In one of the largest evacuations in Cologne since World War II, approximately 20,000 residents were evacuated on Wednesday after the discovery of three unexploded wartime bombs during construction work in the city’s Deutz district.
According to German media, the unearthed explosives included two 1,000-kilogram and one 500-kilogram American bombs dating back to the Second World War. The discovery, made near the Deutz shipyard, triggered an extensive bomb disposal operation coordinated by emergency services and local authorities.
The evacuation zone extended across a 600-meter radius and encompassed several high-profile locations, including the Cologne central train station, city hall, the Wallraf-Richartz and Ludwig museums, and the headquarters of the RTL broadcasting network. Temporary shelters and tents were established to accommodate displaced residents, while officials worked swiftly to ensure the operation was completed by day’s end.
City authorities described the bomb disposal as one of the most complex in recent memory due to the dense urban location of the explosives. “The safety of the public was our top priority, and every precaution was taken to ensure a successful defusal,” a city spokesperson said.
Cologne, heavily bombed during World War II and the target of the Royal Air Force’s infamous “thousand-bomber raid” in May 1942, continues to grapple with the remnants of its wartime past. Despite regular discoveries of unexploded ordnance, officials noted that the scale and logistical challenge of this particular operation made it one of the most significant in decades.
The incident underscores Germany’s ongoing efforts to manage the dangerous legacy of World War II as urban redevelopment progresses in historically affected areas.
