Where Did the Polish Gold Go? It's One of the Greatest Mysteries of World War II

The mysteries of the past fascinate and intrigue to this day, and stories of lost treasures can still thrill. One such mystery is the history of Polish gold , which was taken out of the country at the beginning of World War II. It is said that to this day it is not known what happened to 1,208 wooden chests filled to the brim with gold bars and coins , which were supposed to be one of the most valuable treasures of the Second Polish Republic . This story full of secrets, surprising plot twists and international intrigues is still waiting for its full resolution.

The beginning of the war: 75 tons of Polish gold set off on a journey

In early September 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II, the Polish government faced the challenge of protecting the national wealth . Polish gold , which was located in the vaults of the Bank of Poland, was a key element of the country's financial security. Before the outbreak of World War II, the gold of the Bank of Poland was estimated at about 463 million złoty , or the equivalent of 87 million US dollars at that time . About 20 tons was deposited abroad, mainly in France, England, Switzerland and the USA. However, the majority - 75 tons - was located in Poland . It was decided to evacuate the resources so that they would not fall into the hands of the aggressor.

On September 4, 1939, just before the German army arrived, the first shipments of gold were sent. From Warsaw, the gold went to Brest , and then to the Romanian port of Constanța. It was there that the next part of the operation to transport the precious cargo to the West was to begin.

The tanker "Eocene" - an accidental hero of Polish history

In mid-September 1939, the British tanker "Eocene" appeared in the Romanian port. The ship's captain, 33-year-old Robert Brett, did not yet know that he would be drawn into one of the most extraordinary adventures of World War II. At first, it seemed that the "Eocene" had only arrived to load fuel, but it soon turned out that the ship had been entrusted with the task of transporting Polish gold . 1,208 wooden crates were loaded onto it.

Transport of Polish gold through Turkey and Africa

From the "Eocene" the gold set off on a long journey that was to take it to France. On the way the ship stopped in Istanbul , then loaded via Beirut and the Mediterranean Sea to Toulon. There in October 1939 the treasury of the Republic was secured by the French authorities. The gold was stored in the underground vaults of the Bank of France, where it was to await further decisions.

However, the situation was changing quickly. In 1940, after the defeat of France and the establishment of the Vichy government, the Polish government asked the British for help in transporting the treasury of the Bank of Poland to America. Instead of the US, the gold went to... Africa , specifically to Dakar .

The treasure was then sent to the town of Kayes , deep in French African territory, where it was kept for a long time in a railway administration building.

Attempts by the Polish government to recover the gold

Although the Polish government was in exile, it did not forget about its own resources. General Władysław Sikorski made numerous attempts to recover the Polish gold . In 1941, after the French National Committee took control of some of the gold, it was possible to negotiate an agreement under which the French undertook to return the gold . In 1944, after intensive negotiations and diplomatic interventions, part of the treasury of the Bank of Poland returned to the Polish authorities.

After the end of World War II, the case of Polish gold did not come to an end. Although some of the gold was returned to Poland , not all of it was recovered. In the 1940s and 1950s, the gold was divided between different countries, and some resources remained in Western banks, including in Great Britain, the USA and Canada . Some of the gold that was in the hands of the communist authorities of Poland never reached the hands of its legal owners, and its further fate remains unknown.

What happened to the resources? There is no answer to this question, and the story of the missing gold of the Second Polish Republic is still waiting to be explained.