Nazi treasure trove may be hidden beneath town

BERLIN — Investigators seeking fabled Nazi plunder said Monday that geophysicists have discovered something unusual buried near an east German town — possibly remnants of the long-lost Amber Room.

Treasure hunters speculate that remains of the room — along with gold, paintings and other items stolen from a Russian palace outside St. Petersburg during World War II by the invading Nazis — could be buried near the town of Deutschkatharinenberg.

However, rain has prevented the dig from continuing for several days. The wet weather affected the electronic equipment needed to measure the depth of the material and what it may be below the grass, Mayor Heinz-Peter Haustein said Monday.

Researchers have been surveying the area near the Czech border since March after treasure hunters began boring into the hillside in February. They were led to the location by a notebook belonging to a former Luftwaffe radio pilot operator who died last year. The book was found by his son, Christian Hanisch.

Haustein said the geophysicists called in to help with the survey were unable to say what was beneath the ground, only that the material was not natural.

He and others have speculated that the cache, if found, could include remnants of the Amber Room, famed for its amber panels emblazoned with gold leaf and mirrors. Many have been searching for decades for the remains of the Amber Room and its riches.