Cologne alarm: Three WW2 bombs have triggered the greatest evacuation since 1945!

Cologne alarm: Three WW2 bombs have triggered the greatest evacuation since 1945!

Deutz, Köln, Deutschland - On June 3, 2025, an alarming find was made in the Kölner district of Deutz: three World War II bombs were discovered, which led to a massive evacuation. As tagesschau.de reports, the evacuation and blocking measures begin on Wednesday at 8 a.m. Around 20,000 people have been affected by this largest evacuation campaign in Cologne since World War II.

The closures affect not only the immediate area, but also several important traffic routes. Among them are the Hohenzollern, Deutzer and Severinsbrücke and the Cologne Messe/Deutz station. The Eduardus Hospital and two nursing and old people's homes are also in the evacuation area. Other institutional restrictions concern 58 hotels, numerous restaurants, museums such as the Museum Ludwig and the Wallraf-Richartz Museum, stops of tram lines 1, 7 and 9 as well as the musical dome and the city administration.

Details for evacuation

The quick reaction of the authorities has become noticeable; The Evacuation is supported by the Cologne fire brigade. As WDR , about 5,000 residents had to leave their apartments at night after a 5-century bomb was discovered during construction work. This bomb, which was found under a chain vehicle, was a considerable danger due to the pressure and had to be defused at night.

The starting points for affected citizens include the exhibition hall 10.1 on the right side of the Rhine and the Humboldtstrasse vocational college on the left. Pets are not permitted in these points of contact, and the citizens were asked to take important things such as ID cards and medication. The ordnance disposal service has ensured that all measures were taken to ensure public security.

after -effects and transport

The entire operation extends over several hours and is expected to cause countless interruptions in traffic. The Hohenzollernbrücke is closed during the defusing, and Deutsche Bahn has already announced that the stop in Cologne is Deutz/deep and trains are redirected. A shuttle service is provided for the return transport of the evacuated after the defusing, which also promotes sick or handicapped people.

The defusing of the bombs is part of a comprehensive disposal of ordnance that was necessary after the Second World War to eliminate the dangers of unknown explosive devices. The process of disposal in Germany is carried out by state authorities and private specialist companies. Historical information is used to make sound decisions about possible dangers, which is why specialized detectors and technologies are now also used. Details on the procedures and the responsible bodies offers, among other things, area.de .

The city of Cologne and the participants work at high pressure to ensure security for everyone and to banish the risk as quickly as possible. While initially the uncertainty over the duration of the measures is observed, the situation is observed carefully and continuously updated.