By Laura Fleischmann
11/08/2026 - 11:10 GMT+2
The water in the Danube has never been this low. The low level is revealing what lay hidden on the riverbed for decades, among them a Wehrmacht motorcycle of the DKW NZ 350-1 type from the Second World War. DKW is the abbreviation of "Dampfkraftwagen", a former German car and motorcycle brand that originated in the Saxon motor city of Zschopau and was later taken over by Auto Union.
The motorcycle was found in the riverbed in the heart of Hungary's capital Budapest, level with the Hungarian parliament building. For staff at the local Institute and Museum of Military History it is a genuine once-in-a-century find. The vehicle is almost completely intact, according to the institute. It was preserved in the Danube's mud.
The motorcycle that was found is a model developed specifically for wartime use and produced from 1944 onwards. It had a single-cylinder two-stroke engine delivering 11.5 horsepower. Because of their robustness and reliability, these so-called Kräder were popular with the troops. The DKW 350-1 can easily be recognised by the metal pannier mounted on the side, which is also present on the bike recovered from the Danube.
