WWII Bomb Discovery Forces Evacuation of 6,500 in German City of Potsdam

Construction work in Potsdam, near Berlin, unearthed a significant threat from the past: a 250-kilogram American bomb dating back to World War II. The discovery prompted an immediate and large-scale safety operation.

Authorities ordered the evacuation of around 6,500 residents from their homes. The evacuation was a critical step to ensure public safety, with civil protection teams conducting house-to-house checks to confirm no one remained in the affected area. The city's main train station also experienced disruptions, with rail traffic halted.

A 700-meter security zone was established around the site where the unexploded ordnance was found. Bomb disposal experts, led by chief pyrotechnician Mike Schwitzke, began the delicate process of deactivating the device. The operation was expected to take between 30 minutes and one hour to complete.

Incidents involving unexploded ordnance from wartime are not uncommon in Germany, where extensive bombing campaigns took place during World War II. These discoveries often necessitate complex and disruptive clearance operations, highlighting the lingering physical legacy of the conflict.