Cologne's Devastating Wwii Bombing: A Survivor's Tale

During World War II, the German city of Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raids by the Allies, all of which were carried out by the Royal Air Force (RAF). A total of 34,711 long tons of bombs were dropped on the city, and 20,000 civilians lost their lives as a result of the aerial bombardments. The first bombing took place on May 12, 1940, and the attack on the night of May 30-31, 1942, marked the first thousand-bomber raid.

Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raids

The German city of Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raids during World War II. All of these raids were carried out by the Royal Air Force (RAF). A total of 35,268 tonnes (78 million pounds) of bombs were dropped on the city, and 20,000 civilians died during the war in Cologne due to aerial bombardments.

The first bombing took place on 12 May 1940, and air raid alarms had been going off in the winter and spring of that year as British bombers passed overhead. The most notable attack on Cologne was the first Allied 1,000-bomber raid on 30/31 May 1942. The RAF Bomber Command, under the leadership of Arthur Harris, was seeking to demoralize the German population and war effort. Harris's brief was "to focus attacks on the morale of the enemy civil population, and in particular, of the industrial workers". The War Department believed that they could overwhelm German night fighter and flak defences by making a huge strike in a smaller 90-minute window.

Hamburg was the original choice for the attack, but it was eliminated at the last minute due to poor weather conditions. Cologne was chosen because it was within range for the RAF's GEE navigation system, which allowed them to navigate and bomb more accurately. The RAF Bomber Command drew additional bombers and pilots from nearly every available sphere to reach the 1,000-plane mark for the operation. In total, 1,047 aircraft were used in the operation, with 868 striking the intended target area and 15 striking alternative targets.

The raid on Cologne used mostly incendiaries, and therefore, the majority of the damage was caused by the fires that they started. The Cologne fire brigade authority reported that over 5,000 non-residential buildings were damaged, with 3,300 of those destroyed. There were over 1,700 fires classified as "large" by local authorities. The devastation of the raid was recorded by Hermann Claasen from 1942 until the end of the war and presented in his exhibition and book of 1947, 'Singing in the Furnace: Cologne – Remains of an Old City'.

35,268 tonnes of bombs were dropped on the city

During World War II, the German city of Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raids by the Allies, all carried out by the Royal Air Force (RAF). A total of 35,268 tonnes (78 million pounds) of bombs were dropped on the city, and 20,000 civilians died during the war in Cologne due to aerial bombardments.

The first bombing took place on 12 May 1940, and the attack on the night of 30-31 May 1942 was the first "thousand-bomber raid". Codenamed Operation Millennium, this massive raid was conducted by 1,047 bombers and was intended to knock Germany out of the war or, at the very least, severely damage German morale. It was also a way for the RAF Bomber Command head, Arthur Harris, to demonstrate the importance of his unit to the War Cabinet.

The raid on Cologne was the first time the "bomber stream" tactic was used, and it remained the basis for standard Bomber Command operations for the next two years. The introduction of GEE technology allowed the bombers to fly a given route at a given time and height. The densely packed stream of bombers was expected to overwhelm the German night fighters' ground-controlled interception system, keeping the number of bombers shot down to an acceptable proportion.

During the raid, 868 aircraft bombed the main target, with 15 aircraft bombing other targets. A total of 1,478 tonnes (3.3 million pounds) of bombs were dropped, with two-thirds of that amount being incendiaries. This resulted in 2,500 separate fires, with 1,700 classed as "large" by German fire brigades. The action of firefighters and the width of the streets prevented the fires from combining into a firestorm. However, most of the damage was caused by fire rather than explosive blasts.

The devastation caused by the bombing of Cologne was recorded by Hermann Claasen from 1942 until the end of the war and presented in his 1947 exhibition and book, "Singing in the Furnace: Cologne – Remains of an Old City".

20,000 civilians died in the bombings

The German city of Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raids during World War II, with the first bombing taking place on May 12, 1940. The most notable attack was the first Allied 1,000-bomber raid on the night of May 30-31, 1942, which resulted in a devastating loss of life.

The raid on Cologne was intended to be a demonstration of the destruction a large force could inflict in a short time. The Royal Air Force (RAF) dropped a total of 1,455 tons of bombs on the city, with two-thirds of these being incendiary bombs. The sheer number of bombers overwhelmed the German defences, and the city's firefighters were unable to cope with the sheer number of fires started by the attack.

The human cost of the raid was immense, with 20,000 civilians losing their lives. This figure represents the total number of civilian deaths in Cologne due to aerial bombardments during the war. In addition to the tragic loss of life, the raid also caused widespread destruction and devastation. Over 15,000 buildings were destroyed or damaged, including factories, stores, offices, and churches. The official police report stated that 469 people were killed and around 5,000 injured, although other sources give higher figures. The raid left 45,000 people homeless and caused severe damage to the city's infrastructure, including electricity, gas, and water supplies, and transport networks.

The scale of the devastation shocked even the German High Command, and it took a week for the fires to subside enough for RAF reconnaissance planes to assess the full extent of the damage. The attack on Cologne was a propaganda exercise designed to boost morale and demonstrate the power of the British bomber force. While the raid was deemed a success by the RAF, its strategic value has been debated.

The first bombing took place on 12 May 1940

The German city of Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raids during World War II, all carried out by the Royal Air Force (RAF). The first of these bombings took place on 12 May 1940, and more followed throughout the war.

On the night of 30-31 May 1942, the RAF conducted the first-ever thousand-bomber raid on Cologne, codenamed Operation Millennium. A total of 1,047 bombers participated in the raid, dropping 1,478 tonnes (3.3 million pounds) of bombs on the city. The RAF bombers faced little anti-aircraft fire, as the German defences were overwhelmed by the large number of aircraft. The raid started over 2,000 fires and killed 486 people, causing extensive damage to the city.

The RAF's primary goal was to destroy Cologne's ability to participate in the war effort by targeting industrial and civilian infrastructure. While the raid caused significant destruction and loss of life, its long-term impact was minimal. The Germans quickly recovered and continued to produce war materials, demonstrating their resilience and determination.

Cologne remained a target for Allied bombers throughout the war, with its famous cathedral serving as a navigational landmark for pilots. The city was bombed repeatedly, with a total of 34,711 long tons of bombs dropped by the RAF. The devastation was immense, and approximately 20,000 civilians lost their lives in Cologne due to aerial bombardments during the war.

The first 1,000-bomber raid was on 30 May 1942

The first 1,000-bomber raid, known as Operation Millennium, took place on the night of 30 May 1942, targeting the German city of Cologne. This was the first time that the "bomber stream" tactic was used, with bombers flying in a narrow, dense formation to overwhelm enemy radar and defences. The raid was led by Air Marshal Arthur 'Bomber' Harris, Commander-in-Chief of RAF Bomber Command, who advocated for area bombing or carpet bombing, which involved bombing a large area simultaneously. Harris believed that this strategy, coupled with the use of incendiary bombs, could effectively destroy German cities and demoralize the civilian population.

The raid on Cologne was a significant challenge for the RAF, as they had to gather 1,000 bombers for a single mission. Harris had to borrow aircraft from various commands and include training crews to reach the desired number. The force consisted of 602 Vickers Wellingtons, 131 Handley Page Halifaxes, 88 Short Stirlings, 79 Handley Page Hampdens, 73 Avro Lancasters, 46 Avro Manchesters, and 28 Armstrong-Whitworth Whitleys. The bombers took off and flew in a tight formation, covering a length of 70 miles (112 km) and a depth of 4,000 feet (1,200 m).

The target of the raid, Cologne, was Germany's fourth-largest city and was chosen due to its strategic importance. It had important railway marshalling yards and several hundred air defence factories. The attack on Cologne was intended to be a demonstration of the RAF's power and a test of Harris's Thousand Plan. The bombers dropped a combination of massive 'cookie' bombs and incendiary bombs, causing widespread destruction.

The raid resulted in devastating consequences for Cologne. Approximately 900 bombers dropped 1,455 tons of bombs on the city, with two-thirds of them being incendiary. Over 15,000 buildings were destroyed or damaged, including factories, public utilities, and residential areas. The city's networks of electricity, gas, and water supply, as well as transport networks, were severely disrupted. The official police report stated 469 deaths and around 5,000 injuries, while over 45,000 people were left homeless. The RAF lost 41 aircraft during the operation, with 22 of them lost over or near Cologne.

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