CNN — 

The remains of more than 200 German soldiers who were buried alive in a tunnel in northeastern France during the World War I will not be recovered.

The German government has instead decided to declare the burial site a war memorial and put it under state protection.

Germany’s war grave commission, the Volksbund, and the French government announced the decision at the Caverne du Dragon museum in northeastern France on Friday afternoon.

“Rescue efforts to reach the remains in 2021 and 2022 had proven very difficult,” a spokeswoman for the Volksbund told CNN on Friday, adding that there had been “several attempts” to open the “very deep and very long” tunnel, which is located in a nature reserve with “sandy ground still contaminated with ammunition.”

I hope it is well protected.  If not there are ghoulish souvenir hunters who will dig up weapons and bones.

Seems like the most reasonable option to me. Makes no difference to the dead where they lie.

1 hour ago, heybruce said:

I hope it is well protected.  If not there are ghoulish souvenir hunters who will dig up weapons and bones.

If it proved to difficult for the Germans graves register teams most likely it would be far more difficult for civilians hopefully a proper monument to the sons and fathers who’s lives were wasted in that horrible war 

13 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Seems like the most reasonable option to me. Makes no difference to the dead where they lie.

Agree, and it certainly makes zero sense to put lives at risk recovering remains buried amongst still live munitions.