Once Upon A Time in Germany..........

[John T]

Hi Robin:

Thank you for the extra information. I feel that it would be worth the time and effort for somebody to do some research and then attempt to locate the rings.

I saw a History Channel program where a small amount of diamonds (well actually the amount was in the millions of dollars when it comes to value) which were originally looted by the Germans and stored in a bank and then found by GI's who eventually abandoned the pieces in a foxhole where they sat to be found 60 years after the war ended. The foxhole in which they were found was overlooked for years by a treasure hunter as it was under a huge log that had fallen on the foxhole during the war. The hunt was financed by a Jewish financier as it was felt that they were originally stolen from Jewish victoms of the Holocaust and the diamonds were sold for an untold sum with the money going to help, I believe, underprivileged children, under the supervision of a Rabbi. The one surviving vet in the group of GIs that originally found the diamonds got nothing, nor did he ask for anything...it is interesting in that he never wanted to go back to Europe to pin down the exact location where he had hidden the diamonds...if he had done this the pieces would have been found years earlier. The reasons that he and his buddies decided to bury the diamonds was because they were too bulky to carry day after day...ie they would dig into your skin as you carried them in a pocket. I suppose there are still great finds from WW2 to be found.

John

[John T]

I am an expert in metal detection since its my job looking for mines. If anyone needs any help or advising just ask.


Pete

Hi Pete:

I have heard that a lot of metal detecting is done in Austria near the Slovenian border and in Slovenia itself. The detecting in Slovenia is done at mass grave sites which contain the remains of Croatian soldiers who were killed in 1945 shortly after the end of the war. I guess in a way these guys are "war-profiteers after the fact". Much of these items show up on internet dealer sites, ebay and at shows in Europe with prices the same as if the items were not dug up...for example I know of some rare badges--even though dug up--going for as much as 1000 dollars. Some of the collectors I know stay away from these pieces as they respect these soldiers that died and feel it is grave robbing. I myself have mixed feelings about this but do not collect the dug stuff. Some of the Croatian militaria from WW2 is so rare that this is the only way you can find it. I would say out of all of the real WW2 Croatian badges/insignia perhaps 70 or 80 percent ended up in graves, maybe another 20 percent was disgarded and the rest 10 or so remains in undug condition.

John

[Robin Lumsden]

Hi Robin:

Thank you for the extra information. I feel that it would be worth the time and effort for somebody to do some research and then attempt to locate the rings.

I saw a History Channel program where a small amount of diamonds (well actually the amount was in the millions of dollars when it comes to value) which were originally looted by the Germans and stored in a bank and then found by GI's who eventually abandoned the pieces in a foxhole where they sat to be found 60 years after the war ended. The foxhole in which they were found was overlooked for years by a treasure hunter as it was under a huge log that had fallen on the foxhole during the war. The hunt was financed by a Jewish financier as it was felt that they were originally stolen from Jewish victoms of the Holocaust and the diamonds were sold for an untold sum with the money going to help, I believe, underprivileged children, under the supervision of a Rabbi. The one surviving vet in the group of GIs that originally found the diamonds got nothing, nor did he ask for anything...it is interesting in that he never wanted to go back to Europe to pin down the exact location where he had hidden the diamonds...if he had done this the pieces would have been found years earlier. The reasons that he and his buddies decided to bury the diamonds was because they were too bulky to carry day after day...ie they would dig into your skin as you carried them in a pocket. I suppose there are still great finds from WW2 to be found.

John

John.

I saw that programme too.

Diamonds buried in a hole in the middle of a field, and dug up 60 years later.

It shows that anything is possible.

I hope the same happens someday with these rings.

Regards,

Robin.

[RoyA]

I have to say this is the best thread I've read in a long time...good job Robin
Roy

[Robin Lumsden]

I have to say this is the best thread I've read in a long time...good job Robin
Roy

Thanks Roy.

[pete]

Blieburg

Yeah thats from Bleiburg Austria which you can read all about on the net and the monument with the m42? helmet i belive is in view of where they dig this stuff up most likey...thats the same thing as you say in my opinion....thats a massacre that the British are responsible for let happening and it is not well known outside croatia and somthing the british have kept quiet.No tribunal has ever emerged. That revenge stuff went on into the 60s too in former yugoslavia and i know eher there are other sites just as these guys who rob likey do but they make money not observe what happened there.

http://web2.kw.igs.net/~amilardo/history2.htm

[Robin Lumsden]

Himmler planned that the castle would be the centre of a new SS pagan religion.....a sort of SS vatican........and had this model of the finished complex prepared.

See how the triangular castle is at the tip of a huge spear-head.
This was in reference to the fabled Holy Lance, which was meant to confer special power on its owner...........

[Robin Lumsden]

Local SS men were married in the castle instead of in the village church......

[Robin Lumsden]

And the rooms were decorated with runes and Germanic motifs.........

[Robin Lumsden]

As was the cutlery........

[Robin Lumsden]

Unfortunately, the continuing fascination with the castle has led to junk like this being faked............

[Robin Lumsden]

PLEASE HELP FIND MY LOST FAMILY............

[Jack Dutton-Roberts]

Thanks for the interesting thread Robin

I went to Wewelsburg castle a few months back and thoroughly enjoyed it. The actual castle is fantastic as is the surrounding area. We were allowed inside the crypt and I found it to be rather ghostly.

Inside the castle there is hardly anything to remind us of the SS's stay there which was slightly dissapointing and even more dissapointing was something I noticed on the little stone guard house just outside the main gate. The SS runes carved into it had been chisselled off

The museum was ok though and I found the Death's head bench end thingy interesting. Before we left a friend collected a tiny block of stone from one of the castle's walls and now his honour ring sits on top of it. The contrast of the dark mossy rock against the bright silver ring looks stunning. I'll get a photo next time I go to his house.

We then went to visit the many military grave yards in the area and we found quite a few 12th SS ones.

Thanks from Jack.

[Gary Wood]

Interesting thread, i will try to dig the photo's out of my visit there,
cheers,
Gary

[Robin Lumsden]

Jack.

I also brought back a small 'chunk' of the castle from one of my visits there, but I didn't think of displaying a ring on it. That's quite a good idea!

And look at the number of views on this thread !!