Mass grave discovered in Germany could become largest in Europe

Archaeologists say they have discovered in the south of Germany, perhaps the largest mass grave ever found in Europe, Azernews reports, citing international media outlets.

About 1,000 skeletons of plague victims were found in a mass grave in the center of Nuremberg, where, according to experts, there may be a total of more than 1,500 people.

The remains were discovered during archaeological excavations before the construction of new residential buildings in the city.

According to Melanie Langbein from the Nuremberg Department of Heritage Conservation, eight pits were discovered, each containing several hundred bodies. "These people were not buried in an ordinary cemetery. A large number of the dead had to be buried in a short time, regardless of the Christian burial practice. It is more than likely that the plague is the cause of mass graves," Langbein said.

Since the 14th century, outbreaks of plague have occurred in Nuremberg approximately every 10 years, which made it difficult to date the remains. According to Langbein, a note from 1634 was also discovered, which describes in detail the outbreak of the plague that killed more than 15,000 people in 1632-1633. It says that almost two thousand people were buried near St. Sebastian's Hospital, the site of the current excavations.

Archaeologists expect the number of remains to reach two thousand or even more, making this cemetery the largest mass grave in Europe.