06/04/2025

German City Evacuates 20,000 upon Discovery of Unexploded World War II Bombs

Cologne authorites said this was the largest evacuation of the city since WWII

Some 20,500 people were being evacuated from the city of Cologne, in western Germany, as explosives experts prepared to defuse three unexploded World War II (WWII) bombs found during construction work this week.

Wednesday’s evacuation, which comes after the discovery Monday of three American-made bombs, is the largest in Cologne since the end of WWII, the city administration said. A crucial industrial, cultural and logistical hub for Nazi Germany, Cologne was a primary target of Allied bombers during WWII.

City authorities cordoned off a 3,280-foot radius around Deutz, a busy district next to the Rhine river, across from the Old Town.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.