By Tim Binnall
A promising new search for the legendary lost Amber Room has launched in Poland. The effort is reportedly being spearheaded by researcher Jan Delingowski, who has spent the last ten years investigating the curious case of the ornate gold and amber paneling that was stolen from a Russian palace by Nazi forces during World War II and then subsequently went missing as the chaotic end of the conflict unfolded. While it has long been thought that the treasure was lost somewhere in Poland, countless searches for the pilfered riches have come up maddeningly short over the years. However, there is hope that this latest hunt for the Amber Room may finally solve the case at last.
Based on a tip from a former prison inmate who claimed to have gleaned insight into the treasure's fate by a Nazi war criminal he served alongside, Delingowski's investigation led him to a location that once served as an SS training area in the village of Dziemiany. The researcher's work was apparently compelling enough that Polish officials signed off on an excavation of the area, which reportedly commenced on Monday. In a testament to the seriousness of the search, Delingowski has assembled a team of experts to assist in the effort, with ground-penetrating radar being used to examine the area in the hopes of pinpointing specific spots to dig.
"The probability of discovery exists," one of the scientists working on the project told a local media outlet, "and if something valuable is found, it could become one of the greatest archaeological sensations." One reason for such optimism is that an early examination of the area uncovered what is described as a "brick-lined underground warehouse," seemingly designed for valuable objects and with its entrances purposely filled with dirt long ago. An additional intriguing element to the peculiar spot is that the subterranean structure was not included on any contemporaneous Nazi maps of the training ground.
Despite the encouraging nature of the search so far, Delingowski and the team members urged patience as the work continues. "We proceed step by step," one expert mused, "the ground will tell us its story." Should that proverbial tale be that the location was the final resting place of the Amber Room or other riches pilfered by the Nazis, the effort will be cause for celebration as it will mark the end of a mystery that has stumped researchers and historians for decades. However, as the group stressed, the hunt has only just begun, and longtime students of the case have seen similarly promising searches go up in smoke many times before.