Cologne WWII bomb detonation forces mass evacuation

A ten-quintal American World War II bomb discovered in the Rodenkirchen district of Cologne required a controlled detonation on September 29, 2026. The unexploded ordnance was found near the Alt St. Maternus church due to low Rhine water levels.

Because one of the two fuses could not be unscrewed, authorities decided to transport the bomb to an uninhabited field in the Weißer Rheinbogen area for detonation rather than defusing it on-site. This decision necessitated a 500-meter safety radius, leading to the evacuation of approximately 3,000 residents.

The operation significantly impacted local infrastructure, including the full closure of the A4 motorway between the Cologne-Süd interchange and the Heumar triangle. Additionally, a local senior care facility, the Caritas-Altenzentrum St. Maternus, had to evacuate 114 residents. Most residents were able to return to their homes after the controlled explosion was completed in the evening.