Bomb clearers at Zionsburg Estate make a special discovery

Another special discovery at Zionsburg Estate in Vught. Bomb expert Bernd Burgers and his team must ensure that any bombs on the estate are safely removed. When they were collecting silt from a pond, they came across two heads of statues. “Sometimes you come across something very special like this, but we often find something surprising.”

Written by

Tom Berkers

Since the end of July, we have been working hard to clean the ponds around Zionsburg Estate. Precision work, because it is still full of bombs from the Second World War.

“We first go over the pond with a detector to remove the large explosives. Then we will use armored machines to remove the sludge in order to be able to remove the remaining smaller items.”

The sludge from the pond is then searched on the banks with metal detectors. “We mainly find a lot of grenades and bullets, but very occasionally we also come across very special items. This find is really special. I have never experienced this.”

The discovery of the two heads raises many questions. Various online groups are being searched for more information about the statue remains. “I have no idea who they are or what they were used for. They may have been molds to make a bronze statue, but I don’t believe it is a statue of Ewald Marggraff, the last resident of the estate. He had a different shape in his face.”

The found heads (photos: Den Ouden Bodac).
The found heads (photos: Den Ouden Bodac).

Besides the two heads, many grenades and bullets, the bombers also find something funny. “This also comes from the ponds of the estate,” says Bernd Burgers, showing a vibrator. “It looks like someone had a great time here and forgot to bring it.”

ALSO READ: Estate is far from finished after the mansion burned down in 2003

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