World War II bomb in Cologne: University clinic evacuated – patients in danger!

World War II bomb in Cologne: University clinic evacuated – patients in danger!

In Cologne there was recently a lot of excitement surrounding the issue of security at the university hospital. On July 14, 2025, a five hundredweight World War II bomb was discovered during construction work, which was only 30 centimeters below the surface of the earth. This led to extensive evacuation measures that were organized in close coordination between the city of Cologne, the university clinic and the explosive ordnance disposal service (KBD). On July 17, 2025, at 2:55 p.m., the bomb was finally successfully defused, eliminating a major risk. WDR reports that the defusing by Markus Schmitz and Martin Bartels from the KBD took place at 3 p.m.

Due to these incidents, the Cologne University Hospital was forced to evacuate its intensive care units within a few days. Two-thirds of patients were discharged, while intensive care patients were moved within the building. Outpatient treatments had to be canceled completely that day. Dr. Felix Kolibay, head of the crisis team, expressed concern about the potential supply shortages caused by these emergency measures. Residents who were temporarily picked up in ambulances were particularly affected, including Elisabeth Röhm, who has walking difficulties.

Smooth defusing and normal operation after evacuation

On the afternoon of July 17, 2025, the KBD had already begun defusing, at which point the evacuation area at the university clinic was closed. At 2:48 p.m., the city of Cologne reported that the bomb had been defused without any further complications. Normal operations at the Cologne University Hospital resumed on the same day at around 4:22 p.m. after the patients had been transferred back. It turned out that the pre-planned measures and the quick reaction from everyone involved led to a smooth process. The university clinic expressly thanked the KBD emergency services, the public order office and the professional fire brigade, as well as patients and relatives for their understanding and patience during this critical phase.

The situation often comes to a head quickly when it comes to security. But in this case, those responsible demonstrated a good hand at crisis management. The coordination between the university clinic and the authorities worked so that the affected patients were informed in good time and the evacuations could be carried out smoothly. The mayor of the city of Cologne also praised the quick and professional handling of the problem and underlined the importance of such measures for the safety of the population Cologne University Hospital.

Ultimately, this incident shows once again how important good communication and quick reactions are in the event of a crisis. The Cologne University Hospital has mastered the situation well and is now on the way back to normal functionality. Another example that even in worrying circumstances, patient safety comes first and challenges can be overcome by joining forces. Let us remain curious to see how the university hospital continues to respond to such incidents and what lessons are learned from this situation.

For further information and current updates, we recommend taking a look at the university clinic's news ticker History and ethics of the University Hospital of Cologne.