German WWII motorcycle pulled from the Danube river in Budapest
A motorcycle used more than 80 years ago in World War II has been found and rescued by a team of experts in the most unlikely of places.
A German DKW NZ 350-1 military motorcycle, once used in World War II, has been pulled from underneath rocks and mud in the Danube river, in Budapest.
The motorcycle was rescued in surprisingly good condition given the amount of time it had been stuck in the same location. It was also retrieved by a local team of experts, as were human remains and several explosives.
Despite being stuck underneath mud for all these years, the bike could still serve as a restoration project as it remains largely intact. As well as the motorcycle mentioned, reports say German and Soviet infantry ammunition, remnants of hand grenades and artillery shells, and German TMi–35 mines were all discovered as well.
This means the motorcycle was likely to be one of the safest objects found, however, due to the amount of artillery and explosives, the area was therefore secured before an evacuation could begin.
All of these objects were discovered as a result of the Danube’s extremely low water level. Full of mud and trapped water, the bike is said to have weighed over 200 kg, meaning several members of the evacuation team were needed to remove it from where it wallowed.
According to Daily News Hungary, the bike was “transported to the hangar of the Military History Institute and Museum on Kerepesi Road”. This is where it will be cleaned and conserved in the coming weeks.
Prior to being removed, the motorcycle had been sitting on top of human remains. These were confirmed to be remains of German soldiers following an investigation.
Given the fact the bike will be cleaned and preserved, there is a chance it could eventually become a collector’s item, or it could remain stored somewhere as a memory of the war and left in an unrestored condition. This has yet to be confirmed.
If it does become a restored project that goes up for sale, it could command a price around the £10,000-£15,000 depending on condition, and documentation, according to reports.
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After graduating with a sports journalism degree, Robert joined Crash.net to lead the WorldSBK coverage in 2021, while also providing MotoGP coverage. Fulfilling that role for over three years, Robert was able to put his knowledge about all things racing to the test.
