OMMEREN, the Netherlands, Jan 6 (Reuters) – An previous map believed to mark the spot the place German troopers hid treasure value tens of millions of euros throughout World Warfare Two sparked the creativeness of beginner treasure hunters within the Netherlands this week.
Armed with metallic detectors and shovels, teams wandered by the fields surrounding rural Ommeren within the east of the nation after the map was made public by the Dutch Nationwide Archive on Tuesday.
The archive mentioned the map was believed to point the place Nazi troopers had hidden 4 giant containers full of diamonds, rubies, gold, silver and all types of jewelry which they’d looted after an explosion at a financial institution in August 1944.
The map was obtained from a German soldier shortly after the warfare by the Dutch institute that was tasked with tracing German capital within the Netherlands after the nation was free of Nazi occupation in 1945.
The analysis file which held the map was launched this week as the utmost interval of 75 years throughout which it might be held confidential had lapsed.
Though the existence of the treasure might by no means absolutely be confirmed, the institute undertook varied failed makes an attempt to search out it in 1947, Nationwide Archive spokeswoman Anne-Marieke Samson instructed Reuters.
“We do not know for positive if the treasure existed. However the institute did lots of checks and located the story dependable,” Samson mentioned.
“However they by no means discovered it and if it existed, the treasure would possibly very effectively have been dug up already.”
However the small probability of discovering any valuables didn’t deter the beginner gold-diggers.
“I see teams of individuals with metallic detectors in every single place,” 57-year previous Jan Henzen instructed Reuters as he took a break from his personal search.
“Like lots of people, the information in regards to the treasure made me go search for myself. The prospect of the treasure nonetheless being right here after 70 years could be very small I feel, however I wish to give it a strive.”
Former Ommeren mayor Klaas Tammes, who now runs the inspiration that owns the lands which may conceal the treasure, mentioned he had seen individuals from all around the nation.
“A map with a row of three timber and a crimson cross marking a spot the place a treasure must be hidden sparks the creativeness,” he mentioned.
“Anybody who finds something should report it to us, so we’ll see. However I would not anticipate it to be straightforward.”
Reporting by Piroschka van de Wouw, writing by Bart Meijer, modifying by Nick Macfie
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