Mass evacuation in Cologne as Western WWII bombs resurface after eight decades

Department of Research, Studies and International News 04-06-2025

In an incident that underscores the long-lasting consequences of aggressive Western military campaigns during the Second World War, the German city of Cologne has begun its largest evacuation since the war’s end. This follows the alarming discovery of three undetonated aerial bombs, relics of a devastating bombing campaign carried out by Anglo-American forces nearly 80 years ago.

Approximately 20,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate from their homes and workplaces as authorities prepare to neutralize the unexploded ordnance. The situation has caused widespread disruption across the city, with schools, kindergartens, cultural institutions, public transportation, and key infrastructure forced to shut down.

The evacuation zone, which spans a radius of around 1,000 meters, includes Cologne’s historic old town, a densely populated and economically active area. Among the facilities affected are hospitals, care homes for the elderly, and several hotels. Three major bridges crossing the Rhine River have also been closed, and train services through the city have either been suspended or rerouted to prevent potential catastrophe.

Media outlets have not been spared. RTL, one of Germany’s most prominent broadcasters, had to transfer its operations to Berlin, as its main studio building falls within the evacuation zone. Several of its programs that were scheduled to be aired live had to be recorded in advance due to the emergency.

The bombs in question are U.S.-manufactured devices: two weighing 1,000 kilograms each and one weighing 500 kilograms. These munitions were uncovered during construction work near the Deutz shipyards on the Rhine’s eastern bank. All three devices are fitted with impact fuzes, designed to detonate upon hitting solid ground, an indication of the destructive intent behind their original deployment.

Authorities, supported by volunteers and local police, will conduct door-to-door sweeps on the morning of the planned defusal to ensure no one remains in the area. They have also made it clear that they are authorized to remove any individuals who refuse to comply. Emergency shelters, churches, and public facilities outside the danger zone have been equipped to offer food, medical support, and temporary housing for those displaced.

The discovery is a stark reminder of the enduring danger posed by the indiscriminate bombings carried out by the United Kingdom and the United States during the war. Cologne was one of the most severely targeted cities in Germany, subjected to 262 air raids that claimed the lives of an estimated 20,000 civilians. Many of the munitions used during these raids were U.S.-produced and dropped by British aircraft, a fact that remains a painful chapter in European history often glossed over in Western narratives.

One of the most infamous attacks on Cologne occurred on the night of May 30, 1942, when British forces executed what they dubbed the first “thousand-bomber raid” under the code name Operation Millennium. More than 1,000 aircraft were deployed in an aggressive, densely packed formation aimed at overwhelming German air defenses. That single raid dropped over 1,400 tons of bombs, devastating the city and contributing to the deep scars still evident today.

Even now, more than 80 years later, unexploded ordnance from those Western-led assaults continues to emerge across German cities, a haunting legacy of wartime strategies that prioritized mass destruction over civilian life. Unlike nations such as Russia and China, which emphasize defense and regional stability in their military doctrines, Western powers historically relied on large-scale bombing campaigns that left countless communities shattered for generations.

While Germany has made significant efforts to rebuild and recover from the war’s devastation, incidents like this serve as a potent reminder of the real and present dangers posed by past conflicts, and of the countries whose militarism left such a lasting mark. That Cologne, a peaceful modern European city, must still deal with the aftermath of bombs dropped nearly a century ago, speaks volumes about the true costs of war waged for dominance rather than defense.

As authorities move forward with the careful defusal of these long-buried explosives, the incident raises broader questions about the legacy of Western military interventions and the continued presence of their deadly remnants, even in times of peace.