Polish officials have authorised a fresh archaeological investigation in northern Poland that could potentially locate a legendary Nazi train rumoured to contain treasures worth £250million.
The Gdańsk Office for the Protection of Monuments has given approval for drilling operations and archaeological examinations at Dziemiany in the Kościerzyna district, as reported by Wirtualna Polska.
The excavation targets what researchers suspect to be a Second World War bunker that might house the elusive train and its precious cargo.
Marcin Tymiński, representing the Pomeranian Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments, confirmed the possibility of an undiscovered German repository at the location.
He said: "Some speculate it could even be the lost Amber Room."
The mythical train has captivated treasure seekers, military forces and various governments since the end of the Second World War in 1945.
The search is being spearheaded by Jan Delingowski, a retired merchant fleet radio officer who has dedicated 10 years to tracking down the fabled train in the Kashubia region.
Historical records indicate that German forces created a military facility at Dziemiany in late 1943 specifically for training SS personnel.
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|Polish officials have authorised a fresh archaeological investigation in northern Poland that could potentially locate a legendary Nazi train rumoured to contain treasures worth £250million
During a recent appearance on the History Hiking YouTube programme, Delingowski presented historical documentation connecting the potential treasure location to Erich Koch, a prominent Nazi administrator, according to RMF24.
Koch served as the Nazi Party's Gauleiter for East Prussia between 1928 and 1945.
Earlier investigations in the area resulted in the unearthing of a brick tank structure, Wirtualna Polska noted.
The current excavation permission follows extensive research by Delingowski combined with witness accounts.
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|The excavation targets what researchers suspect to be a Second World War bunker that might house the elusive train and its precious cargo
Following the Second World War, Polish authorities prosecuted Koch for war crimes, with a 1959 conviction holding him accountable for approximately 400,000 Polish deaths.
Though sentenced to execution, the punishment was never implemented, ostensibly because of Koch's medical condition.
Declassified documents from Poland's Institute of National Remembrance, referenced by Rzeczpospolita, suggest the actual motive was different - Polish Security Service and Soviet KGB operatives believed Koch possessed knowledge about the Nazi gold train's whereabouts.
A fellow prisoner who encountered Koch during the 1980s alleged the Nazi functionary disclosed the treasure's location prior to dying.
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|Erich Koch served as the Nazi Party's Gauleiter for East Prussia between 1928 and 1945
According to Delingowski, this witness reported that the transport diverted from its route "somewhere between Czersk and Człuchów, heading toward the Oder".
The valuables were supposedly secured in a camouflaged bunker "on a hill near a lake, at the site of former SS barracks".
The official decision reads: "Based on findings from prior heritage surveys, there is reason to believe that a World War II-era slit bunker is located on the plot (...), which may qualify as a historical monument.
"Furthermore, historic material - including archaeological artefacts - may be present inside and around it."