Kleine’s theory is that a Nazi official named Erich Koch smuggled the room to his hometown of Wuppertal, where it could still be secreted away in a hidden bunker or underground tunnel. Though many suspect the Amber Room became a casualty of war, Karl-Heinz Kleine, a 68-year-old pensioner, may have a new lead. From there, the trail runs cold, despite the best efforts of generations of hopeful treasure-hunters. Petersburg in January 1941, and transported it to Königsberg, Germany. The room was later given as a gift to Peter the Great, czar of Russia, and is thought to be worth anywhere from $140 to as much as $500 million.
The Amber Room, a priceless chamber looted by the Nazis during World War II, has been missing for some 70 years, but a German retiree claims to be honing in on its location, reports Reuters.Ĭalled the eighth wonder of the world, the Amber Room, covered in amber panels, gold, and gems, was constructed between 17 for the palace of King Frederick I of Prussia.