# Russian T-34 and crew found in Germany



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Nov 18, 2011)

Whole Russian T34 found incl. ammo and bones found during construction work near Rostock

Bullets – and bones – found in Soviet tank

Construction workers near Rostock made an unusual discovery Thursday,
when they unearthed half of a Soviet World War II-era tank with skeletal remains
inside. Experts believe the other half of the tank is buried across the street.

Authorities at the German War Graves Commission will now attempt to
figure out whether the remains are German or Russian, or if they belong
to more than one person. They will likely eventually be buried in a city
war cemetery.

The T-34 tank, a type developed specifically for World War II, was
discovered during routine construction work near the Schleusen Bridge.
Startled labourers immediately called authorities.

Inside the rusted tank, a bomb disposal team identified shells, hand
grenades and rifle ammunition, said Fred Tribanek, a team member.
Tribanek said the ammo was live but would not be dangerous if it
remained within the tank.

The tank is thought to have come under attack during the Soviet invasion of Rostock in May 1945.

"Despite the area’s fraught history, we’ve never found anything like
this before,” said Tribanek. “Large World War II bombs certainly, but
never a whole tank.”

The rusted tank's remains were loaded onto a truck on Thursday and
stored at a depot, where they will undergo careful examination.
Eventually authorities hope to find the other half of the tank.

LiveLeak.com - Whole Russian T34 found incl. ammo and bones found during construction work near Rostock


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## vikingBerserker (Nov 18, 2011)

Half a tank? That most have been one heck pf an explosion! Thanks for posting.


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## Airframes (Nov 18, 2011)

Looks like it was the turret that was found, from a T-34/85 by the look of it. Guessing it was blown off after being hit and 'brewed up'. Amazing find, thanks for posting Chris.


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## T Bolt (Nov 18, 2011)

WOW! We found a buried train tanker car once wile digging for a bridge pier and that was pretty neat, but a Tank! Those guys will have a story to tell the rest of their lives.


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Nov 18, 2011)

That would be a starting find. Would be nice to find the rest of the tank to.


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## Gnomey (Nov 18, 2011)

An interesting find, thanks for sharing.


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## evangilder (Nov 18, 2011)

It is interesting that they found it this many years later. I would have thought most, if not all of that stuff would have been cleaned up in the interest of returning to "normal". That's a big piece of gear to miss!


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## Wayne Little (Nov 19, 2011)

Still, an interesting find none the less...


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Nov 19, 2011)

evangilder said:


> It is interesting that they found it this many years later. I would have thought most, if not all of that stuff would have been cleaned up in the interest of returning to "normal". That's a big piece of gear to miss!



There is so much still burried over here in Germany. They find stuff on an almost daily basis. There is still estimated to be over a million bombs and UXO's still burried throughout the country. Every time they do construction in any town they find stuff. In the woods around Berlin there are still estimated 10s of the thousands of missing soldiers that they are trying to recover. I remember finding a bunker up in the Alps while camping one time. There was left over munitions inside. We called the authorities and obviously let them take care of it. 

I wonder how many aircraft are still to be found in the lakes all over the country. They are currently working on raising an He 177 out of a lake near Munich. At the local museum they have already displayed parts of the cockpit, engines and landing gear.


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## evangilder (Nov 19, 2011)

I can see UXOs and things like that because they have the inertia to get underground. I just find it interesting that an entire tank would be buried.


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## tomo pauk (Nov 19, 2011)

DerAdlerIstGelandet said:


> There is so much still burried over here in Germany. They find stuff on an almost daily basis. There is still estimated to be over a million bombs and UXO's still burried throughout the country. Every time they do construction in any town they find stuff. In the woods around Berlin there are still estimated 10s of the thousands of missing soldiers that they are trying to recover. I remember finding a bunker up in the Alps while camping one time. There was left over munitions inside. We called the authorities and obviously let them take care of it.
> 
> I wonder how many aircraft are still to be found in the lakes all over the country. They are currently working on raising an He 177 out of a lake near Munich. At the local museum they have already displayed parts of the cockpit, engines and landing gear.



Great thing, the He-177 discovery


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## michaelmaltby (Nov 19, 2011)

Agree. I love stories like these. Some high-brow folks fuss about their 'legacy' or their 'immortality' ..... and others, like these Russians tankers, or a Soviet P-39 pilot pulled from the lake bottom in his plane, or a 12,000 year old hominid with an arrow in his back (the Ice Man) found in the Alpes .... get _their_ place as history ... by mere accident ... happenstance. Ironic.

MM


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