Updated 11.03.2026 17:00: The defusing of a World War II bomb at the former Carolabrücke in Dresden, following a large-scale evacuation, was successful. On Wednesday afternoon, bomb disposal experts gave the all-clear, as announced by the police in the Saxon capital. Large parts of the city center had been evacuated earlier, with around 18,000 people forced to leave their homes. After the road closures were lifted, residents were able to return to their houses.
Around 18,000 residents were ordered to leave their homes in central Dresden on Wednesday as authorities prepared for the large-scale defusal of a World War II bomb discovered near the site of the partially collapsed Carolabrücke. The exclusion zone was fully established by around 09.00, according to police in the Saxon state capital, with officers then checking whether any residents remained inside the evacuation area.
A drone and a helicopter were deployed to assist with checks inside the exclusion zone. Authorities stated that specialists would only be able to begin defusing the bomb once the area had been completely cleared. Traffic in the surrounding area was redirected, with drivers advised to give the zone a wide berth. Around 410 police officers were deployed alongside fire services and emergency responders.
The 250-kilogram bomb was discovered on Tuesday during clearance works at the site of the Carolabrücke, which partially collapsed in September 2024. It was identified as a British-made device with a detonator. Authorities decided to defuse it on site rather than attempt to move it.
The evacuation affected large parts of Dresden's city centre, including the Zwinger palace complex, the Frauenkirche church, the Terrassenufer riverbank, residential buildings, numerous hotels, and public institutions including the regional court and the Saxon State Chancellery.
This is not the first time a World War II bomb has been found during works at the Carolabrücke collapse site. Two further unexploded bombs were discovered and defused during clearance operations in January and August 2025, both of which also triggered large-scale evacuations affecting thousands of residents.
The bridge was so severely damaged in the September 2024 collapse that a complete demolition and rebuild was deemed necessary. The collapse was caused by corrosion damage.
Dresden, like many German cities, regularly uncovers unexploded ordnance left over from World War II. The Saxon capital was bombed by Allied forces on 13 and 14 February 1945 in raids that destroyed large parts of the historic old town and killed up to 25,000 people. Unexploded bombs from those raids continue to surface across the city decades later.
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