What WWII Soldiers Looted From Goering's House!!! | American Artifact Episode 73

Hitler's Berghof wasn't the only place that was targeted by souvenir hunters in the U.S. Army as WWII ended and the occupation began. One of his henchmen, Hermann Goering, also had a house in Berchtesgaden that was of particular interest. In this episode, we're taking a look at some of the artifacts in the collection at The Gettysburg Museum of History that came out of this home at the end of WWII.
DISCLAIMER: The subject matter in this video is for educational purposes only. In no way is any hateful ideology supported by us in any way.
This episode was produced in partnership with The Gettysburg Museum of History. See how you can support history education & artifact preservation by visiting their website & store at www.gettysburgmuseumofhistory...
Support the effort to expand history education on PATREON: / historyunderground
Set yourself up with a 10% DISCOUNT on all Origin gear and nutritional products by entering the code "history10" at www.originmaine.com!
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- Exploring Hitler's Eagle's Nest!!! | History Traveler Episode 274: • Exploring Hitler's Eag...
- War Souvenirs From Hitler's Berghof!!! | American Artifact Episode 66: • War Souvenirs From Hit...
- The Heart of Hitler's Third Reich & What U.S. Soldiers Took From It | American Artifact Episode 61: • The Heart of Hitler's ...
- Was THIS Where the Man With the Funny Mustache Was Radicalized? | History Traveler Episode 264: • Was THIS Where Hitler ...

[@ryancooper2826]

There's a lesson that everyone should learn from all this. No matter how wealthy, no matter how powerful, all that wealth and power can be taken away in an instant. These were some of the most powerful and wealthy people in Europe, possibly the world, and they were reduced to paupers basically. All the wealth and riches is nothing but dust and ashes. Fantastic work as always JD and crew!!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Excellent point. Thanks.

[@GymChess]

Unfortunately few if any lessons are ever learned keeping in mind that the few run this world. The same ”few” and their relatives also financed what took place during the war. Hitler and the rest get blamed for every bad thing in the world when the real, rotten scum are hiding in the shadows behind fancy titles and positions.

[@sandrapersaud3105]

Most of their wealth came from stealing 😢.

[@ryancooper2826]

@@sandrapersaud3105 you're right. They were monsters.

[@GymChess]

@@sandrapersaud3105 Rich people have always stolen.

[@apstrad]

An uncle of mine was in the 3rd...he photographed his way across across Europe, documenting each area, with information on the back of the photos, he has a whole bunch that he shot at the Berghof, many of himself sitting amongst the ruins ....an incredible series.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Wow! I would love to see that.

[@nancymilawski1048]

Have you thought about making a book of the pictures???

[@pmendes843]

Please post them

[@apstrad]

@@TheHistoryUnderground I will get in touch....

[@juddiehare4096]

I love history my era is just before WWI and how that led into WWII and WWII I personally would love to see those photographs. Would love to know more about Arnem too

[@perryj8850]

Always loved the Band of Brothers scene where Winters introduces Nixon to Goering's liquor supply. The look on his face!! Happy VE day!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

😅

[@user-ch6xi7rh8k]

The best series ever!

[@AzrealMiller]

Been watching your videos for just over a year now. I’ve been an amateur WWII history buff for years now and really appreciate your hard work, knowledge and insight. I’ve learned a lot! Thank you!

[@MamaDee_83]

I love the stories behind the artifacts. It makes it more fascinating and real. Thank you JD and Eric!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Our pleasure!

[@bmcg5296]

Absolutely brilliant series with so much information to process. Goerings car was one of the fastest vehicles at it’s time.

[@jupite1888]

Always think of the Hell those boys went through to get there and the many that did not make it. Always nicely made made videos.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@TravelingToHistory]

Boy oh Boy I love the American artifact series, especially these ones. Because they are within driving range from were I live. Makes me wanna get in my car and explore for myself. Great job JD and Erik

[@marcmercedes2707]

Its all stolen

[@joshstafford9077]

Keep up the great content! Always giving facts that are never discussed in other documentaries

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

More to come! Thanks.

[@FLjcollins]

Goering's house is the one I would've wanted to check out- his family was German nobility, not to mention his fame as a WWI ace pilot. He was by far the "richest" of all of them.

[@patrickmccrann991]

Most of his "wealth" came from his great stealing ability.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Definitely.

[@FLjcollins]

@Patrick McCrann yes, but dude grew up in one of the most beautiful castles (Schloss in German) in all of Germany- and that castle is still in perfect condition today. He already had massive wealth even before the Nazi party took power.

[@patrickmccrann991]

@@Marvel66666 He still was a thief of incredible magnitude. That is a fact. If he couldn't buy it, he stole it.

[@PeppieP]

Excellent programme as always. The history you tell is so important and told in such a fantastic and enthralling way. Thanks.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@JackFlemingFan1]

As always thank you Eric & JD for posting yet another excellent video as watching your videos are educational and they bring the past to the present in a way no book can hope to do.

[@johnstup4479]

Love the stories and tid bits of history that the two of you bring to use each week. Some of this that you will never find in any history book. Well done!

[@terryeustice5399]

Hey guys. Was the art recovered stolen art. Goering’s taste was spectacular. Thank you for sharing JD.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Yes.

[@timf2279]

A good movie about recovering and returning the stolen art is "Monuments Men"

[@jamesfrost7465]

Please consider a video about the WW1 Aerocraft Herman Goring hid. About 8 Aerocraft are in this very rare collection. Because Herman was a WW1 pilot, ( actually took command of the Red Barons squadron, Jagastafel 11 after his death April 21st 1918,) he saved these magnificent flying machines. Some of them are the ONLY examples that exist to this day. Side note. NO 100% WW1 Fokker triplanes exist. The last one was destroyed in a bombing raid on London in WW2. Thank you, I enjoy your videos.

[@MorGuitarz]

Endlessly fascinating. THANK YOU for documenting all this! You'll NEVER learn about this in any school

[@steelman86]

Especially in FLORIDA OR TEXAS!!!!!

[@russclaxton]

This series is absolutely fantastic great work JD and Eric.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@judygrandstrand9784]

I’m so excited that these items were preserved. Looking forward to visiting the museum this summer.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@ruthshelton-tp9ie]

Me too ! And I live in Maryland.

[@Ronaldl2350]

I remember watching a Mark Felton video about Goering's blue car. It's in a private collection somewhere. Supposedly a few years ago it was restored by a shop not too far from where I live. Always another neat video JD.

[@mattskustomkreations]

Yep, the Blue Goose. According to Wikipedia it is currently owned by Carnlough International Limited of Guernsey.

[@lawrencelewis2592]

@@mattskustomkreations I saw it at a car show in Michigan about 10-12 years ago. At the time it was owned by a man named Arturo Keller who owned a fleet of high-end classics. I was told that they were kept in a warehouse in Mexico that was guarded by men with machine guns. Its a blue metallic and there is a bullet mark in one window as someone with a .45 wanted to see if they were bulletproof. It made a mark but didn't go through the one-inch thick glass. I was also told that it got 4 miles per gallon.

[@mattskustomkreations]

@@lawrencelewis2592 That’s interesting about the ownership. Apparently the bullet creased the windshield trim. I don’t remember if it was on Felton’s channel, but Heidrichs assassination car has also been identified and preserved. And I’m sure even with the extreme wartime gas shortage fat Hermann still had plenty of fuel for the Goose.

[@ausualsuspect9639]

I’m glad you added “art thief” after art collector.

[@Carolbearce]

Always so happy when a video comes up from you. I love learning this history.

[@joemacinnis1972]

I am absolutely fascinated by history. We learn so much when we study the past

[@stevelinscome728]

I also love how you touched upon the loss and recovery of some of the arts from the war. ❤️🙋‍♂️🏍💨

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Got more in the next episode.

[@frankmarullo228]

Again JD. Love what you put on you tube my friend !! THANK you Frank from montana......

[@ED-ti5tc]

They sure thought as themselves as royalty! Interesting story about Speirs.

[@phyllishershkowitz3806]

That blue Mercedes..... Wow! Too bad they couldn't take that back to the US. And the other car story, really, off the cliff🙂 Thanks JD and Eric for keeping history alive!

[@ericscottstevens]

This blue car survived as the US treasury assumed ownership for war bond drive. In 1956 the car was auctioned off by the US Army at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, sold to to a man Greenwich, Connecticut. It is currently owned by Carnlough International Limited of Guernsey, Former owners painted it black with new chrome, but currently is being restored to 1945 semblance.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👍🏻

[@phyllishershkowitz3806]

@@ericscottstevens That is so cool! Thanks for adding this info!

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

There's an interesting story about Goering's Mercedes sports car, also called "The Blue Goose." When Goering took delivery of the car he was too fat to get behind the wheel! So back to Mercedes it went to had the driver's seat moved back so Goering could get in and drive it!

[@timf2279]

Phyllis that would have been an amazing war trophy for some GI. It would have taken some special connections to sneak that back. Thanks for the comment.

[@christopherarnold1568]

his car the "blue goose" is still in existence and has been restored....would be cool to reunite that emblem with the car!

[@greggriffin1]

always learn so much from your vids, thank you from our family

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

So nice of you

[@curtvona4891]

It is stunningly beautiful there. I can almost smell the edelweiss.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Couldn't agree more!

[@cynthiaswearingen1037]

Over the top...perfect explanation for Goering.

[@curtisg.8671]

Outstanding history JD and Erik!!!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👊🏻

[@ray44f]

This is crazy, walking back tonight to my hotel in Berchtesgaden I noticed that train tunnel and wondered what it was, now I’ve just seen this video😂, this tunnel is under my window, mad stuff. Love your channel 👍🏻

[@ray44f]

Have to go have a look in the morning now😀

[@timf2279]

Great collection and stories. Thanks for not giving the 506 PIR credit for being first and singlehandedly winning every battle since D-Day.

[@JustinRose5629]

New to the channel. But totally addicted with the world war 2 videos. Have watched some of your civil war ones as well.

[@fasthracing]

You said you would get to the train tunnel. Here it is!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🙂

[@debbiesacry1097]

I was never really interested in WWll. It happened “over there”. It seemed so far away when I was growing up. But you, JD, make it real. 🙏 thank you 😊

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🙏🏼

[@jeffpollard7304]

Lucky you, for most of the World, not so much!😢

[@drmarkintexas-400]

Thank you for sharing 🎖️🏆⭐🇺🇲🙏

[@rebelscumspeedshop8677]

The legend of Ronald Spears grows!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

😅

[@ericscottstevens]

My Grandpa being an ex Stuka gunner from 1936 had a rather ill opinion about the former air leader. Everything was okay at my Grandpas house until my American father inquired in a bout of small talk an opinion regarding Goering. Then my Grandpa would go into a fit of rage about Goering that included, "faul, gefräßig, schwein kind" ........that was a gentle way of portraying the language used. Clearing the kitchen and letting things simmer down was the only way of diffusing the situation.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Ha! Sounds like he had a proper view of him.

[@SoCal780]

This series is fascinating AND enlightening. Thanks you guys. 👍

[@donnal.oglesby4806]

I find all this so interesting, and to see somne of the things that were brought back, is amazing.

[@darkoflight4938]

Another cool video!!!! Truly interesting stuff. Göring was a lavish man with an over the top taste indeed. In his mind a royal of sorts.

[@tandemriders6791]

My Wife and I are loving this series of historical adventures. We did not know until this video series that the hotel General Walker was taken down. I was stationed in Germany from 1970 to 73, during this time in 1972 my Wife and I attended a Christian Retreat at the General Walker hotel. It was a beautifull place then.

[@davidkimmel4216]

Thank You Very informative and interesting.

[@MrEaglesfan40]

Great work JD as always love the story here and the whole series you Eric have put together Well done sir Thank you

[@pauldouglas3084]

Really enjoyed the video mate Eric one best it was really interesting mate can't wait for the next one 👍

[@Wreckdiver59]

That crystal cup was amazing 👍 That photo of Goering's house was also interesting to me. The structure looks similar to a building in a picture of my father in law. I'm definitely going to do some comparisons later today. Hope your current trip is going well.

[@jeffe9842]

I thought the same thing about the cup. These monsters lived like kings at the expense of everyone else.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks! Having a good time.

[@evadvalcourt]

This is hands down the best channel on youtube

[@rebeccaraines5217]

I love the music! They do a great job!

[@mcfly8591]

Recently came across your channel and have literally been non stop watching. Great channel and great videos keep it up !

[@trackandtrail6874]

Excellent presentation gentlemen!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thank you kindly!

[@centurycity]

Amazing about that tunnel never knew that is where it is. Many thanks.

[@victorcontreras9138]

Very interesting video! I've marked it on my travel map as a "must see" stop when I plan to go by there.

[@lizzapaolia959]

Another outstanding video 👌. Thank you again for sharing these great videos. Happy Easter too you and God bless 🙏

[@danielkunert6244]

Awesome show thanks❤

[@curtisgrupe5730]

Fantastic video really enjoyed it as I do all of your work

[@davegoodridge8352]

My Father told me stories about the cars and motorcycles they used ride around on. Times have changed

[@nickbeard1718]

Love these videos best history lesson ever

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🙏🏼

[@samkangal8428]

Very interesting , greetings to Gettysburg🇺🇸✌️🇩🇪

[@ehayes5217]

As always, a great video, thanks!🇺🇸😃

[@psbrayshaw]

Thank you so much for this Obersalzburg content I'm loving it.

[@robmisener2786]

Great video!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks!

[@MrTomengle]

I was there with the 3d I.D. back in the early 70s. Bavaria is such a beautiful area.

[@camdodge9891]

Thanks JD Awesome video

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👊🏻

[@aliciacruz5957]

Goerring is one favorite subject and this video was great, just too short. Lol Keep up the good work.😊

[@SteveSmith-eb6ze]

Love your videos.

[@MB-hv3ic]

cuando inauguran las autopistas ,se ve manejando ese coche a toda velocidad ,color metalizado mate 👌

[@garykuipers2696]

I viewed a photo many years ago concerning Goering's house. In the attic was supposed to be an elaborate model train layout. Do you have any information concerning this?

[@carolhofhine560]

He drove the car off the cliff, Spears was quite the character.

[@timwirasnik5878]

Hit it out of the park Again guys!

[@colleena5053]

Ditto to what Ryan just said. Kudos to all of your videos. Please share the MUSIC you use for your channel!!

[@Dontwlookatthis]

Eddy Göring had a real working gasoline engine, a scaled down engine with a block and sparkplugs real pneumatic tires and wheels with miniature brakes, in other words, a miniaturized real car that had seats for two, a real trunk (boot) fenders (wings), doors that opened. It was much wider and longer than the kind kids get these days but she and her passenger, her mother, sat at abut the same height as kids modern electric cars. I have a picture taken from a video in the 90s that show shows a home movie of them driving along the very wide hallway. My dad traveled a lot into places most people didn't go because he was an insurance adjuster and one day he found a ruined child's car which had only two wheels and one tire, no steering wheel but everything else was there, except everything was ruined. He bought the car from the man and brought it home for me to play in, me being 5 at the time. Mom didn't want that piece of junk in her back yard, so when I was 6, we went to my grandmother's country farm house that was just on the edge of scores of miles of pasture, hills and woods, but being in the village of Duck Hill, Mississippi, taking the car so that I would have it to play in. Then a cousin about my age came to visit and we put it on the old children's metal wagon, like the Red Flyer wagon, where one person pulls it and the front wheels can be steered by the handle. We would pull each other around but it was super unwell balanced due to the size of the car. He went home and I pulled the wagon with no one in into the village and found a friend, Douglas, and he wanted to play too. I pulled him around on the sidewalks, and then it was my turn. We had to cross a ditch on a sidewalk bridge and the ditch ran along parallel to the sidewalks for a while. The ditch must have been five feet deep, no water in it, and as Douglas pulled me along that, the wagon tipped to the side, sending me seated in the car, down into the ditch. I remember every second of that and it hurt like hell with the car trapping me. Douglas thought it was funny but couldn't get it off me. So he ran to get my father to come do it. I was hurt so badly that I don't remember what my mom said to him but he took that car away and I never saw it again. And when I saw the video of Emmy and her mom, I saw that her car was exactly my car only in new shape. I have often wondered if maybe, just maybe, the man my dad bought it from had been in the Army and brought it home as a souvenir from Göring's looted mansion. If it was, the bombing might explain the damage to the little car.

[@GraveVisitations]

Yay more history 😁👍

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

👊🏻

[@mattskustomkreations]

8:26. One of the coolest names ever: check out the signature 3rd from bottom left - Vinegar Dick Barnes! 🤘I think the piece is a chair back or chair cushion.

[@jimclarke1108]

Great work bud

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks 👍

[@EmeraldIsle77]

Outstanding wrk

[@benjaminrush4443]

Thanks.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Welcome!

[@FoolishPrankster]

Very Good (period) 👍

[@mattskustomkreations]

4:07. That’s not just any Mercedes owned by HG, that’s the famous “Blue Goose” 1937 540K Special Roadster custom painted in Luftwaffe Blue. THIS was the car that General Taylor drove. It wound up being auctioned off by the US govt and is now in private hands in Guernsey. The car has one or 2 bullet holes courtesy of the 101st. I bet the museum owners would love to have that original emblem!

[@GlasgowCeltic88]

0:23 I can see it now; *PFC to his Company CO* PFC: "Sir, me and the boys have got a War Trophy we'd like to take back home with us, Sir..." CO: "Sure, son. What it is?" PFC: "Sir... Umm... Well... You see, it's Hermann Göring's 540K Blue Goose, Sir! 😁"

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

😅

[@cheesewit543]

I can watch your WW2 videos all day. You should be commended on the quality although I think the word confiscated sounds more appropriate. Our grandfathers were heroes not thieves.

[@getoffenit7827]

Around the mid 2000's that car was taken out of storage and sent to a small shop in Maine,And was not restored but freshened up and made running again i actually took several photos of the car theres a small brass plate on the glovebox door telling about the day it was 'captured' The bulletproof plate was extended up behind the passenger/driver i took alot of pictures

[@kasterkit]

When are you going to be in Gettysburg? Would like to meet you.

[@jude999]

1970s Department store music as a backdrop. Interesting.

[@bigboyblue7181]

My Grandpa Wally was in it from the get go, 39-46. He told me it was such a good time in Germany that he volunteered to stay into 46. He said what was I gonna do back home? He was the man in Deutschland.

[@barrydysert2974]

7:53 Carved wood panel Wow! Now that's a show stopper to me. Eric, i'm sure You know those "batons" are fasces from where we get the word fascist. Most notable to me is the complete lack of overtly Nazi symbols in the carving. Intuition is screaming to me that it's 1920's perhaps Italian. Goering would not have had a piece like this as part of his elegant home. It was on the train as a piece of early Fascist art. i understand that my intuition is worth jack sh¡t. Provenance is everything! i only offer my guesses as possible avenues for further investigation !:-) Thank You JD and Eric. God bless 🙏

[@JEAN-pm9lg]

Thankyou

[@neilperry2224]

The blue Mercedes 540k, is currently in the Curtis LeMay museum with many other specific vehicles, inc a actual Hitler Mercedes Touring Car

[@cyndiebill6631]

Great video!! I’m so glad they found the stolen art work. Hopefully it got returned to it’s rightful owners and country of origin. 👍🙂

[@randystolz]

Ty for correcting the record, that 2d of the 506th actually finished 3d in the sprint for Berchesgarten...🤓

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Common misconception.

[@jamesgolding1485]

dont know where i got it from but i have a hitlers hearth ashtray from the weathershield co. from 1946 w a piece of the fireplace in it.. pretty cool.

[@fanroche8573]

do you know when the museum will be extended? thanks

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Hopefully within the next year.

[@fanroche8573]

@@TheHistoryUnderground Thanks very much. I need to visit this museum extraordinary collection due to the less stringent legislation, I volunteered with the IWM in London for a few years and it is always the same. ...a collection is just the tip of the iceberg that can be shown to the public. You and Eric have that balance of enthusiasm, expertise and ethics more so than many of the big universal museums ...eg British Museum ....

[@only1dutchgirl]

Was this where the winecellar was supposed to be that was pictured in Band of Brothers??

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Pretty sure that it was here.

[@PowerPlay1]

Take a very close look at the taller green tree or bush to rear left, and compare it the the one in the printed picture just behind the house. Pay attention to some of the branches jutting out to the right, they look almost identical to the branches in the picture.

[@kohedunn]

I thought that this would be about 'Karinhal"...

[@lewdecker1442]

No, his personal lodge near hitlers.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Didn’t make it up there.

[@ruhri0411]

After all, Carinhall is 520 miles from Berchtesgaden. But it would take even more imagination than at Obersalzberg to find any remains there. It's apparently pretty spooky there, you might be all alone in the middle of nowhere, far away from the next settlement-. But surely Berlin and the surrounding area is a worthwhile destination for our time travellers from the Gettysburg Museum? I've been to Berlin a few times to follow the traces of history there, for history buffs it's simply the destination of choice.

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

Other documentarians have been to the Carinhall location. Aside from the stone pillars marking the driveway from the main road there's nothing to be seen there except for some of the foundations. German military engineers made a thorough job of it when they blew it up. However, the Goebbels estate outside of Berlin is still there and pretty intact as it was used as a recreation center by the Russian and East German militaries post-war.

[@ronalddesiderio7625]

Always get your moneys worth with a JD vid 👍🏾

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Being that it’s free to watch, I’d completely agree. 😅

[@incog99skd11]

Those Mercedes today would be worth a small fortune even without the Provenance.

[@JohnDoe-hc6ho]

Lol the Spears story

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

😅🇺🇸

[@j.lietka9406]

The etching on the crystal glass is probably his coat of arms. What happened to the Goerring sword? Thank you 🤓

[@apmiller1059]

At this antique shop there is a radio from goering’s house.