Drought Uncovers WWII Motorcycle in Europe
While Filipino riders are dealing with flooded roads and relentless monsoon rains, motorists halfway around the world are facing a very different problem as drought grips parts of Central Europe.
In Budapest, Hungary, the Danube has fallen to exceptionally low levels, exposing parts of its riverbed that have been underwater for decades. Among the unexpected discoveries is a World War II-era DKW NZ 350-1 motorcycle, which has resurfaced after spending eight decades beneath the river, according to a report from Hungary Today.
The DKW NZ 350-1 was a German military motorcycle built at DKW’s factory in Zschopau during World War II. Developed specifically for the German Wehrmacht, it was powered by a 346cc two-stroke single-cylinder engine and featured the simple, rugged construction for military use. Around 12,000 units were produced between 1944 and 1945, making surviving examples relatively rare today.
The motorcycle isn’t the only wartime relic emerging from the shrinking Danube. Other sections of the river have revealed World War II-era shipwrecks and unexploded ordnance, some of which have prompted authorities to restrict access to exposed areas.
The Danube is one of Europe’s most important rivers, flowing through 10 countries. But the unusually dry conditions across Hungary and other parts of Central Europe have sent water levels plunging, disrupting shipping and river tourism while revealing parts of the riverbed normally hidden from view.
For this DKW, however, the falling water has brought an unexpected second chance to see daylight again.
