Many drowned in the rivers into which they had jumped, trying
in vain to escape from the burning materials in the streets, but
even the rivers were burning as the phosphorous material
floated on the water. The napalm-like phosphorous bombs
formed a burning gel which cannot be extinguished by ordinary
means. It caused agonizing burns while its victims slowly
perished. Blankets thrown over the burning victim to smother
the fire actually caught fire themselves, adding just another
layer of flame.
in vain to escape from the burning materials in the streets, but
even the rivers were burning as the phosphorous material
floated on the water. The napalm-like phosphorous bombs
formed a burning gel which cannot be extinguished by ordinary
means. It caused agonizing burns while its victims slowly
perished. Blankets thrown over the burning victim to smother
the fire actually caught fire themselves, adding just another
layer of flame.
90% of the buildings in the city center had been destroyed. Many citizens were buried in mass graves
at Pforzheim's main cemetery because they were burned beyond recognition. In the days following
the attack, more and more died in pain and suffering. There are many graves of complete families.
The inner city was completely depopulated.
at Pforzheim's main cemetery because they were burned beyond recognition. In the days following
the attack, more and more died in pain and suffering. There are many graves of complete families.
The inner city was completely depopulated.
Even after the small city was in her last gasps following the utter holocaust it suffered, there were
additional attacks on Pforzheim. On March 4, the USA bombed the area around the Kupferhammer
and flew low, opening fire on crowds of civilian citizens, murdering 100 more people. To justify the
slaughter, the people of Pforzheim have been told, well after the fact, that their city "had to be
bombed because fuses for German bombs were being made there," but it was not until March 14,
16, 18, 19, 20 and 24, that the railway facilities were bombed and the local section of the Autobahn
was destroyed! In any case, the war was basically over at the point in time when small Pforzheim
was incinerated. And if there was any honest, actual evidence that all of the folks here were making
bomb fuses in their houses, it surfaced long after the murderous rage was inflicted upon a civilian
population in what, by any other standard, would be considered a war crime. The April 8, 1945
headlines read: "US Seventh Army captures Pforzheim." It likely wasn't very difficult.
additional attacks on Pforzheim. On March 4, the USA bombed the area around the Kupferhammer
and flew low, opening fire on crowds of civilian citizens, murdering 100 more people. To justify the
slaughter, the people of Pforzheim have been told, well after the fact, that their city "had to be
bombed because fuses for German bombs were being made there," but it was not until March 14,
16, 18, 19, 20 and 24, that the railway facilities were bombed and the local section of the Autobahn
was destroyed! In any case, the war was basically over at the point in time when small Pforzheim
was incinerated. And if there was any honest, actual evidence that all of the folks here were making
bomb fuses in their houses, it surfaced long after the murderous rage was inflicted upon a civilian
population in what, by any other standard, would be considered a war crime. The April 8, 1945
headlines read: "US Seventh Army captures Pforzheim." It likely wasn't very difficult.
Like other bombed German cities, a mountain (visible in the
background of the photo of modern Pforzheim, left) was
formed out of the rubble from Pforzheim's destruction. The
shattered bits and pieces of an old, beautiful town were heaped
into large mounds on the outskirts of the town and covered with
soil and vegetation. This is the fate of a place which was the site
of a Roman settlement in 90 AD and was visited by Holy
Roman Emperor Heinrich IV in the year 1067.
background of the photo of modern Pforzheim, left) was
formed out of the rubble from Pforzheim's destruction. The
shattered bits and pieces of an old, beautiful town were heaped
into large mounds on the outskirts of the town and covered with
soil and vegetation. This is the fate of a place which was the site
of a Roman settlement in 90 AD and was visited by Holy
Roman Emperor Heinrich IV in the year 1067.
The first surprise Allied air raid by Americans which took place over the city on April 1, 1944 killed
95 civilians. Then, based on a faulty RAF bomber command report of June, 1944 which eroneously
stated that Pforzheim was "one of the centers of the German jewellery and watch making trade and
is therefore likely to have become of considerable importance into the production of precision
instruments" and an Allied report issued in August, 1944 which continued (on the basis of British
reports and without further evidence) to exaggerate the rumor that "almost every house in this town
centre is a small workshop", an attack on the city was suggested to destroy the "built-up area
(meaning the civilian residential center of town), the associated industries and rail facilities".
95 civilians. Then, based on a faulty RAF bomber command report of June, 1944 which eroneously
stated that Pforzheim was "one of the centers of the German jewellery and watch making trade and
is therefore likely to have become of considerable importance into the production of precision
instruments" and an Allied report issued in August, 1944 which continued (on the basis of British
reports and without further evidence) to exaggerate the rumor that "almost every house in this town
centre is a small workshop", an attack on the city was suggested to destroy the "built-up area
(meaning the civilian residential center of town), the associated industries and rail facilities".
The RAF carried out constant night time nuisance raids on cities like Pforzheim to disturb the civilian
population: making them run to shelters, jump from their sleep, grab for their children, get the old
folks into wheel chairs and secure pets, the essence of terror bombing. On October 3, October 4 and
October 5, 1944 there were raids on Pforzheim, and another three in October and one in November.
Also, in that November, Pforzheim was officially placed on a target list. With its medieval city
center, it was said to be especially ripe for the devastating firestorms that the RAF had perfected.
population: making them run to shelters, jump from their sleep, grab for their children, get the old
folks into wheel chairs and secure pets, the essence of terror bombing. On October 3, October 4 and
October 5, 1944 there were raids on Pforzheim, and another three in October and one in November.
Also, in that November, Pforzheim was officially placed on a target list. With its medieval city
center, it was said to be especially ripe for the devastating firestorms that the RAF had perfected.
The astronomical attack that destroyed yet another medieval
city center occurred on the evening of February 23, 1945. The
first bombs were dropped at almost 8 pm and the last at a little
past 9 pm. The attack on the clockmakers of Pforzheim
included 379 aircraft, and they attacked from a height of 8,000
feet, dropping a half a million high explosive and phosphorus
incendiary bombs, with a weight of 1,825 tons. A firestorm
immediately enveloped the heart of the town in complete
devastation. The bombed gas works added fuel to the fire. The
smoke over the town was so high that returning bomber crews
could see the glare of the fire 160 kilometers away.
city center occurred on the evening of February 23, 1945. The
first bombs were dropped at almost 8 pm and the last at a little
past 9 pm. The attack on the clockmakers of Pforzheim
included 379 aircraft, and they attacked from a height of 8,000
feet, dropping a half a million high explosive and phosphorus
incendiary bombs, with a weight of 1,825 tons. A firestorm
immediately enveloped the heart of the town in complete
devastation. The bombed gas works added fuel to the fire. The
smoke over the town was so high that returning bomber crews
could see the glare of the fire 160 kilometers away.
In an area about 3 kilometers long and 1.5 kilometers wide, all
buildings were reduced to rubble. 17,600 citizens, or one out of
three Pforzheimers, were officially counted as dead and
thousands were injured. Some died instantly from the impact of
explosions, many from burns due to the hellish burning
phosphorus that seeped into the cellars of houses where they
hid, and others suffocated from lack of oxygen and poisonous
gases or were crushed to death by collapsing walls.
buildings were reduced to rubble. 17,600 citizens, or one out of
three Pforzheimers, were officially counted as dead and
thousands were injured. Some died instantly from the impact of
explosions, many from burns due to the hellish burning
phosphorus that seeped into the cellars of houses where they
hid, and others suffocated from lack of oxygen and poisonous
gases or were crushed to death by collapsing walls.
The vivid and horrifying accounts of its use and its victims
were for the most part ordered stricken from the U.S. Military
records, but a copy of the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey does
admit that: "Phosphorous burns were not infrequent" at the tail
end of the war on the Americans' part. The USA in fact
supplied the deadly phosphorus to the British. The British, from
the beginning, justified its use because it "depressed the morale
of the German people." After the attack, 30,000 stunned,
frantic, heartbroken and half insane people had to be taken care
of, doctored and fed, and their facilities were all gone.
were for the most part ordered stricken from the U.S. Military
records, but a copy of the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey does
admit that: "Phosphorous burns were not infrequent" at the tail
end of the war on the Americans' part. The USA in fact
supplied the deadly phosphorus to the British. The British, from
the beginning, justified its use because it "depressed the morale
of the German people." After the attack, 30,000 stunned,
frantic, heartbroken and half insane people had to be taken care
of, doctored and fed, and their facilities were all gone.
| Cuckoo Clocks and Madmen |
1920
1940
Water, which extinguishes normal fires, didn't work as it would
reignite instantly when the affected body part reemerged from
the water, giving the victim a choice between drowning or
burning to death. If it landed on the hair, the whole head caught
fire. People in these attacks were seen running like human
torches until they mercifully expired and some people drowned
themselves and/or their burning children to end their suffering.
reignite instantly when the affected body part reemerged from
the water, giving the victim a choice between drowning or
burning to death. If it landed on the hair, the whole head caught
fire. People in these attacks were seen running like human
torches until they mercifully expired and some people drowned
themselves and/or their burning children to end their suffering.
| Contemporary model of Pforzheim after the Attack |