During reconstruction work of the burned Ost-West-Friedenskirche in Munich's Olympic Park, a treasure of old Deutsche Mark banknotes and coins was uncovered, packed in tin cans beneath the ruins, according to Süddeutsche Zeitung.
The Ost-West-Friedenskirche, a small church, was destroyed by a fire in June 2023. The blaze, likely caused by a technical defect, devastated the church but did not spread to the nearby residential house, a museum, and another small chapel. Münchner Merkur noted that these adjacent structures remained unharmed, allowing restoration efforts to focus on the church itself.
As reconstruction efforts commenced, workers discovered tin cans filled with currency from the Deutsche Mark era. "It was bags full of coins and stacks of large banknotes," said Christian Ude, the former Mayor of Munich and a member of the Ost-West-Friedenskirche association, according to Münchner Merkur. Ude estimates that several thousand Deutsche Mark were hidden in the ground and survived the fire that destroyed the church.
The origin of the money remains a mystery. "It cannot be said exactly where the money comes from," Ude remarked to Süddeutsche Zeitung. He suspects it may be tips or monetary gifts collected over the years, possibly hidden by those connected to the church. The banknotes, described as somewhat damp and having a musty smell, are being carefully restored. They are being aired out, dried on bed sheets, and then ironed to preserve them.
A portion of the recovered money will be exchanged and used for the reconstruction of the burned church. The association overseeing the reconstruction plans to create an East-West meeting place. "We plan to create an East-West meeting place, an oasis of peace," noted the association.
In addition to the monetary treasure, bells, a statue of Mary, and a tin bathtub were found among the debris. The tin bathtub's presence is meaningful. Ude explained that such bathtubs were used during baptisms in Russian Orthodox churches.
The Ost-West-Friedenskirche has a history deeply connected to the post-World War II period. After the war, Russian hermit Timofej Wassiljewitsch Prochorow, known as Father Timofej, built a residential house with a chapel on a rubble site in northern Munich. He later expanded this chapel into a church. Prochorow utilized materials like rubble and waste for construction, resulting in distinctive features such as silver paper from chocolate bars glittering on the ceiling of the church.
An association has taken on the task of reconstructing the church, aiming to preserve its historical and cultural significance for future generations. The discovery of the hidden treasure has provided both financial support and renewed interest in the project. Various media outlets, including Süddeutsche Zeitung, Münchner Merkur, and N-TV, have reported on the discovery.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.