Hitlers Gold??

[Driventowin]

So they think they know where it's located? Should know by tomorrow or so... Who owns it?? Certainly not the German Government or the company searching for it do you think?

If they have found it I should think there are going to be a ton of legal claims filed over this, what do you think??

[English Noodles]

Lake Toplitz in the Austrian Alps is rumoured to be home to vast quantities of gold and other priceless plunder, it also is said to contain a number of sealed tubes which in turn are said to contain details of secret Nazi bank accounts in Switzerland. Millions of counterfeit UK pound sterling notes were also dumped in the lake as a cover up act after a startagy to flood the UK with them and wreck it economy was never implemented. Documentary makers using a mini submarine actually managed to recover some of the banknotes from the lake bottom.

during a visit to Germany, the then Russian president Boris Yeltsin demanded the return of 'the amber room' which is believed to still be hidden with Germanys borders, many believe it was dismantled and the panneling hiden in the lake.

Then of course in the mountains themselves, treasures were split up and hidden in many tunnel systems in the mountains, and although some of these treasure and art caches were discovered by advancing allied troops (such as the Merkers mine treasure), others weren't and remain undiscovered in the Alps to this day.

Also the Auckland islands, supposedly gold stashed there along with possibly the remains of Hittler himself along with the spear of destiny.

Then theres Corsica, steel ammunition boxes hidden in an underwater cavern off the eastern coast of the island are said to contain precious stones and gold and silver bullion that had been moved out of north Africa as Rommel's Afrika Corps were being crushed by the allied onslaught. Whether this material was supposed to have been looted by Rommel and his troops from north Africa or whether it was barter money that they had taken with them is not clear.

And of course what American would not know the story of the Hungarian Crown Jewels?

In 1945 the crown jewels, the crown of St, Stephen, a ceremonial Orb and sceptre, were stolen from the Palace of Buda in Budapest.

Later that year, US forces apprehended a group of Hungarian SS troops who had in their possession the iron bound chests used to store the crown, orb and sceptre, the chests were found to be empty, but after lengthy interrogations the group admitted that that they had hidden the crown sceptre and orb in an oil barrel which they had sunk in some marshland near the village of Mattsee in Bavaria, Germany.

Troops from the US Seventh Army soon recovered the barrel and the Hungarian crown jewels vanished until October 1965 when the Wichita Eagle published an article alleging that the Hungarian crown jewels were in the possession of the US state department.

The American government were quick to acknowledge that they did indeed have the Hungarian crown jewels, but also stated that they would not return them to the communist regime that was in power in the country at that time.
It was later revealed that the crown had been stored at the world famous US gold reserve at Fort Knox in Kentucky from 1945 until its eventual return to Hungary in 1978.

In 1977, US president Jimmy Carter decided to return the crown jewels and they were handed to communist officials in Budapest by the then secretary of state, Cyrus Vance on January 6, 1978.

And of course it wasnt just the Germans, the Japanese were at it also, gold and other valuables were stolen from East and Southeast Asia by Japanese forces during World War II and supposedly hidden in the Philippines. Many people believe the reports of hidden treasure to be an urban legend, but the theory has its supporters among some respected researchers and historians. There are still many treasure hunters who comb the Philippine countryside in search of the treasure.

What gold are you talking about and where have you read or seen about this?

Cite. (Edited at the request of texpat)

Nazi Gold: The Merkers Mine Treasure By Greg Bradsher

Nazi Millionaires, Kenneth D. Alford, Theodore P. Savas, 2002.

SelectUkraine.com/JewishHeritage

The Treasure Seekers by Hans Roden, 1966.

National Archives and Records Administration

[Happyman]

So they think they know where it's located? Should know by tomorrow or so... Who owns it?? Certainly not the German Government or the company searching for it do you think?

If they have found it I should think there are going to be a ton of legal claims filed over this, what do you think??

If they do find anything it will be like opening a can of worms!!!!
Best leave it where it is !!!

[Texpat]

^^Lack of condescending tone gives you away ... really should credit the author.

[English Noodles]

^Which one? it is an amalgamation of 4 or 5 for a quick guide to the plunders of war, i thought it might be appreciated.

[Driventowin]

So they think they know where it's located? Should know by tomorrow or so... Who owns it?? Certainly not the German Government or the company searching for it do you think?

If they have found it I should think there are going to be a ton of legal claims filed over this, what do you think??

If they do find anything it will be like opening a can of worms!!!!
Best leave it where it is !!!

Noodles on CNN...It's supposedly some large cache of gold bullion is all I heard, somewhere inside a mountain in Germany, but I don't think it is in the German Alps though my 4 year old interrupted the report..

Happy... It's too late they're already drilling the probe holes as we type..

I figure it's going to be a huge can of worms myself that's why I posed the topic..

[dirtydog]

^^^Can't find it any where else on the net.

[Texpat]

i thought it might be appreciated.

It was, interesting read.

[Driventowin]

CNN.com International

Here ya go..

Sorry this is better

Treasure hunters dig for Hitler's gold - CNN.com

[Gerbil]

It's all mine. I can proove it. It's sort of yellowish in colour.

[Jet Gorgon]

I enjoyed the reading, Noodles and Driven. Thanks. Kinda like discovering new Egyptian tombs or trawling for sunken Ming dynasty merchant vessels. Cool.

[Driventowin]

i thought it might be appreciated.

It was, interesting read.

I agree and this might be an answer to your other mystery of the Amber Room location as well...

[English Noodles]

All very interesting stuff, thanks for bringing this to the forum as i had not seen it in the news, i will keep an eye on this with great interest.

[Hootad Binky]

Saw a feature on CNN this morning; imagine all the people "just out for a stroll" in the Austrian mountains in the weeks to come...

[tiswas]

So if / when they discover this "treasure" just who will be able to claim it legally?

[Thetyim]

What about Thailand?

Was there some gold that was buried by the retreating Jap army ?

[Driventowin]

All very interesting stuff, thanks for bringing this to the forum as i had not seen it in the news, i will keep an eye on this with great interest.

Yes... I thought so too and I didn't post a link originally because I had thought it was impossible to have been missed honestly with the awarenes of this group, the original reaction caught me somewhat off guard I might point out, I almost didn't post it at all at first..

Happy you appreciate it..

[Driventowin]

So if / when they discover this "treasure" just who will be able to claim it legally?

Well this is the prevailing question isn't it?? I wonder if Israel will/can file any International claims? Who else was pilfered but hasn't recovered yet? What about private interests? It isn't like this is being recovered on the high seas somewhere where ownership is detemined by the discoverer...

I could be wrong but I think it has some serious undertones and potential roadblocks to anyone gaining possession for some years time as I see it...

Like Happy said....One large can of worms...

[PlanK]

.One large can of worms...

After all that digging I hope they find more than one large can of worms.

[English Noodles]

If the treasure is recovered on German soil then it can be claimed as property of Germany and the people who discovered it are entitled to 10% of the value of the haul. They have stated that if the Amber room turns up then it would be most likely returned to Russia, though international law does not dictate they have to do this, of course it would be very stupid not to and there is almost zero chance that they would take the decision to keep it because of the obvious political problems and the pressure they would be under from the world community to return it.

[buriramboy]

What about Thailand?

Was there some gold that was buried by the retreating Jap army ?

I vaguely remember that story, it was a few years ago, some mad Senator was convinced there was loads of jap loot in some cave somewhere in Thailand that would be enough to pay off all of Thailands debts, the cave was searched and obviously no loot was found.

[Driventowin]

If the treasure is recovered on German soil then it can be claimed as property of Germany and the people who discovered it are entitled to 10% of the value of the haul.

Well in most cases this would certainly be the norm. But I think this is highly contentious in this case and is going to stir a pretty hot political pot..
This is after all stolen property of a war and is considered to be 'evidence of a crime', which should be returned, if at all possible to the victims now that the outcome of case has been adjudicated..

[buriramboy]

Here was the story i was on about...........

Thailand hunt for war gold.

AM Archive - Tuesday, 17 April , 2001 00:00:00

Reporter: Geoff Thompson

COMPERE: Gold fever has hit Thailand after the alleged discovery of a vast wartime fortune left behind by the Japanese. The hunt for two and a half thousand tonnes of gold and more than $100 billion in American bank bonds has already spun the head of Thailand's Prime Minister, who hopes the booty can bale his country out of debt.

From Bangkok Geoff Thompson reports.

GEOFF THOMPSON: It was the movie, 'The Bridge Over the River Kwai' that made the prisoner of war built Thai Burma railway, infamous all over the world.

The film did not depict the true tragedy of the Japanese run labour camps nor the estimated 94,000 deaths the railway was built upon. Nor did the film mention that in its retreat the Imperial Army left behind a vast fortune. Caved in and sealed off somewhere along the death railway.

But for years in Thailand that story has done the rounds. Just ask Rod Beattie, the Australian Manager of the Commonwealth War Cemeteries in Kanchanaburi.

ROD BEATTIE: I've been here working seriously on the railway for more than seven years now and honestly have heard many stories about Japanese treasure and bullion being hidden along the route of the railway. Supposedly, abandoned when the Japanese were retreating from Burma in late 1944 early 1945.

GEOFF THOMPSON: But it's now in 2001 that the story has become fact. If you believe Thai Senator Chaowarin Latthsaksiri who says he's discovered the treasure in a Kanchanaburi cave, and is ready to hand over part of the loot to Thailand's King, as early as today.

FILM EXCERPT: 'Are you going to tell him the truth Commander?'

'Course Not'

'Ah you're neither an officer nor a gentleman'

GEOFF THOMPSON: Thai language newspapers have carried photos of what appear to be American Bank Bonds, that the Senator says are worth well over $100 billion. And he claims to know the whereabouts of two and a half thousand tonnes of Japanese ordered gold.

The story has already caused such a stir that Thailand's already billionaire Prime Minister flew to the cave in a helicopter and says he will ask for help from US satellites and their remote sensing technology. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has said he hopes the fortune will cancel out Thailand's massive national debt.

But Rod Beattie's heard it all before, he's witnessed the results of four railway treasure hunts in the past.

ROD BEATTIE: Well up the border itself where they worked, actually seriously for probably a year blasting the side of a mountain, nothing found.

GEOFF THOMPSON: So how much money's been spent trying to find this gold?

ROD BEATTIE: (laughter) Millions of baht, millions of baht and one of them was paid for with bouncing cheques.

AM Archive - Thailand hunt for war gold

[Driventowin]

Here was the story i was on about...........

Thailand hunt for war gold.

AM Archive - Tuesday, 17 April , 2001 00:00:00

Reporter: Geoff Thompson

COMPERE: Gold fever has hit Thailand after the alleged discovery of a vast wartime fortune left behind by the Japanese. The hunt for two and a half thousand tonnes of gold and more than $100 billion in American bank bonds has already spun the head of Thailand's Prime Minister, who hopes the booty can bale his country out of debt.

From Bangkok Geoff Thompson reports.

GEOFF THOMPSON: It was the movie, 'The Bridge Over the River Kwai' that made the prisoner of war built Thai Burma railway, infamous all over the world.

The film did not depict the true tragedy of the Japanese run labour camps nor the estimated 94,000 deaths the railway was built upon. Nor did the film mention that in its retreat the Imperial Army left behind a vast fortune. Caved in and sealed off somewhere along the death railway.

But for years in Thailand that story has done the rounds. Just ask Rod Beattie, the Australian Manager of the Commonwealth War Cemeteries in Kanchanaburi.

ROD BEATTIE: I've been here working seriously on the railway for more than seven years now and honestly have heard many stories about Japanese treasure and bullion being hidden along the route of the railway. Supposedly, abandoned when the Japanese were retreating from Burma in late 1944 early 1945.

GEOFF THOMPSON: But it's now in 2001 that the story has become fact. If you believe Thai Senator Chaowarin Latthsaksiri who says he's discovered the treasure in a Kanchanaburi cave, and is ready to hand over part of the loot to Thailand's King, as early as today.

FILM EXCERPT: 'Are you going to tell him the truth Commander?'

'Course Not'

'Ah you're neither an officer nor a gentleman'

GEOFF THOMPSON: Thai language newspapers have carried photos of what appear to be American Bank Bonds, that the Senator says are worth well over $100 billion. And he claims to know the whereabouts of two and a half thousand tonnes of Japanese ordered gold.

The story has already caused such a stir that Thailand's already billionaire Prime Minister flew to the cave in a helicopter and says he will ask for help from US satellites and their remote sensing technology. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has said he hopes the fortune will cancel out Thailand's massive national debt.

But Rod Beattie's heard it all before, he's witnessed the results of four railway treasure hunts in the past.

ROD BEATTIE: Well up the border itself where they worked, actually seriously for probably a year blasting the side of a mountain, nothing found.

GEOFF THOMPSON: So how much money's been spent trying to find this gold?

ROD BEATTIE: (laughter) Millions of baht, millions of baht and one of them was paid for with bouncing cheques.

AM Archive - Thailand hunt for war gold

Hmmmm..... Well shortly there after Thailand did wipe it's national debt to the International bank in record time from it's collapse of the economy in 98.. So maybe Toxin isn't the big successful business man and PM he's been made out to be, just a lucky lotto winner, as it were.....

[Happyman]

Here was the story i was on about...........

Thailand hunt for war gold.

AM Archive - Tuesday, 17 April , 2001 00:00:00

Reporter: Geoff Thompson

COMPERE: Gold fever has hit Thailand after the alleged discovery of a vast wartime fortune left behind by the Japanese. The hunt for two and a half thousand tonnes of gold and more than $100 billion in American bank bonds has already spun the head of Thailand's Prime Minister, who hopes the booty can bale his country out of debt.

From Bangkok Geoff Thompson reports.

GEOFF THOMPSON: It was the movie, 'The Bridge Over the River Kwai' that made the prisoner of war built Thai Burma railway, infamous all over the world.

The film did not depict the true tragedy of the Japanese run labour camps nor the estimated 94,000 deaths the railway was built upon. Nor did the film mention that in its retreat the Imperial Army left behind a vast fortune. Caved in and sealed off somewhere along the death railway.

But for years in Thailand that story has done the rounds. Just ask Rod Beattie, the Australian Manager of the Commonwealth War Cemeteries in Kanchanaburi.

ROD BEATTIE: I've been here working seriously on the railway for more than seven years now and honestly have heard many stories about Japanese treasure and bullion being hidden along the route of the railway. Supposedly, abandoned when the Japanese were retreating from Burma in late 1944 early 1945.

GEOFF THOMPSON: But it's now in 2001 that the story has become fact. If you believe Thai Senator Chaowarin Latthsaksiri who says he's discovered the treasure in a Kanchanaburi cave, and is ready to hand over part of the loot to Thailand's King, as early as today.

FILM EXCERPT: 'Are you going to tell him the truth Commander?'

'Course Not'

'Ah you're neither an officer nor a gentleman'

GEOFF THOMPSON: Thai language newspapers have carried photos of what appear to be American Bank Bonds, that the Senator says are worth well over $100 billion. And he claims to know the whereabouts of two and a half thousand tonnes of Japanese ordered gold.

The story has already caused such a stir that Thailand's already billionaire Prime Minister flew to the cave in a helicopter and says he will ask for help from US satellites and their remote sensing technology. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has said he hopes the fortune will cancel out Thailand's massive national debt.

But Rod Beattie's heard it all before, he's witnessed the results of four railway treasure hunts in the past.

ROD BEATTIE: Well up the border itself where they worked, actually seriously for probably a year blasting the side of a mountain, nothing found.

GEOFF THOMPSON: So how much money's been spent trying to find this gold?

ROD BEATTIE: (laughter) Millions of baht, millions of baht and one of them was paid for with bouncing cheques.

AM Archive - Thailand hunt for war gold

Hmmmm..... Well shortly there after Thailand did wipe it's national debt to the International bank in record time from it's collapse of the economy in 98.. So maybe Toxin isn't the big successful business man and PM he's been made out to be, just a lucky lotto winner, as it were.....

Does Toxin or family own any land adjacent to the railway ????