Chaos in Osnabrück: Over 11,000 people evacuated due to bomb alarm!

Chaos in Osnabrück: Over 11,000 people evacuated due to bomb alarm!

A surprising discovery caused a stir in Osnabrück's Lokviertel on Tuesday afternoon, June 17, 2025: a 500-kilogram World War II bomb was found during construction work. Loud NDR As a result, around 11,000 people within a one-kilometer radius of the bomb had to leave their homes. This evacuation included approximately 6,500 households and was anything but smooth.

The first evacuation attempts were supposed to have ended at 7 p.m., but didn't start until around 10:30 p.m. Some residents refused to leave their homes, delaying orders and operations and posing additional challenges for emergency responders. The city of Osnabrück urged citizens to inform neighbors and foreign citizens about the need to evacuate.

Public transport and relief efforts

The main train station, which was in the evacuation area, was particularly affected. From 7 p.m. onwards, no trains could stop there, and from 10 p.m. it was even necessary to reroute all ICE and IC trains. Travelers in the region must therefore expect a delay of at least 40 minutes. Regional trains such as the RE 18, RB 58 and RB 75 also no longer served the main station. However, replacement bus services have been put in place to support travelers and residents.

Anyone who needed information could call a public telephone number (0541) 323 44 90, which was also available for patient transport. From 10 p.m. onwards, it was no longer possible to get out of the evacuation area and residents had to be patient.

Defusing the bomb and other measures

The 500 kilogram bomb was equipped with a front and rear detonator, which made defusing it not insignificantly complicated. However, experts are optimistic that the bomb can be successfully defused. The city of Osnabrück is expecting further unexploded bombs from the Second World War, which has already led to evacuations several times in recent months, such as in November and February. Recently, such defusing operations have also been carried out in other cities, such as Bremen.

The situation is particularly tragic for the 14,000 people who were only able to return to their homes at night after the first evacuation. Further defusing with associated evacuation measures is already planned for the next day, which further increases the uncertainty for residents.

Comprehensive meals and support will be provided for all those affected, particularly those in hospitals and nursing homes. The city points out that safety is the top priority and all measures are taken with the general population in mind.

Further and current information can be accessed on the relevant city portals and via the citizen telephones provided.