The Most Mind-Blowing Discovery of WW2

On March 22, 1945, General Patton's  Third Army charged through the Rhine, making a beeline for the heart of Germany. They  swept northeast, breaking through the Soviet Zone, eyes set on Gotha. But fate had other plans,  diverting them unexpectedly to Merkers. A few weeks later, the 358th Infantry  Regiment's Third Battalion seized the village, unknowingly stumbling upon a  revelation. Whispers circulated about hidden Reichsbank gold in the Kaiseroda potassium mine. On April 5, rumors from displ

aced Germans reached the intelligence units. The race was on as troops  ventured into the mine's depths. Behind a closed vault lay what possibly was the most splendid  treasure ever amassed. The war was coming to an end, but the dark truth about the riches hidden in  the deep mine were just coming out into the light… With Allied bombings rattling Berlin, a pivotal  decision was made to safeguard the wealth of the German Reichsbank. Facing the imminent threat,  a clandestine operation unfolded to

transfer vast portions of gold and currency reserves  to the Kaiseroda potassium mine in Merkers. On February 11, a convoy of railcars transported  a staggering billion Reichsmarks, gold reserves, and a significant cache of foreign currency  to the depths of Merkers, finding refuge in a specially designated vault known as Room No. 8. Simultaneously, in an intricate web of movements, currency, and personnel were dispatched to the  Reichsbank branch in Erfurt. The SS Office for Economy and Admini

stration, notorious for  overseeing concentration camps, added to the surreal drama by channeling seized loot—gold  jewelry, securities, foreign currency—from the camps to the Reichsbank for safekeeping. In March 1945, under the watchful eye of Albert Thoms, head of the Reichsbank's Precious  Metals Department, the SS loot arrived at Merkers. Gold and silver bars, along with a trove of  treasures stashed in suitcases and trunks, found sanctuary in Room No. 8. The Reichsminister for Education, fo

reseeing the storm, ordered the evacuation of  art treasures to mines in March. Dr. Paul Ortwin Rave was entrusted with overseeing the relocation  of one-fourth of the major holdings of fourteen principal Prussian state museums to Merkers. As the Third Army closed in on Merkers, desperate attempts were made to move the  reserves, including artworks, back to Berlin. Hindered by the relentless American advance and  logistical chaos caused by the Easter holidays, the efforts proved futile. By April

  2, the focus shifted to Reichsmarks, and on April 4, a group of bank officials  rushed to Merkers to retrieve the currency. With the imminent arrival of American forces,  chaos ensued. German officials, assisted by Polish workers, attempted a hasty retreat  with the currency, but the advancing Americans interrupted their efforts. Fearing capture,  some officials fled, setting documents ablaze, while others desperately tried to reverse  the flow of currency back into the mine. In early 1945, Li

eutenant General George  Patton's Third Army breached the Rhine and advanced into the heart of Germany. On April 4, the Third Battalion of the 358th Infantry Regiment, Ninetieth Infantry  Division, claimed Merkers, setting the stage for an extraordinary discovery. Whispers  circulating among displaced persons hinted at the relocation of the German Reichsbank gold to  the Kaiseroda potassium mine in Merkers. However, it was not until April 5 that credible  information emerged when some French peo

ple with firsthand knowledge disclosed the mine's  hidden treasures to the G-2 intelligence section. Swift action ensued, with Lieutenant Colonel  William A. Russell verifying the claims and deploying military units to secure the mine's  entrances. Major General Herbert L. Earnest, grasping the gravity of the revelation, ordered  reinforcements from the 357th Infantry Regiment. However, caution prevailed, as General  Manton S. Eddy, in contact with Patton, advised against confirming the gold's 

capture until definitive verification. Unraveling the historical tapestry, the  strategic dispersion of the Reichsbank's assets, a response to Allied bombings menacing  Berlin, comes to light. In February 1945, President Walter Funk orchestrated the  transfer of gold reserves valued at 238 million dollars to the Merkers mine  for safekeeping, shielding Germany's financial lifeline from the ravages of war. If validated, the capture of the German gold reserves in Merkers bore immense strategic  si

gnificance, potentially dealing a decisive blow to Germany's capacity to procure vital  war materials and hastening the war's end. On April 7, 1945, military personnel interrogated  civilians to unveil the hidden storage of Reich property in the Merkers mine. Simultaneously, new  entrances were discovered in Leimbach, Ransbach, and Springen, swiftly guarded by stationed  forces, including tanks from the First Battalion of the 357th Infantry Regiment. By 10:00am on April 8, a diverse group, inclu

ding Russell, Signal Corps photographers,  Rave, and German mining officials, descended 2,100 feet into the Merkers mine. They found  550 bags of Reichsmarks in the main haulage way. Progressing further, they encountered the main  vault, sealed by a three-foot-thick brick wall and an imposing steel door. Attempts to open  it failed, but confirmation came that gold lay behind it. General Eddy was notified, and  Patton ordered the vault door to be blown. At 5:00pm, most of the 357th Infantry Regim

ent  moved out, but the First Battalion continued guarding the mine entrances. On April 8, a  group, including General Eddy and Russell, entered the mine. Engineers used dynamite  to breach the vault, revealing Room No. 8, which was filled with a staggering treasure trove:  8,198 bars of gold bullion, assorted gold items, various currencies, silver bars, and more. The  enormity of the discovery prompted General Eddy to countermand the withdrawal order, directing  the 357th Infantry Regiment to s

ecure the mine. As the treasure review continued, artworks  were found in other tunnels, drawing Museums, Fine Arts, and Archives officers. News of the gold  discovery reached Patton, who urgently contacted General Bradley, seeking intervention from  Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force, recognizing the political implications  of the find becoming public knowledge. As the deputy chief of the Financial Branch, G-5 Division of Supreme Headquarters  Allied Expeditionary Force, SHAEF, Co

l Bernard Bernstein's journey commenced with  a headline in the New York Herald Tribune. His concern about the authenticity of reports led  to a pivotal exchange with Colonel Barrett of the Third Army and subsequently with Brigadier  General McSherry at the advance headquarters in Rheims. In short order, General Eisenhower  entrusted Bernstein with the reins of command. Navigating challenges in communication with  personnel on the ground, Bernstein faced initial uncertainty about the treasure's

contents.  Coordinating with Barrett and on-site operatives, it was eventually confirmed that the mine harbored  over a hundred tons of gold, foreign currency, Reichsmarks, and priceless paintings. Eisenhower's directive tasked Bernstein with securing the treasure's transfer to a  more fortified location. General Crawford's instructions outlined Bernstein's responsibilities  and restricted access to the mine. Teamed with Lieutenant Colonel Carl L. Morris,  Bernstein orchestrated the movement of

the treasure, opting for the Reichsbank building  in Frankfurt after a thorough inspection. Collaborating with local officers, they  meticulously planned the takeover and relocation. Visits to potential storage sites culminated  in the selection of the Reichsbank building. General McSherry requisitioned the site,  engineers prepared it for secure storage, and Bernstein and Barrett finalized plans. On April 10, Bernstein explored the Merkers mine, gathering information from officials. A subsequen

t  meeting with General Patton affirmed support for Eisenhower's responsibility. The saga extended  with MFAA officers Stout and Webb handling art treasures while Morris ensured the secure  transfer of this unprecedented wealth. On April 11, 1945, a pivotal chapter unfolded  as Colonel Bernard Bernstein received a crucial directive. The message instructed him to ensure  the readiness of a mine's main entrance by 9:00am the next morning—General George S. Patton was  set to pay a visit. Bernstein

diligently prepared the mine and its equipment, even arranging for  German civilians to be available for questioning. As the clock struck the appointed hour,  anticipation filled the air. However, Patton was still at his headquarters, engaged in cordial  greetings with Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower and Omar Bradley. The trio eventually flew to  Merkers, arriving at the mine around 10:30am. Descending into the depths via an elevator,  Bernstein and Patton, displaying a hint of nervous humor, voic

ed concerns about the safety  of the operation. Their destination was Room No. 8. Eisenhower, witnessing the spoils of  war, was visibly moved by flattened gold and silver items stripped from European homes. Amidst suitcases filled with jewelry acquired through dubious means, plans were devised  to inventory and transport the treasures to Frankfurt. Bernstein disclosed that some of  the items bore a sinister origin, having been plundered from concentration camp victims. The  generals, including

Brigadier General Otto P. Weyland, endorsed the decision to move the items. The tour unfolded to reveal not only art but also plates used in printing Reichsmark currency  and the currency itself. A German official claimed the currency was destined for  the German army, but Bradley expressed: (QUOTE) "I doubt the German Army will be meeting  payrolls much longer." The inspection concluded with Bradley teasing Patton: (QUOTE) "If these  were the old free-booting days when a soldier kept his loot y

ou'd be the richest man in the world." Following the tour, discussions among Bradley, Eisenhower, and Patton delved into the discovery  of gold. Patton, initially inclined toward secrecy, faced questions from Bradley about the  necessity of such measures. The conversation turned reflective as they pondered the fate of the  gold—whether to distribute it among soldiers or reserve it for post-war weapon procurement. As the night unfolded, the gravity of the era intensified with the untimely news of

  President Franklin D. Roosevelt's passing. 6 Post-tour, Bernstein conducted interviews,  unraveling the intricate web of German policy that led to the storage of files  and treasures in mines and tunnels. In the midst of April, Morris orchestrated  the transfer of a significant trove of art and treasures. Collaborating with  military brass, including Colonel Perry, the transportation officer, and the deputy  chief of engineers, Morris meticulously planned personnel deployment and security meas

ures. Facing challenges inspecting art in the Ransbach mine due to a malfunctioning elevator,  MFAA Officer Stout returned to Merkers, where he discovered loose artwork amidst  crated items. Recognizing the urgency of proper packing, Stout diligently prepared  the Ransbach art for the impending move. On April 12, a Frankfurt team descended to assist.  Tasks were assigned, including overseeing money container markings, analyzing testimonies  for additional deposits, and inspecting the mine's dept

hs. Simultaneously, four teams  commenced the inventory of the mine's contents. The actual move unfolded on April 15, as  thirty-two trucks, forming Task Force Whitney, departed Merkers for Frankfurt, under Colonel  Walker's vigilant eye. Escorted by infantry and military police, the convoy began a meticulous  unloading process supervised by Bernstein. Concurrently, preparations for art transportation unfolded. Loading commenced on April  16. Bernstein, wary of hidden assets, proposed a post-mov

e plan to search for Nazi gold. The art convoy, now named Task Force Hansen, departed for Frankfurt, guided by Stout and  Captain Dunn. The unloading and storing of artwork were completed that day, signifying the  successful relocation of both treasure and art. The Allied forces stumbled upon a trove;  a cache of gold, silver, and currency, appraised at a staggering 520 million  dollars, was laid bare before astonished American soldiers. This unprecedented discovery,  however, would not only unr

avel tales of immense wealth but also cast a haunting shadow of  potential war crimes committed by the SS. A set of meticulous account books from  Thoms's Precious Metals Department, outlining the Reichsbank's gold holdings,  became a crucial piece of the puzzle. Bernstein, recognizing the gravity of the situation,  urgently communicated the need for a sweeping reconnaissance to locate hidden German assets  scattered across mines and secret enclaves. Undeterred by challenges and a lack of suppor

t,  Bernstein spearheaded a daring mission covering nineteen hundred miles, meticulously checking  Reichsbanks throughout American-occupied Germany. The meager initial recovery of 3 million  dollars worth of Reichsbank gold was soon eclipsed by subsequent efforts in May and June,  yielding an additional 11 million. Remarkably, by the mission's end, a staggering 98.6 percent  of the 255.96 million dollars in gold listed on the Precious Metals Department's  closing balances had been recovered. In

mid-August, experts from the US Treasury  Department and the Bank of England meticulously evaluated the captured treasure—gold, gold coins,  silver bars, and platinum—ultimately appraising it at a monumental 262.2 million dollars. As the  summer of 1945 unfolded, Allied currencies were repatriated, and the arduous process of returning  artworks to their rightful owners commenced. The gold unearthed at Merkers took on a special  significance. Entrusted to the Tripartite Commission for the Restitu

tion of Monetary Gold,  it was destined for redistribution among countries whose central-bank gold had been pilfered by  the Nazis. However, the machinations of the Cold War delayed the full restitution until 1996. Determining the value of SS loot found at Merkers proved to be a moral quandary. Non-monetary  gold, extracted from victims of Nazi persecution, found its way to the International Restitution  Organization. Bernstein's exhaustive reports became instrumental in the Nuremberg trials,  w

here Walter Funk was held accountable.