Bombing of Würzburg in World War II facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Würzburg World War II bombings
Part of Strategic bombing campaigns in Europe
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Location Bavaria, Germany Result 82% ruins (overall city), 89% centre 5,000 killed by March 16 raid
Belligerents
USAAF RAF Bomber Command	Luftwaffe

Central Würzburg viewed from the east in autumn 1945

The Bombing of Würzburg in World War II was a major air attack on the city of Würzburg in Germany. This attack was part of a larger plan by the Allied forces to bomb important targets in Nazi Germany during World War II.

Even though Würzburg did not have many weapons factories and had about 40 hospitals, it was chosen as a target. It was important as a place where different transport routes met. The British Royal Air Force (RAF) also wanted to lower the spirits of the German people.

The biggest attack happened on March 16, 1945. Royal Air Force bombers dropped special incendiary bombs that caused huge fires. These fires destroyed most of the city, especially the old historic areas. About 5,000 people died. Almost 90% of the buildings were ruined in less than 20 minutes.

Many important buildings were damaged or destroyed. This included all the city's churches, the main cathedral, and other old monuments. The city center, which was very old, was completely burned in a firestorm.

After the war, people worked hard to rebuild the city. Over the next 20 years, many historic buildings were carefully put back together. Most of the people who rebuilt the city right after the war were women. They were called Trümmerfrauen, which means "rubble women." This was because many men had died or were still prisoners of war. Würzburg was destroyed even more than Dresden, another German city that was bombed heavily.

Why Würzburg Was Targeted

The decision to bomb Würzburg was made by RAF Bomber Command. They chose the city because the weather forecast for March 16 was good for flying. Würzburg had not been bombed much before. It was also on the way to other targets, like Nuremberg.

The city had many old buildings made of wood and was very crowded. This meant it was likely to catch fire easily and create a huge firestorm. One author, Detlef Siebert, wrote that cities like Würzburg were chosen because they were easy for bombers to find and destroy. Their old centers made them very open to fire attacks.

The attack was carried out by the No. 5 group of the RAF. This group had also led the heavy bombing of Dresden a month earlier. Compared to its size, Würzburg suffered even more death and destruction than Dresden.

The Attack on March 16, 1945

Bomber Flight Path

Avro Lancaster bombers from No. 5 bomber group took off around 5:00 PM. They met up west of London. The planes flew a twisting path to trick German air defenses. They flew over the Somme river, Reims, and the Vosges mountains to reach Würzburg. They crossed the Rhine river south of Rastatt. Around 9:00 PM, 225 Lancasters and 11 Mosquitos from the No. 5 group flew over their target from the south.

Alarms and Bombing

On the ground, a low-level air raid alarm sounded at 7:00 PM. It was raised to a full alarm at 8:00 PM. A message from the command center in Limburg an der Lahn gave the full alarm to Würzburg residents at 9:07 PM.

The first bombs fell at 9:25 PM. The main attack over Würzburg was set for 9:35 PM. The bomber group flew over the entire city until 9:42 PM. Before the main attack, at 9:26 PM, 627th squadron Mosquito bombers marked the target. They used green flares that lit up the area. People on the ground called these flares "Christmas Trees."

To guide the bombers, the sports field on Mergentheimer Strasse was used as a guide point. This spot was marked at 9:28 PM with red target flares. The bombing then happened in different sections. Bombers had to fly over the red marker, fly at a certain height, and drop their bombs at different times. This made sure the bombs covered the whole target area like a carpet. A "master bomber" watched over the whole operation.

The Firestorm and Casualties

The bombing happened in three waves from 9:25 PM to 9:42 PM. First, 256 heavy bombs and aerial mines (396 tons) destroyed the roofs and windows of the old town. This cleared the way for 300,000 incendiary bombs (582 tons).

Very quickly, small fires grew into a single, huge firestorm. Temperatures in this firestorm reached 1500-2000 degrees Celsius. People had very little warning. Strong bunkers were rare. Most people could only hide in basements that were quickly prepared.

To help people find shelter, buildings were marked on their walls. "SR/LSR" meant shelter, "NA" meant emergency exit, and "KSR" meant no shelter. You can still see some of these marks today. To escape the firestorm or from suffocating, many people ran. They tried to reach the banks of the Main river or the edge of town.

The fire department faced a hopeless situation. They tried to stop the fire by creating "water lanes." On the way to Würzburg, one Lancaster bomber was shot down by a German night fighter. Five more RAF Lancasters were lost during or after the attack. In the days after the attack, 3,000 dead bodies were found or identified in the city's ruins. It is believed that another 2,000 refugees, who were not officially registered, also died under the rubble.

From 240 kilometers away, the bomber crews could see the bright glow of the burning city. Around 2:00 AM on March 17, 1945, the last bombers returned to their bases.

Results of the Bombing

A report from the No. 5 bomber group on April 10, 1945, stated that 89% of the city was destroyed. For the suburbs, the destruction was 68%. This was a very high level of damage. The Würzburg area of Heidingsfeld was also heavily hit, as some bomber crews targeted it before reaching their main goal. The British report said that a total of 1207 tons of bombs were dropped.

Only the Versbach neighborhood and Veitshöchheim village were not affected. When all neighborhoods are included, the average destruction of Würzburg was 82%. This meant that 21,062 homes and 35 churches were destroyed.

Among the ruined monuments were the Würzburg Cathedral and parts of the Würzburg Residence. The Residence's Hall of Mirrors was destroyed. However, the famous Staircase with a fresco by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo survived. This was because it had a very strong ceiling built in the 18th century. After the war, American forces helped to protect the damaged historic buildings.

Aftermath and Recovery

On April 6, 1945, the city was given over to American forces.

It took a long time to clear all the rubble. About 2.7 million cubic meters of debris were finally cleared by 1964.

Before the war, Würzburg had about 108,000 people. By early 1945, this number had dropped to 75,000–85,000 because many people were serving in the military. On April 6, 1945, when American troops took the city, only 36,850 residents were officially counted. By the end of 1945, the population had grown back to 53,000. To the left of the main entrance to the city's main cemetery, there is a large grave where the 3,000 victims of the bombing who were found are buried.

Overview of Bombing Raids on Würzburg

Würzburg World War II raids

Date	Result
1944-06-21	8 bombers hit town centre (42 dead)
1945-02-4	2–3 Mosquitos targeted the town centre (30 dead)
1945-02-5	4–6 Mosquitos targeted the town centre (6 dead)
1945-02-12	4 Mosquitos targeted the town centre
1945-02-19	6 aircraft hit town centre (112 dead)
1945-02-23	Mission 843: 37 B-17s destroyed Würzburg main station (171 dead).
1945-03-03	31–42 Mosquitos targeted the town centre (86 dead)
1945-03-16 circa 21.30 hours (CET)	225 Lancaster and 11 Mosquito Pathfinders targeted the town centre and released 1,127 tons of bombs (including around 370,000 incendiaries) in 17 minutes. The raid destroyed the episcopal palace, the historic fortress and the major churches; the baroque city center was irrecoverably damaged, and the Würzburg Residence was badly damaged (ca. 3000 dead, 2000 missing).
1945-03-18	fighter destroy military installations
1945-03-22	mission 906: 8 B-24s hit Würzburg as secondary target
1945-03-31	9th USAAF (tactical airforce): A-20s, A-26s and B-26s hit storage depots and small marshalling yards at Würzburg.