Fifty-nine Soviet WWII shells found in a Berlin forest

An unexpected discovery on the outskirts of Berlin has stirred up the city's wartime past. A person found World War II ammunition buried in a forest. Experts arrived at the site and unearthed 59 undetonated Soviet 122 mm projectiles, with a total weight of 1.5 tonnes. Authorities assured there was no public danger.

forest floor excavation scene, 59 rusty Soviet 122mm artillery shells arranged in rows partially buried in dark soil, two bomb disposal technicians in protective gear carefully using hand trowels and brushes to uncover a projectile, metal detector device resting nearby, tall pine trees and autumn leaves creating dappled sunlight, cinematic photorealistic style, dramatic low-angle shot emphasizing scale of the 1.5-tonne munition cache, rusted steel textures, dirt particles floating in air, technical documentation tablet showing ordnance diagrams on the ground, tense yet controlled atmosphere, ultra-detailed historical military equipment render

The technical challenge of deactivating 1.5 tonnes of artillery 💣

The operation required a specific demining protocol. The projectiles, of Soviet manufacture and 122 mm caliber, are high-explosive devices that had been underground for decades. Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams worked with heavy machinery and metal detectors to locate each piece. The ammunition was removed in armored containers for subsequent controlled destruction. Berlin is a territory with a high density of unexploded wartime remnants.

More ammunition than wood: the new forest resource 🌲

The Berlin police joked on social media, stating that in that forest there was more ammunition than wood. And they were not wrong: 59 Soviet projectiles weigh more than several centuries-old trees. Next time someone goes mushroom picking, they better bring a metal detector. At least, if the forest lacks firewood, it has enough historical scrap to stock a museum.