Budapest: WWII German soldier remains found in Danube

Extreme drought and record-low water levels in the Danube have revealed the remains of two German soldiers and a military motorcycle in Budapest, Hungary. The discovery occurred near the Hungarian Parliament building.

The motorcycle, identified as a remarkably well-preserved DKW NZ 350-1 from approximately 1944, was found alongside the human remains. Experts from the Hungarian Institute and Museum of Military History and the German War Graves Commission (Volksbund) are leading the investigation.

Crucially, the soldiers' metal identity discs were found intact. Because these discs were traditionally split in two—with one half sent to Berlin to notify families—the presence of complete discs suggests these men were likely listed as missing and their families never received official notification of their deaths. One soldier was identified as a member of the Wehrmacht, while the other belonged to the Waffen-SS. Other recovered items include a wedding ring and a Kuban shield insignia.

During the recovery process, authorities also encountered anti-tank mines, requiring the intervention of a bomb disposal unit to secure the area.