In Nuremberg A Second World War bomb was discovered during construction work on the morning of 11 November 2026. The city announced that the unexploded American bomb would be defused later that day. An evacuation zone with a radius of 500 metres was set; according to the city, around 1,450 residents are affected.
The 225-kilogram bomb is in the south of the city, between Trierer Straße and the Schnorrstraße, south-east of the Südfriedhof cemetery at the marshalling yard. The city published a map and a list of addresses in the evacuation zone on its information page. Details of possible road closures and restrictions to public transport were not yet available there. Nor had a public helpline been set up at that point.
This is not the first recent discovery in the area. On 3 November 2026, a 225-kilogram American bomb from the Second World War was found during construction work between Trierer Straße and Schnorrstraße. According to the city, it was about three metres underground and was defused that same evening.
Around 1,450 people had to leave the area at the time. The evacuation began at about 3.15pm and, according to the city, was completed by around 5.20pm. An assistance centre was set up at Bertolt Brecht School . After the bomb was defused, residents were able to return to their homes; bus and tram services that had been affected also resumed normal operations.
Another American bomb from the Second World War had been found in the area on 22 October 2026. An evacuation zone with a radius of 750 metres was set for its disposal. According to the city, those affected included parts of Rangierbahnhofsiedlung, the Kettelersiedlung and Falkenheim. A care home also had to be evacuated.
According to the city, the size of a safety zone depends, among other things, on the type and location of the bomb and the surrounding area. The explosives expert in charge decides the radius on site. Protective measures may make it possible to reduce the size of the zone. During the operation on 3 November, an earth embankment was built for this purpose.
Unexploded bombs can remain dangerous even decades after the war has ended. According to the city, moisture and changes in the soil can make explosives, metal casings and fuses unstable. How long defusing takes depends, among other things, on the condition of the object, its triggering mechanism and the conditions at the discovery site.
According to the city’s information, landowners and developers are generally responsible for checking for unexploded ordnance before construction work. They must plan for any necessary surveys and have them carried out professionally. The cost of defusing and recovering Second World War ordnance is covered by the state of Bavaria.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).