Soldiers of Fortune - The Hesse Jewel Heist

I am not really sure where to put this, as it relates to a post war theft of jewels from a German castle. It is in part a military story and in part a legal drama.

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Throughout history soldiers have helped themselves to the riches of their foes. Indeed, the promise of booty was long the primary reason men went to war, their desire to acquire by theft what they’d never attain by rank or merit driving them to risk their lives in conflicts whose moral or political goals held little interest.

While the greatest looters of World War II were undoubtedly Germany, Japan, and Russia—each stole untold billions of dollars in art, industrial equipment, and individual wealth—soldiers of all the combatant nations helped themselves to the possessions of others. And while the U.S. military attempted to curtail looting, American soldiers were certainly not above “liberating” items that caught their fancy, especially in the European theater. Most of these thefts were smalltime and spur of the moment. But as the war in Europe wound down, a trio of drunken, brazen, and almost comically inept thieves—all of them, regrettably, U.S. Army officers—managed to pull off one of the most lucrative wartime thefts in history.

For the full story:

Soldiers of Fortune - The Hesse Jewel Heist » HistoryNet

 

Usually it is the "little thieves" that get caught, weird isn´t it...

Jewish hungarian nazi gold train

 

Actually just watched a programme about this, and a film about the affair was on the other week without me realizing it was actually a true story.
And they nearly got away with it.

 

..this is a very interesting story....did they make a movie about it? they should ...this story was in the May 2009 World War II magazine edition ..it appears to be the same article as SOF
..I'm wondering if it was like a lot of ''group'' crimes where they feed on each other...they rationalize it with each other ....when maybe they all had doubts at first within themselves, about stealing the stuff

 

The files held at NARA have been digitised and are available on Fold3: Hesse Crown Jewels Court-Martial - Fold3

 

A strange twist for me is that the original member / master mind of this heist was a female. I automatically, and mistakenly thought of a something like a couple male infantry LTs that stumbled upon the box and made a hasty plan. LOL

 

GIs jokingly called their souvenir hunters the Lootwaffe. As soon as an area was secured, the Lootwaffe went into action. Food, alcohol and then loot!

Did you know Kelly's Heroes was a Historical Document (Galaxy Quest standard)?

Another mystery in the art world. Where is the Amber Room?