World War II bomb discovered in Schwabing: 400 people have to flee!

World War II bomb discovered in Schwabing: 400 people have to flee!

An old wound was opened in Munich: On July 2, 2025, an aerial bomb from the Second World War was found on a construction site in the Schwabing district. The explosive device, which was discovered during earthworks, weighs an impressive 250 kilograms and, according to [Augsburger Allgemeine](https://www.augsburger- Allgemeine.de/bayern/fliegerbombe-in-muenchen-schwabing-found-evakuieren-notwendig-110367303), was equipped with a functioning detonator.

The specialists from the Munich fire department were quickly on site to assess the situation. Around 400 people had to be evacuated, a large proportion of them from the nearby Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry and from the Munich clinic, which, to everyone's horror, were also affected. However, it should be noted that the patient rooms were not at risk.

Evacuation measures and safety precautions

The evacuation began in the afternoon and turned out to be more complicated than originally planned. Operations such as loud announcements over loudspeakers to inform citizens became necessary because the evacuation took longer than expected. A heavy thunderstorm also contributed to the delay, as the electrostatic charge could have activated the ignition mechanism unintentionally, which would have resulted in an explosion, they report Süddeutsche.

The evacuated areas stretched from Kraepelin Street to Belgrade Street. In addition to residents, visitors to the nearby Georgenschwaige natural swimming pool were also affected by the security measures, although bathing operations there continued undisturbed. An acute care center was quickly set up in the Willi-Graf-Gymnasium to support the evacuated families.

Dealing with the bomb

Firefighters placed a concrete barrier around the bomb to protect the surrounding area in the event of an explosion. It is estimated that there are up to 100 kilograms of explosives in the explosive device. The defusing, initially scheduled for 5:30 p.m., was delayed by two hours, which caused additional tension in the neighborhood. Experts from the explosive ordnance disposal service, the police and the technical relief agency were closely involved to ensure safe and controlled defusing. The whole thing took place near the U2 and U3 routes, both lines had temporary restrictions, which have since been lifted.

Munich is no beginner when it comes to discoveries like this. The city was bombed over 70 times during World War II, and construction workers continue to come across relics of those difficult times. A similar incident occurred 13 years ago in Schwabing, where a 250-kilogram bomb resulted in 17 damaged buildings after a controlled explosion. Looking at these developments, it remains exciting to see how the situation will develop in the coming hours. In Munich, such “careless” finds such as aircraft bombs will only be in high demand again when the construction work returns - or, in this case, the defusers.

If you are on site or know someone who lives nearby, you should definitely keep an eye on the current situation and any decisive communications, because no risks are being taken here for the safety of all citizens.