Key facts
- The remains of two World War Two German soldiers were discovered in the Danube river in Budapest.
- Artifacts found with the soldiers include identification tags, a German army Wehrmacht motorcycle, and a wedding ring.
- Record-low water levels due to drought revealed the discovery.
- The German War Graves Commission is investigating to identify the soldiers.
- Anti-tank mines were also found at the site, prompting a temporary riverbank closure.
The bodies of two World War Two German soldiers have been discovered in Budapest's Danube river, revealed by record-low water levels resulting from an intense drought. Alongside the remains, identification tags, a largely intact German army Wehrmacht motorcycle, and a wedding ring were found. The German War Graves Commission has initiated an investigation to identify the soldiers, offering a potential resolution for families who have waited over 80 years to learn the fate of their relatives. The discovery was reportedly made on August 2, when a passerby noticed part of the motorcycle protruding from the riverbank. The site also yielded anti-tank mines, necessitating the temporary closure of the riverbank for a bomb disposal unit. The artifacts are remarkably well-preserved due to the riverbed's sludge and oil. The motorcycle is believed to be a DKW NZ 350-1 model, produced for wartime use from 1944. One identification tag belonged to a Wehrmacht soldier, and the other to a member of the Waffen-SS. German soldiers' identification tags were historically split, with one half kept with the deceased and the other sent to authorities for notification. The commission stated that families of these soldiers likely never received official notification of their deaths. Determining the identities will involve gathering more evidence, including bone analysis, and verifying if the tags and shield belong to the found remains. The discovery has garnered significant attention on social media. The soldiers are slated for burial at the German war cemetery in Budaörs, near Budapest, a city that saw intense fighting late in the war. Other World War Two remnants have previously appeared in the Danube, including a hull found near Prahovo, Serbia.