-Caveat Lector-
an excerpt from:
Emerald Cup-Ark of Gold
Col. Howard Buechner(C)1991
Thunderbird Press, Inc.
300 Cuddihy Drive
Metairie, LA 70005
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A very interesting Book. Talk about your long running tales/conspiracy theory.
A dash of Indy Jones & the Nazis with magic thrown in for a good measure. As
always Caveat Lector.
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CHAPTER XVIII
Otto Skorzeny and the Last Crusade
"At that time there was only one man in Germany who fitted the qualifications
that Himmler had in mind."
Quote from tenet
Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939 and WWII began. England and France
declared war on Germany two days later. Germany invaded France, Belgium,
Holland and Luxembourg in May 1940 and entered Paris in June. Shortly
thereafter, the French asked for armistice terms and Marshall Petain ordered
all troops of France to stop fighting. Within a matter of weeks all of France
was under German jurisdiction but not fully occupied until November 1942.
Heinrich Himmler was now in a position to remove the treasure of Montsegur to
German soil, with little fear of interference, but for some mysterious reason
no action was taken. Perhaps he was preoccupied with other things as the
forces of the Third Reich rolled to one success after another or perhaps he
had decided to wait until Germany was all victorious before he seized the
treasure and announced to the world that Germany had come into possession of
the priceless relics. It is also possible that Himmler was holding back until
the time when France would be fully occupied by German troops.
It is notable that the Ahnenerbe remained active during the period in question
(1940-1943) and sent excavation expeditions to Biskupice, Poland; Olympia,
Greece; Slovakia; the Croat fortress of Surval; Serbia and Caucasia. A second
expedition to Tibet was also initiated at this time with the mission of
seeking clues related to the origins of the Aryan race.
During the first part of the period referred to above, the war was going so
well for Germany that Himmler saw no reason for haste in recovering the
Emerald Cup. He thought that he knew exactly where it was hidden. France was
under the complete control of German forces and the Cup could be easily
unearthed whenever Himmler decided that the time was right.
However, in the summer and fall of 1942 some ominous signs began to appear
which to the astute observer pointed to the eventual defeat of Germany. During
this time the mighty German advance into Russia began to grind to a halt at
Stalingrad and the "Desert Fox", Marshal Erwin Rommel suffered his first
defeat at El Alamein. As his army began its retreat from North Africa, Rommel
came to the conclusion that the war could no longer be won. At about the same
time, one of the top leaders of the Third Reich, Reich Protektor Reinhard
Heydrich, was assassinated in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Before he died he
predicted that the war would be lost. To make matters worse, America had
entered the conflict against Germany and U.S. troops began pouring into North
Africa and England. It was then only a matter of time before an Allied
invasion of continental Europe would begin, probably from both the south and
the north. In fact, Allied forces invaded Sicily in July 1943 and shortly
thereafter, the assault on southern Italy began.
The situation was changing rapidly and, by this time, Himmler became convinced
that he must make a move to recover the treasure. In June, 1943 a group of
German scientists, consisting of geologists, historians, and archeologists
appeared at Montsegur. They were under the protection of German troops and
German controlled French militia. They explored the grottoes in the
surrounding mountains and carried out excavations in various places for six
months but came up empty-handed.
Simultaneously, similar teams were carrying out digs at Rennes-le-Chateau and
various other locations in France, largely with negative results.
The failure of his scientists to find the treasure came as a bitter
disappointment to Himmler and led his advisors to the following conclusions:
1. The treasure did not exist.
2. The treasure did exist but was not in the Montsegur area.
3. The treasure was in the Montsegur area but Otto Rahn had not discovered its
location.
4. The treasure was in the Montsegur area and Otto Rahn had learned enough to
predict its exact place of concealment, but he had simply misinformed his
superiors about its location and had taken his secret to the grave. This may
have been the reason for Rahn's death.
Himmler flatly rejected the theory that the treasure did not exist. He also
rejected the premise that it was located in an area other than the Montsegur
region.
Rahn had undoubtedly reported to Himmler after each visit to the Languedoc.
Apparently he had told the Reichsfuhrer that he had not actually found the
treasure but sincerely believed that he had come so close to success that he
knew exactly where it was located. This is the reason a third trip to the
Languedoc had been planned (in 1939) but never carried out because of Rahn's
death in March of that year. On the basis of Rahn's testimony, Himmler
remained firmly convinced that the Emerald Cup and its associated riches were
indeed hidden away in the Rennes-le-Chateau Montsegur area in a place which
Rahn had not yet explored.
Himmler also believed that it was Rahn's intent to search certain specific
grottoes on his return to the Languedoc and had he done so, he would have been
successful in finding the long lost treasure.
Nonetheless, the always suspicious Reichsfuhrer had long entertained the idea,
albeit in secret, that Rahn knew where the treasure was hidden but had lied
about its exact location in anticipation of claiming the riches for himself at
some future time.
The failure of the 1943 expedition to find the treasure, even with Rahn's
specific notes as a guide, brought the last postulate into sharp focus as the
leading possibility. However, Rahn could not be interrogated about the matter
because, by this time, he was dead (or so it was said).
Nevertheless, Himmler refused to give up the search. However, he decided that
he needed a more competent and imaginative leader for what was to be his last
crusade in quest of the Grail. He needed, not a scientist, but a military
leader with a background of daring, resourcefulness and success. One who could
solve problems, pick up clues and improvise and change course as the situation
dictated.
At that time there was only one man in Germany who fitted the qualifications
which Himmler had in mind. Colonel-SS, Otto Skorzeny was then the darling of
Germany, noted for his skill as a commando who never failed in his mission no
matter how difficult or seemingly impossible it might be.
Skorzeny was born in Vienna, Austria on June 12, 1908. He was an engineer by
profession and a gifted linguist. When WWII started he attempted to enlist in
the Luftwaffe but was turned down because of his huge size and his age (he was
31 years old). He then joined the Waffen-SS and served with distinction in
Yugoslavia and Russia. He was soon commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and rose
rapidly to the rank of SS-Standartenfuhrer (full Colonel) . During his very
early career Skorzeny distinguished himself as a brave and bold soldier who
consistently displayed great ingenuity and cunning. When Adolf Hitler decided
to establish a commando force similar to that which had already been developed
by the British, Skorzeny was recommended to him as the perfect man for the
job.
On April 20, 1943 Otto Skorzeny became "Chief of Germany's Special Troops,
existing or to be created in the future". He established a commando school in
a hunting lodge at Friedenthal (the Valley of Peace) not far from Berlin. Here
he began to build his special task force in spite of many obstacles placed in
his way by the red tape bureaucracy of the German General Staff. It was
Skorzeny's objective "to weld his fighting men into small, compact units;
volunteers though they were, each man had to be chosen singly for each mission
and watched up to the moment he went into battle. He must know how to act
entirely on his own, yet never forgetting his comrade's interests and the main
purpose of the operation. If the smallest wheel of all this machinery slipped,
everything was imperilled, and even if they brought off the action it might be
at a higher cost. 'One for all and all for one' was no copy book maxim in
Skorzeny's conditions for survival." ("Commando Extraordinary", by Charles
Foley, 1987).
Skorzeny was heavily involved with Admiral Canaris, German Chief of
Intelligence, during this period and sometimes received direct orders from
Heinrich Himmler.
His unit was assigned several poorly thought out missions, such as
interrupting the Middle East supply route to Russia and destroying various
Russian installations in the Ural mountains. However, in each case, the plan
was abandoned.
Then something special happened. In late July 1943, Skorzeny was suddenly
ordered to report to Adolf Hitler in person, where he was to be scrutinized
and appraised for a special task by the Fuhrer himself. He was one of six
officers chosen from all of the armed forces of Germany as potential commander
of the mission; Needless to say Skorzeny was selected for the job.
Benito Mussolini (Il Duce) had been taken prisoner by anti-Fascist forces in
Italy and was being held in some secret place while arrangements were in
process to turn him over to the Allies. Mussolini was to be rescued at all
costs.
The importance of Skorzeny's mission was strongly emphasized by Hitler,
including the fact that Germany would denounce him if he failed.
This topic was stressed again when Skorzeny was briefed by Reichsfuhrer
Heinrich Himmler in person. His assignment was a difficult one indeed, largely
because no one knew where Mussolini was and it was believed that he was
constantly being moved from one location to another.
After investigating place after place, sometimes at the risk of losing both
life and limb, Skorzeny finally ran his quarry to earth. Mussolini was being
held at a hotel which was perched atop the Gran Sasso mountain, the loftiest
peak in the Appennine range at an elevation of somewhere between 6,000 and
10,000 feet. The mountain was guarded by a regiment of heavily armed troops
and the hotel could only be reached by a cable car. It appeared to be
impregnable. To make matters worse, much of the surrounding area was under
constant attack by Allied bombers.
After studying the situation in great detail, Skorzeny decided that the
mountain peak could only be reached by gliders, and then only at great risk,
since they would have to crash land, with pinpoint accuracy, on a very small
but relatively flat rocky surface just below the walls of the hotel.
To make a long story short, at 3 P.M. on September 12, 1943, Skorzeny and 18
men did manage to land on the peak of the mountain. They stormed the hotel,
overpowered hundreds of Italian troops and rescued Mussolini unharmed. In an
equally daring exploit Captain Gerlach managed to land a tiny Storch airplane
on the mountain ledge and take off with Mussolini and Skorzeny as passengers.
In Rome, Italy, they transferred to a larger plane and that night they were in
Vienna. Skorzeny's men made their way down the mountain and into friendly
German lines.
Skorzeny checked into the Imperial Hotel hoping to get some rest, but to no
avail. The first telephone call came from the Grand Master of the SS, Heinrich
Himmler, offering his congratulations on a task well done. After that the
switch-board went crazy. Between calls, a full Colonel-SS was ushered in. He
wore the Knight?s Cross. He clicked his heels, saluted, bowed and took off the
decoration which he hung around Skorzeny's neck. "Orders of the Fuhrer" he
explained. For the very first time, this high award was conferred on a
recipient on the same day on which it was earned.
The next call came from the Wolf's Lair. Hitler, himself, was on the line. It
is said that the Fuhrer danced with glee when he heard the good news, having
done so previously only after the fall of France. The report of Skorzeny's
incredible feat burst like a thunder clap in the capitals of the world.
Naturally, the man who was now "The Great Commando" became an instant hero in
Germany and Austria, complete with his impressive size and the expected saber
scar on his left cheek, but he had also won the praise of all who admired a
man of great bravado, dash and courage. Sir Winston Churchill was included in
this group.
Benito Mussolini helped fuel the fires of adulation by stating: "Tales of
escape and rescue—dramatic, romantic, sometimes fantastic—are to be found in
the history of every epoch and of every people, but my escape from the Gran
Sasso prison appears even to-day as the boldest, the most romantic of all, and
at the same time the most modern in method and style."
Skorzeny was to go on to many other adventures. He won an oak leaf cluster to
his Knight's Cross and became known as "the most dangerous man in the world".
He was also said to be "the man most responsible for prolonging WWII". Even
when he was found innocent of war crimes at the Nurnberg tribunal, he was not
set free because he was "too dangerous" to remain at large.
His continued acts of derring-do and heroic deeds were to earn bestowal of
these titles at later dates, but as our narrative continues it is still
September, 1943 and the aftermath of Skorzeny's adventures on the Gran Sasso
are still to be savored, or in his opinion still to be endured.
More medals rained down on him and social invitations poured in. Tea with
Adolf Hitler, lunch with Martin Bormann, coffee with Foreign Minister
Ribbentrop, dinner with Dr. Goebbels and on and on it went.
Skorzeny longed to escape the glitter of the inner circle and return to
Friedental and get back into action, but he did appreciate the thousands of
letters which came from German soldiers on all fronts telling him that his
success had bolstered their sagging morale and given them new hope of ultimate
victory.
Once back in his headquarters, Skorzeny found himself inundated with new
requests for his services, but most of them were so hare-brained that they
were never even considered and those projects that were initiated were soon
aborted.
On orders from Hitler, which could not be ignored, he was to kidnap Marshal
Petain, the Vichy Head of State who could not be trusted and who was
threatening to throw in his lot with the Allies. The mission was eventually
cancelled.
Then he was to kidnap General Charles DeGaulle, who was residing in London,
but this mission was also aborted. Next, he was to capture Marshal Tito of
Yugoslavia, who was giving Germany all manner of trouble. However, a higher
ranking officer usurped command of the project and bungled it badly. Tito
escaped.
Next, he was assigned to the development of secret weapons and special
defenses against the impending invasion of northern France. In each case he
was withdrawn from the project for one reason or another.
Thus it was, that as February 1944 approached, Skorzeny found himself to be a
person whose services were in great demand but who actually had very little to
do other than to sharpen the skills of his commandos.
It was at this point that he received a call from Reichsfuhrer Heinrich
Himmler who had a very important and highly secret mission for him to perform.
The mission, of course, was the recovery of the Treasure of Montsegur. The
evidence that Skorzeny did indeed receive this assignment is fragmentary, but
it is not imaginary. It is based on a single sentence which appears in at
least three different books by three different authors and is quoted as
follows: "Discussions were held with Skorzeny to organize an expedition with
the objective of stealing the Holy Grail." Another book says that,
"Negotiations were entered into with Skorzeny with a view to stealing the Holy
Grail." ("The Order of the SS", by Frederic Reider; "The Morning of the
Magicians", by Pauwels and Bergier).
It would seem almost impossible to believe that Himmler would simply "discuss"
the matter with Skorzeny or "negotiate" with him about anything. When Himmler
wanted something, he ordered it to be done, and he certainly wanted the
Emerald Cup and the associated treasure. From foregoing descriptions of
Skorzeny's ability and resourcefulness, it is clear that Skorzeny was the best
man in Germany for the job and Himmler would have wanted the best man, not
just someone who Skorzeny might recommend.
In addition, the situation was becoming desperate. The Allies had already
invaded Italy and it was only a matter of time before they invaded France. If
the treasure was ever to be recovered it must be now. It was a project of
national proportions and no longer just a matter of retrieving holy relics for
the glory of the Reich. Germany was running out of money and the treasure
could be used to support the war effort.
There was one more factor which qualified Skorzeny for the job. He was known
to have toured France in earlier years on what he called "picnic" trips and
was familiar with the terrain of the Languedoc. In addition, he spoke fluent
French.
On the basis of the above evidence it has been assumed that Otto Skorzeny was
indeed ordered to head an expedition to Montsegur, find the treasure and bring
it back to Germany. As a matter of fact, Skorzeny liked his new assignment. He
could do something important, perhaps succeed where all others had failed, and
train his men at the same time.
In characteristic fashion Skorzeny began making detailed plans for his new
mission. He had no need for the scientists, geologists, historians,
archeologists, ethnologists and intellectuals who had comprised the expedition
of 1943. Instead, he carefully handpicked a group of men from his own commando
force. Their qualifications were resourcefulness, ingenuity, intelligence,
imagination and the ability to improvise. In addition, they were all highly
skilled mountain climbers and were certainly capable of defending themselves
in a hostile country should the need arise.
The commando force reached the Languedoc in early March 1944 and set up
headquarters at the base of Montsegur. They spent a few days exploring the
Cathar fortress and in reconnaissance of the surrounding mountains. They
discovered remnants of what had once been a 3,000 step stairway which led from
the castle to an exit in the valley below, but little else that was new. They
also, gently but firmly, persuaded any curious onlookers to keep their
distance.
Skorzeny immediately came to two major conclusions:
First, he decided that Otto Rahn and the members of the 1943 expedition had
searched in the wrong places. Rahn had concentrated on the well known and more
accessible grottoes of the Sabarthez. He was blinded by his conviction that
the Cup was to be found in the "Cathedral" or near the "Tomb of Hercules" or
the "Altar" because Wolfram von Eschenbach had located it near these places in
his story of "Parzival" some 700 years ago. Skorzeny cared little about what
an ancient poet had written and he viewed the situation in a more practical
light. If he had been in charge of the treasure he would have avoided the more
obvious hiding places and searched out a location which was more remote and
less well known. Partly because Rahn and the 1943 expedition had explored the
grottoes of the Sabarthez rather thoroughly, and partly because of his own
ideas about treasure hiding, Skorzeny spent little time on these caverns.
Skorzeny's second conclusion was based on his military belief that all good
troop commanders try to have a pre-planned escape route by which they can
withdraw, from any given defensive position, if forced to do so, by the enemy.
Military units in combat also do everything possible to prevent complete
encirclement by the enemy in order that their escape route can be kept open.
Skorzeny concluded that the Cathars must have had such a plan and that their
path of retreat would lead him to the treasure.
Skorzeny also discounted the evidence that a long tunnel had once led from the
fortress, down through the mountain and out into the surrounding hills. If
such a passage ever existed it had probably been collapsed by the weight and
shift of the mountain or filled in by the Cathars themselves before the seige
of Montsegur began. Where then, was the escape route? Naturally, reasoned
Skorzeny, it was where no one else expected it to be, in the most unlikely
place of all. One of the four sides of the mountain was a sheer, perpendicular
cliff, so smooth and bare that the soldiers of the French army considered it
impossible to either ascend to the castle walls or to descend from the
fortress in this area. So confident were the crusade commanders in this belief
that they did not even bother to post a guard at the base of the precipice. It
may have been virtually impossible for anyone to climb the steep cliff but
descent was actually easy. Throughout the 10 month seige of Montsegur, and
until almost the very day of capitulation, Cathars were lowered down the
precipice on long ropes. Many of these men were in possession of precious
items of various kinds which they carried along their escape route into the
higher reaches of the Pyrenees. Since the fortress was surrounded on three
sides by enemy forces, the escaping soldiers could have gone in but one
direction, that is, in the one direction which led directly away from the face
of the cliff.
Skorzeny and his men scouted along this path and soon discovered what appeared
to be an ancient trail leading into the higher mountains. At an undisclosed
distance from Montsegur they found a fortified entrance to a large grotto.
Perhaps it was the grotto of Bouan, which was the last refuge of the Cathars
after the fall of Montsegur.
Not far from this grotto was the mountain called La Peyre. Near the crest of
this mountain was another grotto and in this cavern it is said, they found the
treasure.
Skorzeny had accomplished his mission within 6 days of his arrival at
Montsegur.
The next morning a message was flashed through to Himmler's headquarters in
Berlin. It consisted of one word:
"Ureka"
Signed
Scar
Back came the reply:
"Well done. Congratulations. Watch the sky tomorrow at noon. Await our
arrival." Signed Reichsfuhrer- SS
At this point a very remarkable series of events coincided. Skorzeny had
discovered the treasure on the very eve of the 700th anniversary of the fall
of Montsegur (March 16, 1244).
The leader of the commandos had no way of knowing that each year on March 16,
the local descendants of the Cathars, often joined by pilgrims from afar,
gathered in the fortress of Montsegur to pay homage to their ancestors who had
died there 700 years ago. Here, they prayed for the Pure Ones who had been
burned alive at the stake rather than deny their Cathar faith or disclose the
location of their treasure.
This year the ceremony was of particular significance because it was the 700th
celebration of the massacre of their forefathers. In addition, the number 700
was of great importance to the Cathars because of an ancient prophecy which
foretold that, "At the end of 700 years, the laurel will be green once more."
Presumably this meant that there would be a revival of the Cathar sect and
their religion would bloom again. As a result of the importance of this day
the group of worshippers was much larger than usual.
They had sent a delegation to the German General who was Military Governor of
the area to ask permission to make the pilgrimage since they knew that the
fortress was in a restricted area. However, the General was totally without
sympathy for their cause. They were told that it was forbidden to tread on
this "German Soil" because the Third Reich had "Historic Rights" on Montsegur.
Little did he know that after the war, the German government would petition
France to allow the Bayreuth Society (admirers of Richard Wagner) to give a
concert featuring Wagnerian music atop the summit of the Sacred Mountain.
Permission was granted and the concert was played in honor of the German poet
Wolfram von Eschenbach, who had first pointed the way to the hiding place of
the Emerald Cup. ("The Occult and the Third Reich").
The pilgrims were greatly disheartened by the decision of the German General,
but so great was the importance of this day that they decided to defy the
official edict and go to Montsegur at their own risk.
On arrival at the only pathway by which the mountain could be ascended the
members of the Cathar cult met with another surprise and possible obstacle.
They had not expected to find the mountain guarded by armed forces (Skorzeny
and his men), even though it was in a forbidden zone. Nonetheless, they
gathered up their courage and begged the German Commander to allow them to
climb the mountain and conduct their harmless services.
They were talking to the right man. Skorzeny had nothing but contempt for
bureaucratic decisions and he could see no reason to deny the request. After
all, the treasure was far away and there was nothing on the mountain that the
pilgrims could harm.
Thus it was that the worshippers were on top of the mountain at precisely the
time when Skorzeny had been instructed to ". . . watch the sky".
At exactly high noon on March 16, 1944 a small German aircraft appeared. It
flew over Montsegur several times, dipping its wings in salute. Then it used
its skywriting equipment and formed a huge Celtic Cross in the sky. The Celtic
Cross was a sacred emblem of the Cathars.
The pilgrims on the mountain top were awestruck and reacted as if a miracle
had occurred. They had no idea that the fabulous treasure of the Cathars had
been discovered only a short time before and that the plane was saluting the
victorious expedition. They thought that the occupants of the German aircraft
were approving their mission and paying homage to their long dead ancestors.
At any rate they left the mountain with a deep sense of satisfaction. Perhaps
the pilgrims were not entirely wrong in their interpretation of the plane
incident, since it is very probable, that Rosenberg was a passenger and quite
possible that Himmler was his companion. Both of these men had great respect
for the Cathars.
When the plane left the scene, it flew off to the east in the direction of
Tibet like the dove which had split the mountain with its beak in the long ago
("The Occult and the Third Reich", by Jean-Michel Angebert).
Everyone had had a good day with the possible exception of Skorzeny who was
champing at the bit to get back to his headquarters at Friedental. His work at
Montsegur was finished. Now the engineers could take over and bring the
treasure down from the mountains. He wanted to get back to his normal work of
fighting the enemy. However, he had been ordered to wait and so he did, but
not for long.
Late the next afternoon an official delegation arrived to congratulate
Skorzeny on his incredible success. He had done in six days what numerous
explorers had failed to do in seven centuries. The delegation was led by none
other than Reichsminister Alfred Rosenberg and Colonel Wolfram Sievers, a
powerful figure in the Ahnenerbe. Himmler was not present. He had been called
back to urgent duties in Berlin and had to miss his first opportunity to see
the long awaited Emerald Cup.
Another medal was pinned on Skorzeny's chest in the name of the Reichsfuhrer.
Then he and his men were released from duty and allowed to proceed to their
home base. A company of combat engineers had been brought up to take over the
task of transporting and guarding the treasure.
The riches of Solomon and Jerusalem, Rome, Alaric, the Cathars, the Templars,
the Merovingians and others was probably brought down out of the mountains by
mule train. In the village of Lavelanet it was crated and transferred to a
convoy of large trucks. Under heavy guard it was taken to either Toulouse or
Carcassonne. Finally it was loaded into a series of box cars and transported,
by train, across France and into Germany. Its final destination was not Berlin
and the vaults of the Reichsbank, as might have been expected, but the small
town of Merkers (about 40 miles from Berlin). Whoever was guiding the journey
knew what he was doing because the riches of the Reichsbank disappeared in the
final chaotic days of the war and have never been accounted for.
It is almost certain that a great number of gold coins from the treasure were
distributed to the personal "care" of high ranking officials of the Third
Reich. The true worth of the original treasure can only be a matter of wild
speculation but an amount of 60 billion dollars does not seem unreasonable and
even this figure does not take note of the fact that some items in the
collection were indeed beyond price.
When Martin Bormann's wife (Frau Gerda Buch Bormann) was captured at a small
hotel in Northern Italy, she had 2200 antique gold coins in her possession.
These priceless coins were almost certainly a part of Hitler's personal share
of the Treasure of Solomon (see page 208). Bormann himself sent gold coins to
Argentina by submarine where on arrival, his treasure was placed under the
personal protection of Evita Peron (see footnote). Adolf Hitler, Herman
Goring, Joachim von Ribbentrop and others also sent great riches to South
America. Beyond a shadow of a doubt their wealth consisted in part of rare
gold coins.
Countess Gisela von Westrop, the mistress of General Ernst Kaltenbrunner made
innumerable trips to Switzerland in her capacity as "Social Secretary" of
various escape organizations. She is known to have carried large suitcases
stuffed with virtually perfect counterfeit money but she also had numerous
Swiss bank accounts containing large amounts of liquid assets some of which
consisted of antique gold coins.
In 1983 a former ODESSA agent, treasurer and paymaster named Albert Willi
Louis Blume, died in Brazil. Although he led a life of near poverty his
personal vault in the Bank of Brazil contained 141,000 ounces of gold,
documents of great commercial value, valid currency, fine jewelry and a hoard
of ancient gold coins. (Personal communication from Major R.H. Hodges, Pelham,
N.Y.). Mr. Blume was undoubtedly only one of many "paymasters" who presided
over similar riches which were used to support various former officials of the
Third Reich.
Thus the gold coins of the Treasure of the Ages were dispersed forever.
Footnote: Bormann's fortune in Argentina (not including other South American
countries) has been estimated at $800,000,000. This amount included 2,511
kilograms of gold ("Aftermath—Martin Bormann and the Fourth Reich" by Ladislas
Farago).
The remaining portions of the treasure, which had not been distributed or left
behind at Merkers, were transported to Heinrich Himmler's Wewelsburg fortress
near Paderborn. All of the Holy Relics, including the Emerald Cup, were
contained in this shipment. The priceless collection, with the exception of
the Cup, was buried deep beneath the castle wall. The exact hiding place has
never been precisely determined but it is believed to be somewhere under the
steep rocky slope which supports the great north tower of the castle and
plunges precipitously into the river valley below (see Ill. 45-46). According
to persistent rumors, at least a part of the treasure was sent to the
"Externsteine" where it was sealed off in one of the many grottoes which pock-
mark the great rock formation (see Ill. 38 and 47).
The Cup is believed to have been exhibited to Himmler's innermost circle of
senior Knights of the Holy Lance on several occasions. Between these rare
ceremonies the Emerald Cup and Himmler's duplicate Holy Lance were kept in a
large safe which was imbedded deep within the castle's thick walls. Only the
Reichsfuhrer had a key to the safe and its very existence was known only to
him and General Siegfried Taubert, the castle warden.
Near the end of the war, when Wewelsburg was overrun by American forces, on
April 2, 1945, the safe was blown open by soldiers of the U.S. 3rd Armored
Division. It was found to contain a large quantity of documents. These papers
promptly disappeared. It is unknown whether or not they contained information
about the Lance or the Cup or the Holy Relics of Solomon's Treasure.
Just a few weeks prior to the capture of Wewelsburg castle, Allied troops had
stepped onto German soil and breached the Siegfried Line. Only the Rhine river
remained as a barrier to their penetration of the very heart of the
Fatherland.
Hitler was then living in his underground bunker in Berlin. He knew that the
war was hopelessly lost and all thought of victory had disappeared from his
mind, whether he admitted it or not. The same was true of even the most
aggressive, loyal and optimistic leaders of the Third Reich. It was time to
think of hiding their wealth and saving their lives. There was a desperate
need to make haste. On March 16, 1945 the treasure of Wewelsburg was exhumed.
Whether this was a total or partial removal of the collection has never been
definitely established. It was one year to the day since the priceless hoard
had been discovered by Otto Skorzeny near the citadel of Montsegur.
The treasure and the Emerald Cup were placed in the care of one of only two
persons in Germany who Himmler considered to be completely trustworthy. The
one would deliver the Cup to the other, after he had secured the treasure in
its temporary resting place. We will return to these matters in subsequent
passages.
As a final act, Himmler dispatched his duplicate, but still cherished, Holy
Lance to Nurnberg. Here it joined the insignia of the Holy Roman Emperors,
dating back to the days of Charlemagne. The successive German Emperors who
owned the insignia reigned for 1000 years and comprised the First Reich. The
items consisted, in part, of the Holy Lance, a sword, scepter, crown, cloak,
sphere, cross and gauntlets (see footnote). The above items were eventually
discovered in a tunnel deep beneath the walls of Nurnberg castle by elements
of the 7th U.S. Army (of which the author was a member) The personal insignia
of Charlemagne were found in a cave at Siegen. This great treasure, along with
the imitation Holy Lance, was returned to the government of Austria in 1946 by
General Mark Clark. It is still there to-day where it can be seen in the
Schatzkammer (treasure rooms) of the Hofburg Palace.
Footnote: The royal emblems of the Holy Roman Emperors had been stored in
Nurnberg, Germany for hundreds of years. In 1806 they were sent to Vienna,
Austria to keep them from falling into the hands of Napoleon. When Napoleon
lost power in 1814, Austria refused to return the insignia to Germany. Hitler
sewed the collection in 1938 when Austria was annexed to Germany and brought
it back to Nurnberg. He kept the Holy Lance in his personal possession but
allowed Himmler to have a perfect copy made for use in his ceremonies at
Wewelsburg (for further information on this subject see "Adolf Hitler and the
Holy Lance", by Buechner and Bernhart).
Himmler did not have time to remove other items of great value from Wewelsburg
Castle or from a nearby fortress-like building known as Boddeken. He decided
that if he could not have them, at least he could prevent them from falling
into the hands of his hated enemies.
On March 29, 1945 he sent a team of demolition experts to destroy his beloved
castle. Under the command of Captain Heinz Macher this group seemed to have
had a singular lack of enthusiasm for what they considered to be a senseless
mission of destruction. As a result the castle was rather badly damaged but
not destroyed. Nevertheless, Macher reported a successful mission and was
promoted to Major on the spot. Since Macher wore the Knights Cross with
Oakleaves his word was never doubted. Perhaps Himmler never knew that the
mission has actually failed.
As soon as the demolition team departed from the area, the townspeople of
Wewelsburg village swarmed in and began to strip the castle of its rich
furnishings.
On April 2, 1945 when American soldiers arrived they released a number of
inmates from a nearby concentration camp known as Niederhagen. The released
prisoners, and the American soldiers, completed the job of picking the castle
clean.
Among items which disappeared were paintings, statues, rugs, tapestries,
procelain, silverware, coats of arms, 16,000 priceless books, 40,000 bottles
of vintage wine, a large number of silver SS honor rings, a solid gold bathtub
Samurai swords, antique armor, firearms, fine furniture and other objects.
Thus, Himmler's personal treasure was dispersed, or passed out of his control.
Barely one month later he would become a fugitive, stripped of office, rank
and authority.
Meanwhile, Adolf Hitler also had precious items to dispose of before he died
(on April 30, 1945) and before his Berlin bunker was overrun by Russian
troops.
He was still in possession of the real Holy Lance, but the time had come for
him to part with it, lest it fall into the hands of his despised enemies. In
mid April, 1945 he sent it to the port of Kiel in the custody of one of his
most trusted officers. It was then carried by submarine (U-530) to Antarctica
where it found repose in a cave of ice in the Muhlig Hoffman mountains. A
second vessel (U-977) sailed on the same day (May 2, 1945) and for the same
destination. She was carrying a canister of the mixed ashes of Hitler and Eva
Braun. In 1979, a German expedition recovered the Lance and the ashes. These
objects are now hidden at an unknown site in Germany (for details see "Adolf
Hitler and the Holy Lance" and "Hitler's Ashes"', by Buechner and Bernhart).
Other valuables, which Hitler felt compelled to safeguard were primarily those
which were to be a part of his proposed museum in Linz. These were near and
dear to his heart and the thought still lingered that he might survive or
return someday to build the greatest art center in the world.
--------
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Col. Howard A. Buechner
Col. Buechner is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. He received his education
at Tulane University (B.S.) and Louisiana State University (M.D.). He was
formerly a Professor of Medicine at Tulane University and currently is an
Emeritus Professor of Medicine at L.S.U., where an honorary Professorship has
been established in his name. He is an internationally recognized expert/on
tuberculosis and other diseases of the lungs.
During World War II, Dr. Buechner was a Medical Officer with the 3rd
Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. This unit
liberated the Dachau Concentration Camp, and Dr. Buechner was the first
American physician to enter this infamous prison. He was later promoted to the
rank of Colonel, in 1958, while serving with the Reserve Forces of the United
States. He was recalled to active duty during the "Berlin and Cuban Missile
Crisis" of 1961-1962. His awards include the Medical Combat Badge, the Bronze
Star, three battle stars, the Army Commendation Medal and the War Cross and
Distinguished Service Cross of Louisiana. He has also been awarded the Cross
of Merit of the Order of the Holy Lance for contributions to the cause of
world peace and truth in history. This honor has been bestowed on only 18
other individuals who are non-members of the Order. The award itself was hand
carved from metal taken from the box in which the Holy Lance was contained.
Dr. Buechner is the author of a medical textbook and approximately 200
scientific articles. He is listed in Who's Who in America and many other
references.
His non-medical books include Daniel Anton Buechner—Master Lithographer of Old
New Orleans (1856-1937), Creator of Mardi Gras Art and the Famous Labels,
1983; Drysdale (1870-1934)— Artist of Myth and Legend, 1985; Dachau—The Hour
of the Avenger—An Eye Witness Account, 1986; Adolf Hitler and the Secrets of
the Holy Lance, 1988, and Hitler's Ashes—Seeds of a New Reich, 1989.
Dr. Buechner is the illustrator of Mexican Cooking—Authentic Sonoran Style, by
Emajean Jordan Buechner and publisher of The Fort Polk Sampler.
All of the above books were published by:
Thunderbird Press, Inc.
300 Cuddihy Drive
Metairie, LA 70005
Dr. Buechner is currently President of the 157th Infantry Association. During
a recent visit to France to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the liberation
of the southern portion of that country from enemy occupation during World War
II, he was presented with the "Eagle of Nice" award. He was so honored for his
role in helping to liberate 3,918 French citizens from the prison camp at
Dachau on April 29, 1945.
--fini--
Aloha, He'Ping,
Om, Shalom, Salaam.
Em Hotep, Peace Be,
Omnia Bona Bonis,
All My Relations.
Adieu, Adios, Aloha.
Amen.
Roads End
Kris
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