British treasure hunters have been warned to stay away from a village in the Netherlands where they have been digging in gardens and public land in search of riches looted by the Nazis.
Fifteen people received a police warning and a hundred, including Britons, were found with a shovel while searching for WWII treasure in the Gelderland town of Ommeren.
Treasure hunters began searching after the State Archives released hundreds of documents after 75 years of official secrecy.
They contain a government file on Nazi treasures and a hand-drawn map marked with an X between Ommeren and Lienden.
Maps leading to a possible Nazi treasure in Ommeren are on display at the National Archives’ annual Open Access Day in The Hague, Netherlands, on January 3, 2023.
Pictured: General view of a street in the Dutch town of Ommeren, Netherlands
In the photo: Sheep in the Dutch village of Ommeren, Netherlands
According to Dutch media, the card was drawn by Helmut Sonder, a furniture maker from Baden-Baden. During Operation Market Garden in September 1944, he was in a German parachute regiment near the front.
He said his brigade buried chains, watches, precious jewels and money stolen by a roadside poplar during the 1944 Battle of Arnhem in the Netherlands.
Such items were looted by the German occupation forces during the war and inspired several films, including Raiders of the Lost Ark.
“It’s like a children’s book,” Annet Waalkens, freedom of information adviser at the National Archives, told De Telegraaf.
“They heard a rumor from a German soldier in Germany that there was a treasure hidden, they decided to investigate it and this is the file we have from 1946 to 1947,” she said.
“When we found this record and the treasure map, we were amazed. The Dutch wondered if they could trust the map and its story, and seemed to believe it.’
Map showing where the treasure hunters are looking
Pictured: Maps of a possible Nazi treasure in Ommeren at the National Archives during the annual Open Access Day
A map leading to a possible Nazi treasure in Ommeren is taken during the annual Open Access Day of the National Archives in The Hague.
The State Archives has released a number of documents in terms of the Secrecy Act after 75 years. They contain a government file on Nazi treasures, a witness statement and a hand-drawn map marked with an X between Ommeren and Lienden.
The post-war Dutch Institute for Wealth and Property Management found the story of the German soldier plausible as it could have contributed to a reduction of a prison sentence.
Authorities said the use of metal detectors or digging without a permit is not allowed and discoveries must be reported.
The Dutch police spoke about the possibility that unexploded firearms, grenades and landmines could be discovered.
The loot has been searched for several times over the years, but nothing has been found.
In one attempt, the Dutch state even brought a Nazi officer back to the country to help with the search.
Last year there was a dispute between enthusiasts looking for Nazi gold and historians who said they were looking in the wrong place.
A general view of a street in the Dutch town of Ommeren, Netherlands
Fifteen people received a police alert and 100, including Britons, were found with a shovel while searching for WWII treasure in the village of Ommeren (pictured).
In the photo: Ommeren in the Netherlands. The map issued by the State Archives, marked with an X between Ommeren and Lienden, was designed by Helmut Sonder, a furniture maker from Baden-Baden, according to Dutch media.
The Silesian Bridge Foundation has excavated the site of an 18th-century palace in the Polish town of Minkowskie where they believe £200 million worth of Nazi gold and other valuables stolen from Himmler by the SS were hidden.
The foundation said the site was revealed in a war diary written by an SS officer at the end of World War II.
But historians, who the foundation “invited to review the diary,” said their analysis was “not entirely positive.”
The historians from a group called the Discoverer Magazine Exploration Group said on Facebook: “Our most important finding is that the village of Minkowskie is NOT mentioned in the war diary.
They added: “It could become difficult for the foundation as this is currently the only place where their excavation work is being carried out.”
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Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
