Huge evacuation in Cologne: 20,000 people affected by bomb clearance!

Huge evacuation in Cologne: 20,000 people affected by bomb clearance!

in Cologne, where old stories and modern lifestyle meet, the population is currently facing a historical challenge. On June 4, 2025, around 20,000 people have to leave their apartments and offices due to the defusing of World War II bombs. The evacuation affects the entire old town and large parts of the right bank of the Rhine Deutz. The residents concerned were informed at an early stage and are now faced with the task of clearing their houses in good time. There is an visibly tense climate in the city that is preparing for the largest evacuation campaign since the Second World War. According to Deutschlandfunk, the entire old town is cleared, but also numerous hotels, museums and social Facilities such as retirement homes and daycare centers.

How did this massive evacuation come about? On June 3, 2025, a group of three World War II bombs was discovered in the Deutz district. The largest among them are two American 20-centers bombs, accompanied by a 10-tentner bomb, all of which were provided with surcharges. In view of this impending danger, immediate measures were initiated. On Thursday, the day of the evacuation, several important streets and even three Rhine bridges- the Hohenzollern, Deutzer and Severinsbrücke- will also be closed to traffic. Cologne Messe/Deutz station will also not be accessible. These measures lead to significant impairments in long-distance transport, such as Tagesschau reports.

The effects on public life

The effects of evacuation can be felt everywhere. The Philharmonie has already canceled a concert by the WDR symphony orchestra, while the Lanxess-Arena postponed the appearance of the comedian Tedros "Teddy" Teclebrhan. In addition, 15 weddings that were planned in the historic town hall must be moved to Porz. RTL Germany has even decided to move live broadcasts to Berlin, while employees work in the mobile office. Various contact points have been set up for the affected area, including the exhibition hall 10.1 and the vocational college on Humboldtstrasse, but without access to pets. Anyone who ignores the notes of the city and does not leave the area of ​​evacuation in time must expect a forced evacuation by the police.

The Cologne Verkehrsbetriebe (KVB) also warn citizens to avoid the city center on Wednesday. There are restrictions on various light rail lines and bus lines. Deutsche Bahn also reports disturbances in long -distance transport, with some trains between Düsseldorf and Frankfurt not keeping Deutz deep in Cologne/Messe. It was also particularly worrying that around 5,200 people had to be evacuated due to a five-century bomb in an earlier discovery on May 26, 2025. In this campaign, there was a quick evacuation, since a heavy chain vehicle was driven over the diligent and made quick action necessary, such as T-Online reported.

Today, many Cologne residents become an unforgettable experience - a challenge that puts the city's community spirit to the test. While everyone hopes for the defusing of the dangerous relics from the past, the citizens of responsibility that they carry together are aware. Let's hope that everything goes well and that the city can quickly return to its everyday life.