An unexploded US-made aerial bomb surfaced in the city centre of Aachen, near Germany’s borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, during construction work, local authorities confirmed today.
The discovery triggered an immediate security response as officials prepared a large-scale evacuation to protect residents and critical infrastructure. City administrators announced that experts would defuse the device on Thursday under strict safety protocols.
Evacuation and transport disruption planned across central Aachen
The city ordered the evacuation of all buildings within a 400-meter radius of the discovery site, with the process scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. local time. Approximately 6,200 people will need to temporarily leave their homes. Authorities arranged emergency accommodation for affected residents and opened support points to assist elderly and vulnerable individuals.
Meanwhile, officials confirmed that Aachen’s main railway station will close between approximately 9 am and 4 pm because it falls inside the evacuation zone. Transport portal zuginfo.nrw reported that no replacement bus services will operate during the closure, which is expected to disrupt regional travel throughout the day.
City officials said bomb disposal experts aim to complete the defusal operation by early Thursday afternoon. Police and municipal teams will secure the area, manage traffic diversions, and provide regular updates to the public. Residents have been urged to follow official instructions and to cooperate fully with emergency services to ensure the operation proceeds smoothly.
Legacy of wartime explosives continues to affect German cities
Although more than 80 years have passed since the end of World War II, cities across Germany still uncover unexploded ordnance with regular frequency. Aachen suffered heavy bombing in 1944, which explains why construction projects in the city often require careful monitoring.
However, the authorities did not confirm whether this particular 250-kilogram bomb dates directly from that period.
Experts continue to warn that thousands of unexploded devices remain buried nationwide. Therefore, municipalities maintain detailed procedures for evacuations and controlled defusals whenever such discoveries occur. Local officials in Aachen reiterated that public safety remains their top priority and promised further updates once the operation concludes.
