The Mystery of Rommel's Gold

Pages: 230
Author: Peter Heining
Genre: Historical Fiction

Peter Fleing is the most intriguing and enigmatic figure associated with the legendary horde. Ex-German soldier and deep sea diver, was involved in an secret mission in Corsica during his serving in Italy in 1943. He hide 6 cases deep down in the see, by the command of Captain Dahal, loyal Nazi, who was in charge to transfer the cargo to Germany. Since treasure might fall into enemy hands, the only option was to hide them and return for them later when things return to normal. But he and his officers were accused for stealing treasure and sentenced to death. Peter Fleing, as a soldier who just had been carrying out orders was sent in Russia, and was the only one alive who had known the exact location of 6 cases. When the third Reich collapsed, he was back in Stuttgart bat his health didn’t allow him to return to Corsica till 1948. He spent two months with French expedition trying to find the treasure without success. He was asking million francs for his secret from the French consul, but all they were paying him while he dived was five hundred francs a day with no promise of a share. So he decided to come back again another time and find them for himself. Thanks to French expedition, interest in the legend had grown considerably due to great international publicity.

Yugoslav Jakov Jovanovic an ex-art dealer, working for the International Commission in Brussels was one more person connected to the legend who was found murdered in a backwater of the Rhone. He was in charge for tracing loot stolen by Nazis from churches, museums and Jewish families, and he was at the track of Rommel’s gold. That’s why he was mysteriously killed.

Peter Eaton, journalist and well-known BBC producer was obsessed with the story of Rommel’s Gold and had been spent a years to discover the secret, until his death in 1963. During this time he produced series of radio and TV programs and shows devoted to the legend, and thanks to him this story was had been broadly spread.

So that is how, American treasure hunter from New York, wealthy Ruth Bond, was fascinated by the stories of the legendary Rommel’s Gold she had read in the press. She had the money to finance search and invited retired British seaman from Royal Navy, an expert on Mediterranean waters. 

45 - ton yacht, which had been equipped with the latest underwater exploration equipment xxxx expedition in the spring of 1957, after 15 years since the six cases had been sent to the bottom of the sea. Although American millionaires had no luck, she financed the second expedition next year, again without success, but it kept alive the interest of others who had followed news of the hunt over the years.

Among them was American marine expert, Albert Link, who had been pushing back the boundaries of deep sea exploration for years, ad who would bring the most scientifically advanced ship and equipment to Corsica for yet another attempt to find the missing millions. Although raised far from the sea, he was often dreaming of the depth of the ocean, and at the age of twelve he designed his own submarine. Unlike most dreamers, he would prove to be a man who got things done. During his youth he also caught bug for flying and he started taking flying lessons. He became aware of the dangers of flying lessons which were often inadequate and number of death was mounting over the year. So the idea to learn to fly on the ground made his name. In 1928 due to his interest in mechanics he developed machine that simulate real flight, known as the Link Trainer. New pilot would be able to take to the air better prepared. In the years of Depression he was giving ground lessons and the instruction flights and pleasure rides in Cessna, which he bought of his own. He also did "aerial advertising" which was innovation, trailing illuminated signs with sponsor’s names. Because of huge demand for the Link Trainer during the war he becomes wealthy man, milliner in fact, so he decided to pursue another dream, exploring the hidden depths of the sea. He had learned the techniques of sailing and navigation took part in ocean racing and took part in expeditions searching for treasure and mystery of the sunken city Port Royal. For this adventures he needed to design and test more advanced undersea equipment and he invested a lot to develop latest technology to have on his disposal. Link himself carried out number of tests, since he would never ask anyone to do something he would not do himself. Once he was remaining below surface for eight hours, making first sustained helium-oxygen dive. His work earned serious attention from National Geographic and magazine Life who helped to open up the wonders of the undersea world. In 1959 he designed his own craft, most perfectly suited for underwater archeology of its time and went for the first time to Mediterranean. But Greece become nightmare for Link, since the authorities misunderstood his intent, so he was even arrested and charged. Six months later he come back again, with two of his friends, who were responsible for Links interest in the Rommel’s treasure. One of them was Irish nobleman, and journalist of National Geographic magazine, Lord Ki bracken who used to be Swordfish pilot during the war, and commissioned to write about undersea exploration and likes experiments. The second one was Belgian Robert Stenuit, the finest deep-sea diver of his generation, who was established the record for the world's longest deepest dive, diving to 200 feet and remaining there for 26 hours, in the first SDC experiment in 1962. Three of them come together to Mediterranean in 1963, searching day after day, tirelessly, but in vain. Unfortunately, due to disaster of nuclear powered submarine which sunk somewhere in North Atlantic with 129 members of its crew, link was asked to get back to US and investigate tragedy. Patriotism had always come a long way ahead of personal ambition when Link was concerned, so he stopped hunt for buried treasure.

But according to diver Stenuit statement, there were others looking for the gold, people he didn’t want to name. It was in fact a group of criminals, whose name inspired fear throughout the entire Mediterranean, the mafia. The great French novelist Aleksandra Dumas, wrote the book The Corsican Brothers, about the Corsican way of life, of their violence and intimidation, particularly of "Vendetta"' or war of vengeance, carried on between families and connections, sometimes for several generations. They made money by dealing drug, organizing prostitution, protection rackets tanks to corrupted politicians and police .A brutal murder of French diver Andre Mattei ,who was claim to have found the location of the Rommel’s Gold was connected with Corsican mafia .

Sixty years after the story began, as writer said, we can be sure of three things: where the treasure originated, how it was moved and where it is located, and he is convinced that the hoard is still beneath the sea.