Sacking Aladdin’s Cave: Plundering Goring’s Nazi War Trophies

Near the close of World War II, two hell-bent-for-leather American units moved relentlessly toward the village of Berchtesgaden, nestled in the Bavarian Alps. The much-decorated 101st Airborne Division had fought its way from Normandy, Bastogne and through much of Germany, and the illustrious 1269th Engineer Combat Battalion had followed suit, starting south at Marseilles. Both forces would converge on Hitlers hideaway, and awaiting them was a dazzling treasure trove nefariously collected by none other than Reichsmarschall Hermann Gring. The greedy, art-loving Nazi leader had accumulated a vast and dazzling array of paintings, precious jewels, and many other objets dart four trainloads worth. Following the age-old adage of "To the victor belong the spoils," the rendezvousing American soldiers helped themselves to the crme de la crme of the Nazi loot.