The German War Graves Commission announced that divers have retrieved a World War II-era DKW NZ 350-1 motorcycle from the Danube River in central Budapest. The heavily corroded bike, still showing its frame, wheels, fuel tank and storage boxes, was discovered this summer and is now being examined for preservation.

Preserved tags and remains

Along with the motorcycle, investigators found the skeletal remains of two German soldiers and two intact identification tags. While the tags were recovered with the bodies, the commission cautions that they may not belong to the individuals found, though it is possible.

“Because the harbor mud is mixed with gas oil, the motorcycle and identification tags are well preserved,” the commission said in a statement, noting the model’s reputation for robustness at the time.

Identification process

Diane Tempel-Bornett, spokesperson for the commission, explained that determining the soldiers’ identities will be a “long, painstaking process.” Forensic analysis will assess height, age, possible origin, and personal items such as wedding rings, glasses, jewelry or papers. These clues will be cross‑referenced with German military records held by the Federal Archives in Berlin.

“Only when everything fits together is the person’s fate considered to have been clarified,” Tempel‑Bornett added. The commission will also reach out to any relatives who may be searching for missing family members.

Uncertain cause of death

Investigators can only speculate about how the soldiers died. Possibilities include attempting to cross a frozen Danube, falling into the river, being shot, or drowning. The exact circumstances will remain unknown until further forensic evidence is evaluated.

For now, the identities of the two soldiers and the story of how the motorcycle came to rest in the river remain unresolved, but the discovery offers a tangible link to the final days of the war in Hungary.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.