The Hunt For The "8th Wonder Of The World" Stolen By The Nazis | Myth Hunters | Timeline
Timeline - World History Documentaries・27 minutes read
The Amber Room, a valuable masterpiece stolen during WWII, remains missing despite extensive searches, with a new replica created due to the original likely being destroyed in 1945. Treasure hunters like Hattenhauer continue to search for the room, believing it may be hidden in a mine despite lack of funds.
Insights
- The Amber Room, an 18th-century masterpiece made of Amber and regarded as the eighth wonder of the world, was looted by the Germans during World War II, sparking a decades-long treasure hunt involving various secret police forces and investigative journalists.
- Despite extensive searches and evidence suggesting its likely destruction in 1945, individuals like R. Hattenhauer persist in the search for the missing Amber Room, with hopes pinned on a specific mine in the Ore Mountains of Germany, despite lacking the necessary funds for a thorough exploration.
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Recent questions
What is the Amber Room and its significance?
The Amber Room is an 18th-century masterpiece made of millions of pieces of Amber, a semi-precious substance found in Poland. It was presented to Peter the Great of Russia in 1716 and was considered the eighth wonder of the world. The room symbolized German craftsmanship and was looted by the Germans during World War II, sparking a treasure hunt that involved various secret police forces for over 30 years.
Where was the Amber Room taken during World War II?
During the German invasion of Russia in 1941, the Amber Room was stolen and transported to Königsberg, Germany. After the Allies retook Königsberg in 1945, the room mysteriously disappeared, leading to extensive searches by Soviet art experts in Kaliningrad. Despite their efforts, the original Amber Room was never found.
Who has been searching for the missing Amber Room?
R. Hattenhauer has been searching for the missing Amber Room in the Ore Mountains of Germany for 20 years. He has explored approximately 150 miles of derelict mines and believes he has located the missing treasure in a specific mine after years of meticulous and risky exploration.
Was the original Amber Room ever found?
Despite extensive searches in Kaliningrad and the Erzgebirge Mountains, the original Amber Room was never found. Investigative journalists uncovered evidence suggesting that the room was likely destroyed by the Red Army in 1945 during the torching of Kingsburg Castle. The myth that the room was saved and hidden was fabricated by Soviet authorities to avoid embarrassment.
Why was a new Amber Room constructed in 2002?
Due to the lost art of Amber carving and the failure to locate the original Amber Room, a new one was constructed in 2002. Meticulous efforts were made to replicate the original room, which continues to attract treasure hunters despite evidence indicating its destruction over 60 years ago.
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Summary
00:00
The Missing Amber Room: A Treasure Hunt
- In 1941, during the German invasion of Russia, the Amber Room, an 18th-century masterpiece made of Amber, was stolen and taken to Königsberg, Germany.
- After the Allies retook Königsberg in 1945, the Amber Room mysteriously disappeared, sparking a treasure hunt involving various secret police forces.
- R. Hattenhauer has been searching for the missing Amber Room in the Ore Mountains of Germany for 20 years, exploring approximately 150 miles of derelict mines.
- Hattenhauer believes he has located the missing treasure in a specific mine after years of meticulous and risky exploration.
- The Amber Room, an architectural wonder created in the 18th century, was made of millions of pieces of Amber, a semi-precious substance found in the Baltic coast of Poland.
- Presented to Peter the Great of Russia in 1716, the Amber Room was a symbol of German craftsmanship and regarded as the eighth wonder of the world.
- During World War II, the Germans looted the Amber Room from St. Petersburg and transported it to Königsberg, where it was last seen before disappearing.
- Soviet art experts searched for the Amber Room in Kaliningrad after the war, finding fragments of the room but unable to locate the entire treasure.
- The search for the Amber Room became a significant treasure hunt involving East Germany's secret police, the Stasi, and the Russian KGB, running separate investigations for over 30 years.
- In 1958, the Stasi made a public appeal for help in finding the Amber Room, seeking clues from ordinary citizens to rejuvenate the search effort.
24:15
Search for Lost Amber Room Continues
- Anker Paul Anker, a former Nazi member of the Hitler Youth, became a colonel in the secret police after being captured by the Soviets for re-education.
- An article led Anker to receive a letter from Rudy Ringle, revealing his father's SS connections and the evacuation of the Amber Room.
- Anker found evidence suggesting the Amber Room was in a small mining town called Langfeld in the Erzgebirge Mountains.
- An investigation in Russia revealed that the Amber Room was ordered to be taken down and buried in a secret bunker beneath a church in Kaliningrad.
- Despite extensive searches in Kaliningrad, the original Amber Room was not found, leading to a costly and embarrassing failure.
- Anker discovered records of looted art by a Nazi official, suggesting a connection to the Amber Room and leading to a new search in the Erzgebirge Mountains.
- A new Amber Room was constructed in 2002 due to the lost art of Amber carving, with meticulous efforts to replicate the original.
- Investigative journalists uncovered that the original Amber Room was likely destroyed by the Red Army in 1945 during the torching of Kingsburg Castle.
- The myth that the Amber Room was saved and hidden was fabricated by the Soviet authorities to avoid the embarrassment of its destruction.
- Despite numerous failed searches, individuals like Helmet Gensel and Henry Hattenhauer continue to search for the Amber Room, with Hattenhauer believing it may be in a mine with mysterious evidence.
48:20
Hattenhauer's group seeks lost Amber Room.
- Hattenhauer and his group lack the funds to clear the money pounds needed to find the room.
- Despite failing to secure a backer, Hattenhauer remains hopeful in locating the valuable Amber Room.
- The Amber Room's mythic status continues to attract treasure hunters, despite evidence indicating its destruction over 60 years ago.
