Osnabrück evacuates 20,000 people as WWII bomb found near Central station

Due to the defusing of another World War II bomb in Osnabrück, nearly 20,000 people had to leave their homes and workplaces on Tuesday. According to the administration of the Lower Saxony city, in addition to approximately 13,000 households, Osnabrück Central Station, schools, and hospitals are also affected by the evacuation measures. The area in question in the city center is to be cleared by 3:00 p.m.

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According to the city, the unexploded bomb was discovered on Monday during excavation work in the area known as the Lokviertel (locomotive district) and must be defused promptly for safety reasons. During construction work in the area around a former freight depot, several old bombs had already been discovered in recent months, necessitating large-scale evacuations to defuse them.

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Just about two weeks ago, around eleven thousand residents there were forced to leave their homes with only a few hours' notice due to the defusing of a 500-kilogram unexploded bomb. "Sorry, sorry, sorry - we really don't want to bother you," the city said in its online live ticker on Tuesday regarding the current defusing. “We know what we are putting you through.” However, the latest bomb disposal operation is unavoidable.

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According to authorities, the area around Osnabrück Central Station was heavily bombed from the air during World War II because it was a strategically important transportation hub. A new residential and commercial district is to be built on the site of a former freight depot directly adjacent to the main station; work is underway.