Cologne prepares for one of its largest evacuations as WWII bombs discovered

An estimated 20,000 people in Cologne will be forced to leave their homes on June 4 as authorities prepare to defuse three World War II bombs uncovered earlier this week.

City officials have confirmed this will be one of the most extensive evacuations in recent years, Caliber.Az reports, citing German media.

According to a spokeswoman for the city, the operation will require evacuating a large section of central Cologne, including key landmarks, cultural institutions, and major businesses. The unexploded ordnance consists of two American 20-centner bombs and one American 10-centner bomb, all of which were discovered on June 2.

The evacuation zone includes Cologne’s historic old town and notable museums such as the Museum Ludwig and the Wallraf-Richartz Museum. Fifty-eight hotels and other lodging facilities must also be cleared. In addition, three bridges over the Rhine River will be closed for the duration of the operation.

The city’s infrastructure will be significantly affected. The Cologne-Messe/Deutz train station, City Hall and its Deutz branch, a hospital, and two nursing and retirement homes all fall within the exclusion zone. Cologne Cathedral, one of the city’s most famous landmarks, lies just outside the perimeter.

Major broadcaster RTL will also be impacted. The company’s headquarters in Cologne must be completely evacuated by 8:00 a.m. RTL plans to air its early morning programs "Punkt 6" and "Punkt 7" live from its studio in the Deutz district, but “Punkt 8” has been cancelled. RTL employees working at the Cologne site will operate remotely for the day.

Other shows, including "Punkt 12," "RTL Aktuell," and "RTL Nachtjournal", will be broadcast live from RTL’s capital studio in Berlin. Pre-recorded content will be used to ensure the rest of the programming continues without disruption. Meanwhile, sister channel ntv will begin producing its daily programming from Cologne-Ossendorf starting at 7:00 a.m.

Cologne is no stranger to such discoveries. During World War II, it was among the most heavily bombed German cities. The first "Thousand Bomber Raid" conducted by the British Royal Air Force targeted Cologne on the night of May 30–31, 1942.

By Tamilla Hasanova