Cologne in an alarm mood: huge evacuation because of a bomb find!

Cologne in an alarm mood: huge evacuation because of a bomb find!

On June 4, 2025, the Cologne citizens were kept in suspense by a dramatic situation: the find of several world war bombs near the Lanxess Arena has led to the greatest evacuation since the end of the Second World War. After the discoveries on June 2, 2025, when three American duds-two 20-century bombs and a 10-hole bomb were discovered during construction work in Deutz, the city established a comprehensive evacuation measure. Over 20,000 people were asked to clear their apartments and jobs, which resulted in a radius of evacuation of around 1,000 meters around the site. The affected facilities included 58 hotels, 9 schools and daycare centers, the Eduardus Hospital, two geriatric care facilities and RTL with its TV studios. The Cologne Messe/Deutz and parts of the Deutz Rheinufer were also affected.

The evacuation that started on June 4 at 8 a.m. Railway traffic was discontinued, which led to the impairment of long -distance traffic and diversions. In addition, the North Rhine-Westphalia ordnance service warned that around 2,000 World War II bombs are discovered in North Rhine-Westphalia every year and Cologne is often affected. A total of 1,986 bombs were found in the city in 2023 alone. With these numbers in the back of the head, the city administration decided to take measures to defuse that were successfully completed on the same day at 7:19 p.m.

The appearance of Teddy Teclebrhan postponed

One of the numerous events that had to be canceled due to the evacuation was the planned appearance of comedian Teddy Tecebrhan in the Cologne Lanxess Arena. He was supposed to appear with his show “Teddy 2025” on June 4, but the circumstances forced to cancel. The new date for the show is now June 8, 2025, with admission from 5:30 p.m. and starting at 7:00 p.m. Fans who have already bought tickets can be happy: they remain valid for the replacement date, returns are also possible. Future appearances by the artist are also planned in Cologne from June 6th to 7th, 2025, where he will offer a combination of comedy, music, dance and social cabaret.

The situation around the bomb find has not only influenced private events, but also public events. About 15 couples who were planning for weddings in the city center found a new appointment in the Porz district. RTL Germany moved its live broadcasts to Berlin while the employees worked in the mobile office. Numerous museums and facilities, including the Museum Ludwig and the Wallraf-Richartz Museum, also had to close.

In order to offer the citizens: inside this critical situation, the city set up contact points, including the exhibition hall 10.1 and the Humboldtstrasse vocational college, whereby pets were not allowed. A citizen phone passed on important information about the situation. By reporting on WDR television, the Cologne team was informed about all developments for evacuation and defusing.

The dramatic events of the past few days make it clear once again that Cologne is still confronted with the remains of its history today. In this situation, the city administration and the experts of the ordnance clearing service proved an impressive hand and ensured that all citizens were in safety.