Grim Discovery: Skeletons Missing Hands and Feet Found at Nazi Commander's Former Home

In a chilling discovery, Polish archaeologists have unearthed the remains of five individuals missing their hands and feet at the former Nazi military base, Wolf's Lair, in Gierloz, northeastern Poland. The site was once the command center of Hermann Göring, one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party and commander of the Allied Air Force.

Why this matters: This discovery sheds light on the brutal nature of the Nazi regime and serves as a harsh illumination of the atrocities committed during World War II. The investigation's findings could also provide closure for families of potential victims and contribute to a deeper understanding of the war's impact on civilians. The investigation's findings could also provide closure for families of potential victims and contribute to a deeper understanding of the war's impact on civilians.

The discovery was made on February 24, when a fragment of a human skull was found during a dig, prompting local authorities to conduct further excavations. The remains, believed to be war-related victims from World War II, include three adults, a teenager, and a newborn baby. The five bodies were arranged near each other, facing in the same direction, outside Göring's former house.

Alongside the bodies, archaeologists found burned boards and the remains of sewage infrastructure, but no traces of clothing. "It was very surprising," said Adrian Kostrzewa, a member of the Latebra Foundation's board of directors. "There are many theories about why they do not have hands and feet. Right now, it's very hard to say," Kostrzewa added.

The Wolf's Lair was the Nazis' 6.5 square kilometer (2.5 square mile) Eastern Front headquarters, deliberately built miles from civilization in the forests of northeastern Poland. The base was one of the largest of its kind in Europe and was the site of Operation Valkyrie, an assassination attempt against Hitler in July 1944. Hitler spent nearly three years at the Wolf's Lair before it was destroyed in January 1945 to prevent it from falling into the hands of the advancing Soviet army.

The Latebra Foundation is waiting to hear the results of a police investigation into the remains, and many questions remain unanswered. An important next step is to find out the age of the remains using radio carbon dating. The foundation initially thought they were digging up an old bathroom when they found pipes under the ground, but then found ashes and a burned key before discovering the skull fragment.

The absence of clothing and jewelry on the bodies suggests they were looted and stripped before burial. Oktavian Bartoszewski, one of the researchers, believes the bodies were probably buried after the house was built, since the remains were found under pipes. "Those who laid the pipes should have discovered the human remains,"Bartoszewski told Der Spiegel magazine. "We were completely shocked."

Polish prosecutors have launched an investigation to determine whether the skeletons are victims of Nazi war crimes. The discovery sheds light on the brutal nature of the Nazi regime and serves a harsh warning of the atrocities committed during World War II. The investigation's ongoing efforts have sparked a global wait for answers about the identities of these individuals and the circumstances surrounding their tragic deaths.

Key Takeaways

• Polish archaeologists found 5 skeletons without hands and feet at Wolf's Lair, a former Nazi military base.
• The remains, including 3 adults, a teenager, and a newborn, were found near Hermann Göring's former house.
• The bodies were arranged facing the same direction, with no clothing or jewelry, suggesting they were looted and stripped.
• The discovery sheds light on the brutal nature of the Nazi regime and may provide closure for families of potential victims.
• A police investigation is underway to determine if the skeletons are victims of Nazi war crimes.