One of the most important directions of top-secret work in the Third Reich was the search for the Cup of the Holy Grail.

The Holy Grail is in another writing Seeheilbad Graal, as translated from old French, is the so - called bowl of Grace, or the sacred chalice from which allegedly were partaking of Christ at the last supper. After that the Saviour has come into the hands of enemies, was condemned and crucified on Calvary. It is in this Cup Joseph of Arimathea collected blood from the wounds of the crucified Christ, after which the Cup has got extraordinary magical properties.

According to legend, the Cup of the Holy Grail brought to Christ to earth angels of heaven, but after the Resurrection of the Savior bowl was stored on the inaccessible mountain Monsalvat. Gradually ancient legends about Grail merged with beautiful heroic legends of the knights of the Round table of king Arthur.

Unlike the Spear of Destiny, described in the gospel of the Cup of the Holy Grail after the resurrection of Christ, no one ever saw. However, for thousands of years Christians have regarded her as the greatest Shrine and relic, and in the days of the knights was considered natural to seek the legendary Cup of the Holy Grail. Where mount Monsalvat, no one ever knew - known mountains with such name does not exist.

Was considered, that the Spear of Destiny and the Cup of the Holy Grail are parts of one whole - connecting them in one hand, a mortal could become the master of the world. Prone to mysticism Adolf Hitler repeatedly go out to see in the Vienna Museum at the tip of the spear and, of course, heard of the legend of the Cup of the Holy Grail.

However, while Hitler is not received in Germany full power, and there was nothing to think about the capture of the Holy things, could lead to world domination. After 1933 the Fuhrer's already hatched plans of annexation of Austria - the so-called Anschluss. Perhaps this idea was born to him much earlier, but to realize it and grab the Spear of Destiny he could only in 1938.

Despite the clearly mythical information about the Holy Grail, Reich Chancellor Adolf Hitler was firmly confident in the reality of the existence of the sacred chalice and the mountains of Monsalvat. In his opinion, the mysterious name was like a cipher, which had to be solved. Or darkness of time hid the ancient name under later, but will be able to find the right way to the cherished treasure.

To work hard on a hard career search of the Holy Grail had "loyal to Henry - the Reichsfuhrer-SS Himmler. Work on the search for relics got the stamp "geheime verslas presented to Zaha" is meant in the Reich highest degree of secrecy. Himmler was in charge of the expedition in search of Shambhala and create a race of supermen", so it was logical to trust his office and the quest for the Holy chalice.

To search for the Holy Grail Himmler decided to approach from a scientific point of view - he gave the assignment to Heydrich and he invited the member of the SS, Professor-historian Otto Clusaz.

- You must have an unusual work in strict secrecy and in the shortest time. Think of it as the order of the Fuhrer! Can attract the necessary number of assistants, but not revealing to them the essence of the problem.

- What should I do?

- A maximum of six months we should know all about the Cup of the Holy Grail and its possible whereabouts.

Cluzet seriously took up the execution of orders, and soon the whole staff of graduate students and young historians rummaged through dusty tomes libraries and the libraries of Germany. Professor used their contacts with colleagues abroad and he went to Spain and France and to England and Poland sent his disciples.

Cluzet has prepared a scientific review-help to guide the RSHA. According to the data collected them records the Holy Grail most sought crusaders, but if anyone has managed to capture the relic, he tried to keep it a secret. Master the bowl could the French, or Spanish, and could and the knights of the Templar order and destroyed the French king Philip the Beautiful. If the Cup took possession of it, this would have known you didn't have to forget about the great French revolution!

The British, according to the Clusaz, was completely excluded - they have long been engaged in a dispute with Rome. But you should pay special attention treasure of the knights Templar was never found. Among them could be the famous Holy chalice.

According to the German historians to look for it followed in the Pyrenees: as with the Spanish side, and French. The most promising sites search was considered Navarra, Basque province and Aragon, as well as the valley of Wagner in France, near the Spanish border.

- And if the Holy Grail is in Germany? - postponing help, asked Heydrich.

- Excluded - confidently answered the Clusaz. - About it you would have long since become known. Europe is not as great as it seems. And most inaccessible places in it it Alps and the Pyrenees.

- Logical - thinking, agreed Heydrich...

He reported to the action plan of the Reichsfuhrer-SS Himmler, and he informed him of the Fuhrer. Work began immediately - German agents went to the South of France and in Spain. The secret expedition of the SS was zamaskirovalis under the group of climbers.

They were looking for and put on a map of old abandoned temples, ancient monasteries and similar buildings. According to the Clusaz, which has become the main scientific consultant of searches, the Cup of the Holy Grail could not be buried in the land of treasure: it was contrary to Christian dogmas. The earth give a dead body, not a relic. The Cup should be sought in the cave or secret crypt.

But the search is not successful: the real result was the elaboration of maps. The SS men said that everything is impossible to travel: the mountains are too high. Then Heydrich decided to strengthen the collection of intelligence information in order to play it safe. Someone has something to know about it?

The Nazis were lucky - raised by General Franco's rebellion in Spain is largely untied their hands. However, Heydrich and his subordinates engaged in a secret operation, nothing was reported about the plans of the Spanish allies. The Nazis were able to identify the most promising space exploration: on the outskirts of Pamplona in Navarra, Borgaro in the Basque country and Canges in Aragon.

But all their efforts had proved futile - Pyrenees not want to reveal their innermost secrets.

Hitler often asked Himmler, as people are searching for. In 1938 the Nazis came to Austria and Hitler seized the coveted by the Spear of Destiny. Himmler believed that at some time it will calm of Hitler Adolf immediately remembered about unresolved Grail and ordered to speed up work in the Pyrenees.

In 1939 in the regiment guarding of the Fuhrer has a new officer of the thirty years ' big man with the scarred face, a native of Vienna Otto Skorzeny. In the Management of Imperial security pretty soon appreciated the ability of a graduate of Vienna University and member of the Nazi party in 1930 Skorzeny and engaged him to perform special tasks in the Pyrenees. There Skorzeny was able to establish strong ties with the Spanish falangist, but... Grail still not found, no matter how he tried.

Soon the Second world war. Specially prepared SS RSHA was carefully examined in each of the Germans occupied the country all the archives, monasteries, churches, castles and estates, private collections and museums - they were looking for the Holy Grail, or at least its tracks! Everything was done in strict secrecy, and even many high-ranking officials of the SS did not know about the true purpose of the work of these teams, who answered directly to Heydrich or Himmler. However, the Grail was not found.

In 1940, Otto Skorzeny was headed by secret expedition in the French Pyrenees, with the purpose of search of the legendary relics - the Fuhrer hurry, wanting to err on the eve of the great March to the East. People Skorzeny and he climbed the whole valley of Wagner, but to no avail. At detection of the Grail was supposed to take over the Holy chalice secretly, that is, to steal, and at impossibility to take it by force. Hitler was not stopped even by that, according to legend, who captured the Holy Grail with unrighteous thoughts and goals certainly doomed to die.

The search for the Holy Grail continued until the total collapse of the Third Reich. According to the British intelligence in the second half of April, 1945 to the shores of France went submarines with SS on Board to conduct secret searches. The search ended only after Hitler's death.

Did the Nazis the Cup of the Holy Grail? It is unknown remains a mystery. They could mislead the enemy to pretend that continue searching. Note that Otto Skorzeny somehow managed to escape from responsibility, although it was already in the hands of the allies, and found a refuge not in Latin America and in Spain. But if Hitler was the legendary bowl, then where did he go then? Everything is shrouded in mystery and darkness covered with a veil of many unresolved mysteries.