Dozens of tons of ammunition defused in Hesse

Aviator bombs, grenades, rifle ammunition: the explosive remains of the Second World War are constantly being discovered in Hesse. Thousands of people had to leave their homes and apartments as a result in 2021.

According to a preliminary assessment, around 72 tons of this war heritage in Hesse had been defused by the end of November this year, as a spokesman for the responsible regional council in Darmstadt announced. The authority is centrally responsible for the disposal of munitions for the entire state.

Ammunition finds have declined in the two Corona years. Last year around 100 tons of grenades or bombs were rendered harmless, in 2019 it was 130 tons. Only about half of the country’s main properties were advertised for explosive ordnance disposal.

Bombs in Hessen: Do not look near clinics

Another reason for this was certainly an instruction from the Ministry of the Interior, according to which not all suspicious locations should be examined immediately. This applied, among other things, to a radius of 1,000 meters around clinics, especially those with corona intensive care units. The instruction issued in May of last year and expired in July of this year stated: “A bomb discovery and the recovery of these ordnance by the ordnance disposal service could result in extensive evacuation measures of particularly endangered people in intensive care units, which must be avoided at all costs given the current security situation are.”

The floors are found on the already known clearing points, during construction work or the preparations for it, or simply by chance. According to the regional council, 21 bombs of various sizes were among the finds in 2021 by the end of November.

Frankfurt: Bomb finds and evacuations again and again

Defuses or explosions again forced thousands of citizens to seek refuge with friends, relatives or in emergency shelters in 2021. For example, in May in the Nordend district of Frankfurt, around 25,000 people had to leave their four walls because of a controlled detonation of a 500 kilo bomb. Bombs are discovered again and again in Frankfurt. For example in 2019 in the Main, which had to be blown up, or in the same year near the European Central Bank. A classic chance find is a discovery by a man in Wiesbaden. While walking, he found two stick incendiary bombs in April 2021.

Anyone who wants to work as a ordnance clearer in Hesse needs a certificate of competence in accordance with the Explosives Act. Applicants must have specialist knowledge of clearing and ammunition technology. You need to know how the ammunition works and works. In addition, they must be informed about the scope and objectives of ammunition use in the First and Second World War and also have experience in defusing, destroying or transporting such ordnance. Three of these fireworkers work for the regional council itself, plus five who are employed by a contractor.

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