Cologne in a state of emergency: bomb disposal forces evacuation!

Cologne in a state of emergency: bomb disposal forces evacuation!

Today, June 4, 2025, Cologne is experiencing an extraordinary situation that has kept the city in a state of emergency since 8 a.m. this morning. The largest evacuation since the Second World War is underway after three unexploded bombs from the Second World War were discovered during exploratory work at the Deutz shipyard. These include two American 20-pound bombs and one ten-pound bomb, all equipped with highly dangerous impact detonators. These discoveries led to the city administration and the explosive ordnance disposal service being alerted in order to defuse the bombs as quickly as possible. The Bild reports that around 20,500 people are affected by the evacuation because the danger area in the old town has been cordoned off within a radius of 1,000 meters.

Within this area are many significant facilities, including 58 hotels, a clinic, nine schools and a variety of museums and restaurants. The Cologne Messe/Deutz train station, the Lanxess Arena and various city departments are also affected. It is particularly noteworthy that the live broadcast “Point 7” on the TV channel RTL was canceled; The employees now work in the mobile office in Berlin. This shows how comprehensive the measures are to ensure the safety of the population. The Tagesschau highlights that some weddings in the historic town hall have been moved to Porz.

Evacuation and contact points

The evacuation affects not only residents but also professionals who work in the affected areas. Train and tram traffic in Cologne is experiencing significant restrictions, meaning many commuters are affected by the closures. Road closures have been put in place and people are strongly advised to avoid the city center area. In addition, three Rhine bridges, the Hohenzollern, Severins and Deutzer Bridges, are closed to traffic, while Cologne Central Station can still be reached around the clock. The City of Cologne has set up special contact points for the evacuees: on the right bank of the Rhine in exhibition hall 10.1 and on the left bank of the Rhine in the Humboldtstrasse vocational college, Pearlgraben branch 101. Both contact points opened at 8 a.m.

The evacuation is not only a logistical effort, but also poses a variety of challenges for the residents. Pets are not allowed to be brought into the drop-in centers, and there remains uncertainty about when the bomb will be defused. Citizens are asked to contact the citizen hotline on 0221/221-0 or 115 for information. WDR reports on the situation in several special editions to keep Cologne residents up to date.

Given the historical dimension of this evacuation operation, it is clear that, despite modern security precautions, the traces of the war are still visible many decades later. Cologne remains under special observation these days as the city pursues the important goal of ensuring the safety of its citizens.