We Berliners still live on 4600 World War II bombs – BZ Berlin
Our city is considered to be the most heavily contaminated area of Germany with World War II duds and old ammunition. It is estimated that there are still around 4,600 unexploded aerial bombs slumbering in Berlin’s floors.
Around 10,000 tons of explosives and phosphorus fell on Berlin during World War II. In the last three months of the war alone, the British and Americans carried out 363 air raids on the capital and strategically important targets in the surrounding area. Between February 1 and April 21, 1945 45,517 tons of bombs were dropped over the city, and half a million homes were destroyed in the process.
There are also mortar shells, anti-tank and anti-aircraft ammunition, rifles and cartridges from the Battle of Berlin. Much of it ended up in Berlin’s lakes and rivers in the last days of the war because the Nazis did not want to leave it to the enemy. Anyone building in the capital must therefore always deal with the Berlin Ordinance on the Prevention of Damage from Explosive Ordnance.
Planned ground work & reported to the responsible Senate Department for Environment and Transport. The then checks whether the building plot is a so-called ordnance suspect area.