While the Western media has concentrated its creative and political attention on the London Blitz, it
is seldom pointed out that more bombs were dropped on Berlin alone than were dropped on all of
Britain during the entire war! Sixty years after the war, Germany is still destroying the thousands of
tons of unexploded bombs, shells, mines and grenades out of the millions of tons of explosives the
Allies deposited on them. Weapons experts estimate that it could take up to 150 years before such
clearance work ends. Experts estimate 5 percent of the 440,000 Allied bombs dropped on Berlin
failed to explode due to faulty fuses, poor assembly, bad angle of impact and other reasons. Millions
of unexploded bombs and artillery shells have been cleared and defused since World War II and
thousands more remain buried all over Germany.
is seldom pointed out that more bombs were dropped on Berlin alone than were dropped on all of
Britain during the entire war! Sixty years after the war, Germany is still destroying the thousands of
tons of unexploded bombs, shells, mines and grenades out of the millions of tons of explosives the
Allies deposited on them. Weapons experts estimate that it could take up to 150 years before such
clearance work ends. Experts estimate 5 percent of the 440,000 Allied bombs dropped on Berlin
failed to explode due to faulty fuses, poor assembly, bad angle of impact and other reasons. Millions
of unexploded bombs and artillery shells have been cleared and defused since World War II and
thousands more remain buried all over Germany.
| Achtung! UXB |
In Aschaffenburg, four road construction workers and a passing driver suffered heavy
shocks as a road machine detonated a bomb from the Second World War that lay hidden
in the soil. The machine driver died, left, and flying rubble damaged nearby cars. The
Bavarian weapon removal service found 22 tons of war ammunition, among them 33
explosive bombs in that same year. Then, in the East in Saxony, experts found five bombs
with one over ten kilograms as well as 483 smaller ones and 160 mines. In
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, 123 tons of weapons and weapon parts were found in
2005, and the defusing crews must disengage approximately 1,500 to 1,700 times: about
130 bombs and approximately 100 tons of ammunition in the average year.
shocks as a road machine detonated a bomb from the Second World War that lay hidden
in the soil. The machine driver died, left, and flying rubble damaged nearby cars. The
Bavarian weapon removal service found 22 tons of war ammunition, among them 33
explosive bombs in that same year. Then, in the East in Saxony, experts found five bombs
with one over ten kilograms as well as 483 smaller ones and 160 mines. In
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, 123 tons of weapons and weapon parts were found in
2005, and the defusing crews must disengage approximately 1,500 to 1,700 times: about
130 bombs and approximately 100 tons of ammunition in the average year.
Like most German cities, there has been a terrible UXB problem in Koblenz even unto the present
day. In May, 1999, while doing excavation work for a new building at the University, the largest
bomb was uncovered, a 1945 British 1850 kg. heavy aerial bomb with three impact fuses which
could have detonated at any time. It was the fourth bomb of this magnitude found in the city. A
national crisis staff was employed, evacuations of houses was mandated, roads were blocked, the
water navigation channels cleared, the railroad line rerouted and even the air space above was
cleared. 15,000 people, three hospitals and five old people's homes had to evacuate. More than 1,000
fire-brigades, police and relief organizations from the whole country supervised the procedure. 500
ambulances and supplying vehicles stood by. Five workers from the bomb squad took about a half
hour to make the two tons of heavy bombs from the Second World War harmless.
day. In May, 1999, while doing excavation work for a new building at the University, the largest
bomb was uncovered, a 1945 British 1850 kg. heavy aerial bomb with three impact fuses which
could have detonated at any time. It was the fourth bomb of this magnitude found in the city. A
national crisis staff was employed, evacuations of houses was mandated, roads were blocked, the
water navigation channels cleared, the railroad line rerouted and even the air space above was
cleared. 15,000 people, three hospitals and five old people's homes had to evacuate. More than 1,000
fire-brigades, police and relief organizations from the whole country supervised the procedure. 500
ambulances and supplying vehicles stood by. Five workers from the bomb squad took about a half
hour to make the two tons of heavy bombs from the Second World War harmless.
A great danger are bombs which had delayed-action fuses. 10 to 20 percent failed to detonate and
are still in the ground. Diabolically set to detonate after the "all clear" for an air raid had been
sounded and people had come out of their shelters, their fuses contained glass vials of acetone,
supposed to break on impact. Many didn't because of some slight failure in sequencing. Now they
could go off with a slight touch. Duds, and there are thousands of them, with impact fuses are also
becoming more dangerous with time. Their firing mechanisms contain lead acid and copper that, with
aging, turns into copper acid, a material so volatile that it will react and cause an explosion if you just
touch it with a human hair. Tragic accidents are common.
are still in the ground. Diabolically set to detonate after the "all clear" for an air raid had been
sounded and people had come out of their shelters, their fuses contained glass vials of acetone,
supposed to break on impact. Many didn't because of some slight failure in sequencing. Now they
could go off with a slight touch. Duds, and there are thousands of them, with impact fuses are also
becoming more dangerous with time. Their firing mechanisms contain lead acid and copper that, with
aging, turns into copper acid, a material so volatile that it will react and cause an explosion if you just
touch it with a human hair. Tragic accidents are common.
Immediately and for some time after the war ended, people regularly were killed or injured by
unexploded bombs and ammunition. Small children, people trying to clear rubble and even business
or home owners attempting to put their lives back together would be killed without warning.
unexploded bombs and ammunition. Small children, people trying to clear rubble and even business
or home owners attempting to put their lives back together would be killed without warning.
400 and 600 bombs are discovered a year in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia alone. In the year
2003, the weapon removal services in North Rhine-Westphalia found 1,156 bombs to defuse and
clear. In 2004, there were 1,167, among them were 229 (2003: 265) with a weight of over 50 kg and
very explosive. In 41 cases, they were so-called "hole bombs." These are bombs which already
defused during the war or immediately after, but were not emptied and removed. 16 had to be blown
up. Altogether 29,500 weapons were eliminated, among them 25,883 shells and hand grenades, 69
mines and 2,381 other explosives. In 2005, over 29,500 devices, among them 24,832 shells and
1,167 bombs with a total weight of over 216 tons were disposed of. In 2005 near Cologne, 63
bombs, 2,232 explosives and 73 kilograms of ammunition parts were removed. There were still 900
suspicious locations remaining to be examined for bombs in the Westphalia area by 2006
2003, the weapon removal services in North Rhine-Westphalia found 1,156 bombs to defuse and
clear. In 2004, there were 1,167, among them were 229 (2003: 265) with a weight of over 50 kg and
very explosive. In 41 cases, they were so-called "hole bombs." These are bombs which already
defused during the war or immediately after, but were not emptied and removed. 16 had to be blown
up. Altogether 29,500 weapons were eliminated, among them 25,883 shells and hand grenades, 69
mines and 2,381 other explosives. In 2005, over 29,500 devices, among them 24,832 shells and
1,167 bombs with a total weight of over 216 tons were disposed of. In 2005 near Cologne, 63
bombs, 2,232 explosives and 73 kilograms of ammunition parts were removed. There were still 900
suspicious locations remaining to be examined for bombs in the Westphalia area by 2006
North of Berlin, especially around Oranienburg, where the U.S. Army Air Force dropped 23,675
bombs in seven raids from March 6 to April 20, 1945, some 700 square miles are contaminated. One
year alone resulted in the recovery of 700,000 pieces of dud ammo, 15,000 bombs of all sizes, 1,500
rockets, 2,400 land mines, and 4,300 hand grenades. In Berlin over 2,000 bombs, each with 150 to
2,000 pounds of explosives, have been found since 1945. A deadly bomb accident on a building site
in Berlin in 1994 killed three workers and injured eight when an aerial bomb in an excavation
detonated. In Brandenburg since 1991, almost 10,000 tons of dangerous bombs were removed.
bombs in seven raids from March 6 to April 20, 1945, some 700 square miles are contaminated. One
year alone resulted in the recovery of 700,000 pieces of dud ammo, 15,000 bombs of all sizes, 1,500
rockets, 2,400 land mines, and 4,300 hand grenades. In Berlin over 2,000 bombs, each with 150 to
2,000 pounds of explosives, have been found since 1945. A deadly bomb accident on a building site
in Berlin in 1994 killed three workers and injured eight when an aerial bomb in an excavation
detonated. In Brandenburg since 1991, almost 10,000 tons of dangerous bombs were removed.
The Cold War left behind its nasty reminders as well: 1.3 million highly contaminated acres in East
Germany used by the Communist armies as troop training areas filled with undetonated munitions
from anti-tank rockets to bullets. These combined with old World War Two bombs cause endless
problems Often found by construction crews in the former East Germany, which has experienced
much construction since reunification, most of the old bombs are still live and potentially explosive.
In October of 2006, for example, 22,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Hanover when
three World War II bombs were discovered and several people were injured and a highway worker
was killed and when an old UXB exploded as he cut through pavement during highway work. Such
events are commonplace.
Germany used by the Communist armies as troop training areas filled with undetonated munitions
from anti-tank rockets to bullets. These combined with old World War Two bombs cause endless
problems Often found by construction crews in the former East Germany, which has experienced
much construction since reunification, most of the old bombs are still live and potentially explosive.
In October of 2006, for example, 22,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Hanover when
three World War II bombs were discovered and several people were injured and a highway worker
was killed and when an old UXB exploded as he cut through pavement during highway work. Such
events are commonplace.
About 3,000 people in Germany work on the search teams today. An average of 20,000 tons of
potentially lethal war materials are found each year and the clean up cost is outrageous.
potentially lethal war materials are found each year and the clean up cost is outrageous.
Thousands of the Allied aerial reconnaissance photos which were taken after each Allied air raid on
German towns during the war became available in 1985, and by studying them carefully and
comparing them with street maps, experts can often find old UXBs. However, such assistance was
not available in the former communist East until reunification. It is also an extremely costly process
because the U.S. and British defense departments sold most of the pictures to commercial archives
who now use a disgusting form of extortion marketing them to the German ordnance disposal
services, often demanding over fifty dollars per photo.
German towns during the war became available in 1985, and by studying them carefully and
comparing them with street maps, experts can often find old UXBs. However, such assistance was
not available in the former communist East until reunification. It is also an extremely costly process
because the U.S. and British defense departments sold most of the pictures to commercial archives
who now use a disgusting form of extortion marketing them to the German ordnance disposal
services, often demanding over fifty dollars per photo.
About 50 bombs from the first and second world wars are defused each year in Austria. For
example, Salzburg's railway lines were a major target for allied bombers during the war, and many
bombs remain.
example, Salzburg's railway lines were a major target for allied bombers during the war, and many
bombs remain.