Thousands of WWII-Era Bombs Discovered in Germany
October 16, 2008
More than 2,100 explosives dating back to the World War II era have been uncovered in a small town in central Germany over the last several days.
The bombs, which were of German origin, were found in the area surrounding Koethen, a town about 70 kilometers (40 miles) northwest of Leipzig in the central German state of Saxony-Anhalt.
Koethen, which was home to nearly 30,000 people during World War Two, was heavily bombed in July and August of 1944.
While most of the bombs discovered weighed less than one kilogram (2.2 pounds), a few also weighed in at more than 50 kilograms (110 pounds). Authorities had defused all the munitions by Wednesday afternoon.
Neighborhoods are often evacuated for bomb removal with most finds being defused without causing any damage. Construction crews are trained to contact bomb removal specialists when they suspect they've come across unexploded ordnance.