The Family Sent Their Daughters Away

The working theory was that before the Red Army arrived at their estate in Poland, Finckenstein and his wife sent their two daughters away to live with their family in Pomerania, the region that Poland shared with Germany on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea.

Just as in 2022 there are harrowing reports of what Russian soldiers are doing to the civilian population in Ukraine, there were already reports of atrocities in 1922. The parents wanted to keep their children safe.

The Countess Emigrated to Germany in 1945

It didn't take long for Count Finckenstein to be arrested by Soviet soldiers. It was 1945. He passed away shortly after, and the countess had to work for the Russians alongside other women for several months, nearly exhausted.

After countless months, almost at the end of her strength, the countess was allowed to leave the estate in 1945. She made her way to Germany to reunite with her daughters.

The Valuables Were Hidden by the Countess

Archaeologists believe that it was actually the countess, not the count himself, who hid the family heirlooms in the two milk cans in the 1940s and buried them.

In a statement by researcher Michal Mlotek, he said, "You can assume these were things that could be reused after their recovery, most of them also had a sentimental value, so they were in a way a family treasure."

A Lot of Correspondence

During an interview with a Polish news site, researcher Michal Mlotek discussed some of the letters and the diary. He said, "They are very rich correspondences and diaries that Hans Joachim von Finckenstein kept from 1914 to 1919."

"It is material with enormous historical significance. We have also piqued our interest in two other documents because they are written in Cyrillic and dated January 26 and February 3, 1945."

Even Letters from Soviet Soldiers Were Found

Surprisingly, one of the letters found in the milk can was written by a Soviet officer, informing anyone entering the house that the residents should be spared.

The letter read, "Comrades and soldiers, please do not harm the inhabitants of this house. They welcomed us." Another letter was signed "on behalf of the front commander."

Postcards, Letters, Notes, and More

While some of the findings were listed above, among the other items that potentially held sentimental value or just value in general were banknotes, silver spoons, a family album, letters, postcards, and a selection of notes.

It seemed to the archaeologists that the countess believed she would return to retrieve her belongings. But that never happened. The Nazis lost the war in 1945, and the countess passed away in Germany a few years later.

A Very Influential Family

It turned out that the Finckenstein family was a very influential family at that time. According to Science in Poland, the Finckensteins were "one of the most influential noble families in Prussia."

"Their ancestors probably came to these lands from the Duchy of Carinthia at the beginning of the 14th century, along with other knights who militarily supported the Teutonic Order."

Why Did the Red Army Set Up Camp Right There?

Members of the Finckenstein family held important military functions over centuries. This is most likely what led the Red Army to their door.

Their influence and over 34,000 acres of land were the perfect place to set up camp. Additionally, the family's cattle and other livestock were at their disposal.

The Last Living Heir

In their research, the researchers also reached out to the noble family. It turned out there was only one living descendant left. So they invited the then 81-year-old daughter of Count von Finckenstein, Waldtraut von Finckenstein, for a conversation.

She shared her story and recounted that she and her sister were indeed sent away from the manor house, never saw their father again, and were reunited with their mother some time later.

The Artifacts Were Brought Home by Her

Many of the artifacts were handed over to Waldtraut, the last living heir of the Finckenstein family. She was very grateful to have the letters, family jewelry, and photo album back in her possession.

She had no knowledge of whom the military uniform belonged to or how it ended up in the milk can with the other items. Perhaps it had been planned as a disguise for emergencies.

Some Items Were Handed Over to the State

The uniform may remain a mystery, although East Prussia was a German province during World War II. Banknotes and coins became the property of the Polish state treasury.

While they no longer had any material value, Reichsmarks had become worthless due to inflation. Fortunately, the Ministry of Finance decided to share these tiny pieces of history with others and exhibit them in a museum.

Research Team Returns to Learn More

The archaeology team was not done yet. After realizing that what Patryk found were long-lost relics from World War II, they returned to the lake to conduct further excavation and metal detecting work.

Eventually, they found a battle axe from the Middle Ages and more relics from a medieval fortified settlement. Unfortunately, no further details about the count's life were unearthed.