book details

Book: The Kammersee Affair by John Holt

categories: Book, Adventure, Gold Bullion, World War 2, Murder, Revenge, Blackmail, Nazi Gold, Austria, Action

John Holt

about this book: Although "The Kammersee Affair" is a work of fiction, the premise of the story is actually based on truth. Lake Toplitz, situated in the Austrian lake district, was used by the German Navy, in 1944 and 1945, to test torpedoes, and rockets. One such rocket (launched from under the water) was later developed by the Americans and became the Polaris missile.

As the war was coming to an end many items were placed in the lake, for possible recovery later. Such items included millions of counterfeit pound notes, and US dollars; items of jewellry (much of which came from Jewish prisons); documents. There were rumours that gold bullion had also been hidden. After the war several official (and unofficial) searches were conducted in the lake. Counterfeit currency was found, weapons, ammunition, torpedoes, jewellery, but no gold bullion.

In "The Kammersee Affair" gold bullion is discovered, although not in Lake Toplitz, but in the adjoining lake, Kammersee.

The story was inspired by a holiday in austria in 2005. We stayed at Grundlsee, the first of three lakes. The second lake was Toplitzsee, the third was Kammersee.