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Cologne on alert: largest evacuation since the war!
Three WWII unexploded bombs were found in Cologne-Deutz. Evacuation on June 4th affects 20,000 people. Defusing follows.
Cologne on alert: largest evacuation since the war!
There is currently nervousness and pressure in Cologne because three unexploded bombs from the Second World War were discovered during exploratory work in Deutz on Monday. These are two American 20 cwt bombs and one 10 cwt bomb, all with impact detonators. This discovery has far-reaching consequences for the city and its residents. The defusing of the bombs is planned for Wednesday, June 4, 2025, and the Düsseldorf district government's explosive ordnance disposal service will take on this critical task, as [Schlagerplanet](https://www.schlagerplanet.com/news/bombenfund-koeln-rtl-zentrale-muss-evakuiert- Werden-programmaenderungen-30113.html) reports.
With the evacuation, a radius of 1,000 meters is established around the site of the discovery. This affects around 20,000 people, making this evacuation operation the largest in Cologne since the end of the Second World War. The affected facilities include the Eduardus Hospital, two nursing and retirement homes, 58 hotels, several museums and the entire old town of Cologne. Important transport hubs such as the Cologne Messe/Deutz train station, the Lanxess Arena and various KVB stops are also affected. Traffic will also be restricted as the Hohenzollern Bridge, the Deutzer Bridge and the Severins Bridge have to be closed, as the report from koeln.de explains.
The hurdles of evacuation
The evacuation will begin at 8 a.m. on Wednesday. The first measures are to set up roadblocks and direct residents and workers out of the danger area in good time. For this purpose, a contact point will be set up for people who cannot stay with friends or relatives. As the city of Cologne reports in its information portal stadt-koeln.de, comprehensive coordination is necessary to ensure everyone's safety.
This means some program changes for the media and residents. The RTL headquarters, which is also in the evacuation area, must be completely evacuated on Wednesday. The early magazines “Point 6” and “Point 7” are broadcast live from Deutz, while the program “Point 8” is canceled because the building must be evacuated by 8 a.m. The other formats such as “Point 12” and “RTL Aktuell” are broadcast from the capital studio in Berlin, while ntv produces daily programs from the studios in Cologne-Ossendorf from 7 a.m.
A look into the future
The defusing of the bombs is expected to be completed on Wednesday, provided everyone affected leaves the evacuation area in time. The city of Cologne has already announced that it will provide regular information about developments via its website. In a city like Cologne, where everyday life is characterized by tradition and community life, this incident is causing quite a stir. The coming days will be challenging for many who live and work within this radius - but safety will be the top priority.