
