Parts of hidden World War II history Danube drought reveals

The worst drought in decades in Europe hasn’t only scorched farmland and hampered river traffic but also has exposed a part of World War II history that had almost been forgotten. As its water levels dropped the hulks of dozens of German battleships emerged from the mighty Danube River. 

Separating Serbia and Romania near the Serbian port of Prahovo in the middle of the mighty river, a rusty hull, a broken mast where the swastika flag used to fly, where a command bridge an upper deck used to be, a barrel that could have been holding fuel or even explosive materials lean on a pebblestone dune that has emerged from the water. 

Accompanying Giaufret was Alessandro Bragonzi, the head of the European Investment Bank in the Western Balkans. He said the project consists of the removal of 21 sunken vessels. 

On a pebblestone dune they all lean that has emerged in the middle of the huge river that separates Serbia and Romania near the Serbian port of Prahovo. 

To Nazi Germany’s Black Sea fleet the ships, some still laden with munition, belonged that was deliberately sunk by the Germans as they retreated Soviet forces advanced from Romania.

In September 1944 historians say up to 200 German warships were scuttled near Prahovo in the Danube gorge on the orders of the fleet’s commander known as The Iron Gate as from the Soviets they came under heavy fire.  

In the Balkans the  deliberate sinking idea was to at least slow down the Soviet advance. But in May 1945, it didn’t help as Nazi Germany surrendered months later.

This summer was linked by scientists to global warming and other factors, the unusually hot weather across Europe.  For shipping on many rivers on the continent the dropping water levels created dangerous conditions, including the Danube, Europe’s second-longest river that flows through 10 nations. To keep vessels moving authorities in Serbia have used dredging.

From the depths the wrecks appearing are an impressive sight, but for those using the river they have caused decades of trouble, and now with European Union support, to do something about them the Serbian government is planning.

By the Communist Yugoslav authorities right after the war some of the wrecks were removed from the river. Especially in summer when water levels are low most of them remain, hampering shipping . 

There were plans to take the ships out of the muddy waters for years, but the operation was considered too risky because of the explosives they carried and there were no funds to do it until recently.

By the Germans as they retreated from Romania as Soviet forces advanced The ships, some still laden with munition, belonged to Nazi Germany’s Black Sea fleet that was deliberately sunk.

To provide loans and grants to finance the operation both the European Union and the European Investment Bank have agreed. This has been done to remove some of the vessels near Prahovo in order to enhance the traffic capacity of the Danube. 

At 30 million euros ($30 million) the total cost of the operation is estimated, of which about 16 million are grants.

The EU ambassador to Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret, said during a recent trip to the wreckage site that “These vessels have been sunk and they have been lying on the river bed ever since”. “And this is a problem. 

On the Danube it’s a problem for the traffic, it restricts the capacity to move, it’s a hazard because certain vessels still contain unexploded ordnance.”

The head of the European Investment Bank in the Western Balkans, accompanying Giaufret was Alessandro Bragonzi. Typically, he said that the removal of 21 sunken vessels consisted of the project. 

“It has been estimated that more vessels are underwater up to 40, but of the Danube those that are currently impeding the fairway conditions, especially during periods of low water level, are 21”, said Bragonzi. 

According to experts, the salvage operation will consist of removing the explosive materials from the sunken vessels rather than dragging the ships out of the river and then destroying the wrecks.

Source:- https://blogspacecap.com/parts-of-hidden-world-war-ii-history-danube-drought-reveals/

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Created on Sep 7th 2022 07:40. Viewed 117 times.

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