Skeletons with missing hands and feet found at Hitler’s ‘Wolf’s Lair’ under Nazi commander Hermann Goering's bunker
30 April 2024, 15:30 | Updated: 30 April 2024, 15:44
Excavators have found skeletons without hands or feet under the home of Nazi war criminal Hermann Goering, sparking a murder probe.
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The skeletons were found under Goering’s home in a bunker complex used by Adolf Hitler as a headquarters in World War II.
Goering was part of Hitler’s inner circle and went on to be the highest-ranking Nazi official tried at Nuremberg and was found to be responsible for some of the worst crimes against humanity.
German-Polish excavators returned to the convicted war criminal’s home in northeastern Poland to uncover a wooden floorboard in the hope of finding some nails or building materials.
His home, located in the bunker complex known as the ‘Wolf’s Lair’, was previously considered to have been heavily researched - until they made the discovery.
Excavators uncovered the remains of three adults, a teenager and a baby, who were all seemingly buried naked and had no hands or feet.
A murder inquiry has now been launched into their deaths.
Oktavian Bartoszewski, who has been working with the research association, told Der Spiegel: “We were completely shocked”.
Piotrek Banaszkiewicz from the Latebra Foundation which was involved in the discovery said: “During the uncovering of the first skeleton, as they moved from the ribs through the pelvis to the shinbones, another skull unexpectedly appeared, surprising them.
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“This prompted the police to decide on conducting a series of exploratory digs to determine if more human remains were beneath the floor.
“Upon uncovering the second skeleton, below the shinbones, infantile remains appeared.
“The sight shocked us. Initially, we thought they were animal bones, and we weren't sure what we were dealing with until a delicate skull emerged at one point.”
It is unclear when the bodies were left at the residence, as Bartoszewski said they could have been dumped there before the house was built in 1940.
He added however that it wouldn’t have been possible for the workers who laid the pipes to miss the bodies if they had been there at that point, indicating Goering may have known about the deaths.
Other theories have suggested they could have been the victims of a mass killing that came after the bunker was abandoned.
Banaszkiewicz added: “During the third exploratory dig, additional remains were uncovered. This time, we came across the remains of an adult. All of this took place at night.
“After a moment of reflection, the phrase was uttered: 'there is another.' To the left of the last discovered remains, more teenage remains appeared.
“The first set of remains was arranged unnaturally; the spine was highly curved, and the deformed skull without a visible eye socket and a displaced jaw suggests that the individual might have dealt with significant health issues during their lifetime, although this might mean the remains were displaced.
“The jawbone of the skull had worn-down teeth, indicating an elderly person.
“Throughout subsequent stages of uncovering human remains, the police continuously conducted documentation activities, recording what was observed and taking photographic documentation.
“After some time, a hearse arrived to collect the remains and transport them for examination.”
It is not known if the victims’ bodies had their hands and feet amputated of if they had decomposed over the years.
Banaszkiewicz finally added: “None of the skeletons had any clothing on - the bodies were buried without clothes.”
The public prosecutor’s investigation is ongoing and will publish the findings in due course, the MailOnline reports.
The Wolf’s Lair was a 618-acre complex used as a part-time base by Hitler between 1941-1943.
Goering wielded significant power in the Nazi state, holding numerous titles, including Commander in Chief of the German Air Force and Director of the Four Year Plan in the German economy.
He was sentenced to death during the Nuremberg trials and took his own life the night before he was due to be executed.
