The mystery surrounding human skeletons found at a site in Poland where Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders used to gather may never be solved.

Four human skeletons – all missing their hands and feet – had been discovered buried inside the villa of Hermann Goering.

The remains were found at Wolf’s Lair in February. The area, which is in modern-day Poland, served as Hitler’s chief headquarters from 1941-1944 when it was part of Germany.

The compound of about 200 Nazi bunkers and military barracks hidden in deep woods was the site of the failed assassination attempt on Hitler by Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg on 20 July, 1944.

Wolf’s Lair was destroyed by German Nazi forces as they retreated in early 1945 to prevent it falling into the hands of the approaching Soviet Red Army. What is left is now a tourist attraction.

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Local Polish prosecutor Daniel Brodowski said police officers secured the remains after they were found by a local group, Latebra, which searches for historical objects.

A forensic investigation was carried out to try and establish if manslaughter had occurred but was discontinued due to a lack of evidence that a crime had been committed, he said.

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“The expert stated that the preserved bone remains were of human origin and came from at least four people, three of whom were most likely middle-aged men, and the fourth was a child several years of age whose sex cannot be determined,” Mr Brodowski added.

But due to advanced decay of the remains it was no longer possible to determine the cause of death, he said, noting that at least several dozen years had passed.

The investigation did not address who the people might have been, due to the conditions of the remains and passage of time.

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