Latest news with #4thPodhaleRiflemenRegiment
Miami Herald
09-05-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Hikers accidentally finding treasure in Czechia and four other discoveries
The summaries below were drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All linked stories were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists. Throughout history, cultures have left behind a trail of breadcrumbs for archaeologists to follow. New sites and artifacts are found all the time, revealing forgotten secrets of the past. Here are some of the latest discoveries: Ancient Roman ruins seemed 'typical' — until 'something more unusual' emerged In the southwestern United Kingdom, archaeologists discovered an ancient Roman kiln at the Centre Severn site near Gloucester. This 'rare' and 'exceptionally well-preserved' kiln is likely the first of its kind excavated in Gloucestershire, shedding light on Roman construction methods. The kiln, along with other finds like pottery and a burial, dates back to between 100 and 400 A.D. | Published April 30 | Read More | Hikers find boxes under rocks in Czechia — and discover century-old treasures In the Krkonoše Mountains of Czechia, hikers stumbled upon an aluminum can filled with gold coins and other treasures from the past century. The coins from multiple countries, dating from 1808 to 1915, were valued at about $340,000 and were likely stashed during a tumultuous period between world wars. | Published May 1 | Read More | 'Pointy bone' found in Russia cave may be oldest of its kind in Europe. See it In the Mezmaiskaya Cave in Russia, archaeologists found a 'pointy bone' tool, believed to be a hunting projectile weapon crafted by Neanderthals. This bone tool, dating back 70,000 to 80,000 years, is considered the oldest of its kind found in Europe. The discovery provides insight into the early development of bone carving techniques by Neanderthals. | Published May 6 | Read More | Defeated soldiers buried WWII flag in Poland forest. Duo found it 85 years later In a forest near Zielone, Poland, two men uncovered a buried WWII-era banner, pennant, and ribbons belonging to the 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment. These artifacts, hidden by soldiers defeated by Nazi forces, remained undiscovered for 85 years. The find is now preserved in a museum, and officials hope to search for other WWII artifacts known to be buried in the area. | Published May 7 | Read More | Ancient Romans threw treasures into huge crater left by flood. See what remains In Utrecht, Netherlands, archaeologists uncovered wooden posts and artifacts in a canal, revealing a story of an ancient Roman city's reconstruction after a flood. The finds include a silver chain and a belt fitting, believed to be offerings thrown into a massive crater left by the disaster. Researchers suspect more treasures are hidden within the hole. | Published May 8 | Read More | McClatchy News continues to follow the discovery of intriguing archaeological discoveries from around the globe. Check back to see the latest finds.
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Defeated soldiers buried WWII flag in Poland forest. Duo found it 85 years later
World Defeated soldiers buried WWII flag in Poland forest. Duo found it 85 years later A pair searching the forest near Zielone found the hidden banner, pennant and ribbons of a regiment defeated in WWII, officials said. Photo from M. Podgórski via Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments A group of soldiers knelt in a forest of southern Poland in the fall of 1939 and buried several flags. They'd been defeated by invading Nazi German forces but didn't want anything to happen to their important emblems. The plan worked. Their flags stayed hidden for 85 years — until now. Maciej Podgórski and Piotr Szynala headed into a forest near Zielone in early May to search for World War II relics, the Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments said in a May 6 news release. The pair expected to find at least something, but what reemerged left them stunned. Officials said the duo dug up a pile of fabric wrapped in a tarp, as seen in a photo. The banner of Poland's 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment found near Zielone. Photo from M. Podgórski via Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments Podgórski and Szynala immediately contacted archaeologists, who identified the fabric items as a banner, pennant and ribbons from WWII-era Polish troops. The banner belonged to the 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment, officials said. Photos show the front and back of the square flag. Its red and gold design features several wreaths, eagles and shield emblems. The banner was the best-preserved artifact, likely because it was made of high-quality materials, such as gold and silver threads, officials said. The underside of the banner from Poland's 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment found near Zielone. Photo from M. Podgórski via Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments Podgórski and Szynala also found a pennant and ribbons belonging to the 21st Mountain Infantry Division, officials said. Photos show the front and back of the fabric items. The main pennant has a blue-black hue with three central emblems, all quite worn. The three ribbons are dark red with some gold text and gold edging. Traditionally, the pennant was given to a regiment within the 21st Mountain Infantry Division with the highest shooting achievement and transferred annually, officials said. The pennant was given to the 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment in 1938 and was still in its possession when WWII broke out in 1939. The pennant and ribbons of Poland's 21st Mountain Infantry Division found near Zielone. Photo from M. Podgórski via Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments The 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment was stationed in southern Poland and fought against the invading Nazi German forces during the outbreak of WWII. The regiment suffered heavy losses and by mid-September 1939 formally ceased to exist, instead merging with other units, officials said. The regiment's surviving soldiers reported hiding the banner, pennant and ribbons by wrapping them in tarps and burying them in the forest near Zielone 85 years ago. In the 1960s after WWII ended, the veterans unsuccessfully tried to find the flags. The underside of the pennant and ribbons of Poland's 21st Mountain Infantry Division found near Zielone. Photo from M. Podgórski via Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments Now, the historic flags have been taken to a nearby museum and transferred to professional conservators, officials said. Officials suspect some other artifacts from the 4th Podhale Riflemen Regiment may still be buried in the forest near Zielone and hope to conduct a professional excavation. Zielone is a village in southeastern Poland, near the border with Ukraine, and a roughly 180-mile drive southeast from Warsaw. Google Translate was used to translate the Facebook post from the Lublin Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments. Aspen Pflughoeft McClatchy DC Go to X Email this person Aspen Pflughoeft covers real-time news for McClatchy. She is a graduate of Minerva University where she studied communications, history, and international politics. Previously, she reported for Deseret News.
