Three U.S. World War II-era aerial bombs were found in Cologne, Germany, on Monday during an exploratory construction project, triggering one of the largest evacuations in the city since the end of World War II. The discovery led to the immediate evacuation of over 20,500 residents, with city officials reporting that the operation was the most extensive in the region’s history. The bombs, including two 20-hundredweight and one 10-hundredweight American bombs with impact fuses, necessitated the temporary closure of hospitals, schools, transportation routes, and the Rhine River shipping lanes.
The Düsseldorf district government’s explosive ordnance disposal service was activated to safely defuse the ordnance, with the operation taking hours to complete. The evacuation, which began on Monday, saw residents from the affected area, including the Deutz district, temporarily vacate their homes. Local authorities emphasized the need for extreme caution due to the age and potential instability of the unexploded ordnance. Just after 7 p.m. local time, city officials posted on Facebook that the bombs had been successfully defused, and that the previously closed streets and bridges were being reopened for traffic.
Following the defusal, residents began to return home, with many being transported by ambulance or shuttle buses due to the ongoing caution measures. The National WWII Museum in New Orleans noted that Cologne was a frequent target of Allied air raids, with the first of 262 bombings occurring on May 17, 1940, during a Royal Air Force mission. During these raids, 770,000 residents evacuated the city, leaving about 20,000 behind. The final bombing occurred on March 2, 1945, after which American tanks entered the city a few days later.
In addition to the immediate safety concerns, the incident has sparked discussions about the potential risks associated with the discovery of unexploded ordnance in post-war Europe. The event, while not directly tied to current political or economic conditions, underscores the ongoing challenges of dealing with historical remnants of war. The defusal operation highlights the importance of continued vigilance and specialized expertise in handling such hazardous materials, particularly in urban areas where the presence of old ordnance can have significant consequences for public safety.