Workers on the Presena glacier in the Trentino-Alto Adige region of the Dolomites in Italy found the bodies at an altitude of 9,850 feet. The glacier has been receding because of an unusually hot summer and the workers were covering it with a giant tarpaulin to keep it from thawing further.
The area was the scene of high-altitude fighting between Austrian and Italian forces towards the end of the war.
Historians believe the men may have died on 3 September 1918, during what was called "the great battle".
The soldiers are believed to have been from an artillery unit of the Austro-Hungarian army and were killed in 1918. The skeletons were identified by remnants of uniform and insignia. No word yet on whether they can be named.
During World War I, Italy fought against Austro-Hungarian and German forces in the bitter cold of the mountaintops. One favorite tactic was to fire artillery shells above enemy positions to cause avalanches to bury them. In other cases soldiers died from wounds or exposure and were lost. Many of these bodies have been found in later years.
The Presena glacier isn't the only one melting. The entire Alps is seeing less ice cover, reducing the number of ski slopes and increasing the risk of avalanches for trekkers.
The preserved bodies were spotted and retrieved by Maurizio Vincenzi. Map of Peio, Italy
Not only is he an amateur historian, but he is also a member of the local mountain rescue team, and the director of the military history museum at the small town of Peio.
The museum announced the discovery on Sunday, after Mr Vincenzi and his colleagues recovered the bodies on Friday.
Mr Vincenzi, 46, said: "Using binoculars, I saw what looked like a stain on the Forni glacier and went to look."
"When I got close, I discovered they were the bodies of soldiers frozen in the glacier. Nothing like this has ever happened in my lifetime. Bodies haven't been found in the ice around here for decades," he said.
The bodies were preserved by the ice. He said the bodies were found upside down, encased in ice.
Their uniforms included leather belts, a gas mask and a cap with a star on it - all in good condition.
It is thought the men may have died in a grenade attack.
The battle, 86 years ago, was won by the Austrians, but they lost 11 men in the process.
"This is an important discovery from a historical point of view, and exciting for the communities on both sides of the border," said Mr Vicenzi.
A funeral for the men is planned for Tuesday afternoon, after which they will be laid to rest in the local military cemetery.
The Presena glacier isn't the only one melting. The entire Alps is seeing less ice cover, reducing the number of ski slopes and increasing the risk of avalanches for trekkers.
Wednesday 3 October 2012
http://www.gadling.com/2012/10/02/retreating-italian-glacier-reveals-world-war-one-dead/
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