Forced Evacuation from Homes in Dresden Due to Threat of Explosion: Affecting 17,000 Residents
A 250-kilogram British World War II bomb was discovered at a construction site near Dresden’s Carola Bridge on August 5, 2025, causing a significant disruption in the city.
The bomb, equipped with a detonator, posed a threat and could not be safely moved. As a result, around 17,000 residents and tourists were evacuated from a 1,000-meter radius around the bomb site, including homes, workplaces, and hotels. The evacuation was enforced by about 330 police officers, and emergency shelters and shuttle buses were arranged to assist evacuees[1][2][3][5].
The bomb was successfully defused on August 6, 2025, by Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams on-site[1][2][3][5]. The Carola Bridge, which partly collapsed in September 2024, is scheduled for demolition by October 2025[1][2][3][5].
The bomb discovery had a significant impact on transportation and tourism in Dresden. Public transport was disrupted during the evacuation, with shuttle buses operating to help people avoid the exclusion zone[2]. Tourist sites within the evacuation zone, such as the Frauenkirche—a major Dresden landmark—were temporarily closed for safety during the defusal[3]. Local authorities offered citizen hotlines and online maps to inform people whether their location was within the evacuation area[2].
The evacuation also affected the work of the Saxon state government, with almost all ministries and the state chancellery located in the evacuation area. The organizers of the Filmnights Dresden had to cancel both scheduled screenings for Tuesday due to the bomb find. The bomb discovery disrupted the vacation plans of many tourists in Dresden, with popular attractions such as the Zwinger, the Green Vault, the Semper Opera, the Procession of Princes, the Brühl's Terraces, the Church of Our Lady, or the golden horseman located in the restricted area[4].
Between 6 and 9 AM on Wednesday, shuttle buses will be running from the evacuation area to the emergency shelter at the Dresden Trade Fair. The buses will depart from Wilsdruffer Straße/Galeriestraße, Pillnitzer Straße/Gerichtsstraße, Sachsenplatz/Florian-Geyer-Straße, and Albertstraße/Archivstraße. The emergency shelter will be open from 6 AM[6].
Experts do not rule out further bomb finds[7]. Another World War II bomb has been found at the site of the demolished Carolabridge in Dresden, making it the fourth unexploded bomb discovered during the demolition of the bridge[7].
References: [1] https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article209560135/Dresden-Bombenfund-Evakuierung-von-17-000-Leuten.html [2] https://www.morgenpost.de/dresden/startseite/article264158223/Evakuierte-bekommen-Hilfe-mit-Shuttle-Bus-und-Notunterkunft.html [3] https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2025-08/dresden-bombenfund-evakuierung-innenstadt-carolabruecke-weltkriegs-munition [4] https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/dresden-bombenfund-evakuierung-von-17000-leuten-1.5753013 [5] https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/dresden-bombenfund-evakuierung-von-17000-leuten-a-129466918.html [6] https://www.focus.de/region/sachsen/dresden-bombenfund-evakuierung-von-17000-leuten-notunterkunft-fuer-betroffene-beschlossen_id_115133450.html [7] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/dresden-bombenfund-evakuierung-von-17000-leuten-notunterkunft-fuer-betroffene-beschlossen/264158223.html
- The bomb discovery, a part of the general-news, caused a major disruption in transportation and tourism in Dresden, with many tourist sites temporarily closed and public transport disrupted due to the evacuation.
- The crime-and-justice sector was also involved in the evacuation process as about 330 police officers enforced the evacuation of around 17,000 residents and tourists.
- The sports events scheduled by the organizers of the Filmnights Dresden were indirectly affected by the bomb discovery, resulting in the cancellation of both scheduled screenings.
