Air raids on Saarbrücken

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The 32 Allied air raids on Saarbrücken took place during the Second World War . In addition to numerous smaller attacks, there were three particularly devastating air raids with a large number of dead and wounded and major damage to buildings. In total, there were 1234 aerial warfare fatalities in Saarbrücken . The greatest damage occurred in the following districts of St. Johann , Malstatt , Burbach and in Alt-Saarbrücken .

The heaviest air strikes

  • The first British air raid under the Area bombing directive took place on July 30, 1942. At 1:45 a.m., explosives and incendiary bombs began to be dropped. During the 78-minute air strike, 246 RAF bombers dropped 21 mine bombs (block busters), 424 high-explosive bombs and 15,000 incendiary bombs on Saarbrücken. 700 square kilometers, mostly residential areas , were set on fire. There were 111 large, 106 medium and 495 small fires. The districts of Burbach , Malstatt , St. Johann and Moltkestrasse in old Saarbrücken were hit hardest. A total of 155 people were killed in the bombing.
  • The second British attack on Saarbrücken, on the night of 28/29. August 1942. A total of 113 machines were used, with only 78 reaching Saarbrücken. Of the 78 bombers that finally reached Saarbrücken, the first arrived at 10:38 p.m. The attack lasted an hour and a half. 3 air mines, 51 explosive bombs , 2,140 stick fire and 7 light bombs (60 tons ) were dropped.
  • From September 1944, there were repeated attacks by allied fighter-bombers in the city of Saarbrücken.
  • The heaviest British air raid on Saarbrücken took place on October 5, 1944. This was planned as a double attack. 181 Lancaster bombers were planned for the first attack . The goal was the railway facilities and the surrounding area. The attack was due to begin at 8:30 p.m. However, around a third of the bombers did not find their target, so the master bomber canceled the target approach. At 8.47 p.m. the last bomber flew west. However, the second attack wave was already on the approach. At 22.19, Mosquito aircraft began dropping half a million tinfoil strips to irritate the radio measuring devices of the Saarbrücken flak . In addition, these aircraft dropped several 500 pound bombs with long-term detonators and 3 36 quintals each of mine bombs indiscriminately over the city. Shortly afterwards, 13 Lancaster bombers used as visual markers began to mark the target area with red so-called pine trees. After completing their marking operations, the bombers dropped 78 high-explosive bombs (1,000 pounds) and 13 pound mine bombs (4,000) over the city. The markings were followed by 3 waves from a total of 325 Lancaster bombers. They dropped 2,500 explosive bombs and more than 350,000 stick bombs . On October 5, 1944, 18,204 homes were destroyed and 45,000 people were left homeless. About 3850 houses were totally destroyed. 361 people were killed in this attack.
  • On January 13, 1945 at 3:22 p.m., the first British daytime attack with 158 Lancaster bombers started on Saarbrücken. The goal was railway facilities and surrounding areas. It dropped 133 mine bombs (4,000 pounds), 1,455 high explosive bombs (500 pounds) and 164 high explosive bombs (250 pounds).
  • Another British attack followed on the evening of January 13, 1945 at 7:00 p.m. The attack involved 244 Halifax and 20 Lancaster bombers. Around 4,000 high-explosive bombs fell within 31 minutes. 21 people were killed.
  • The last air raid on Saarbrücken followed on January 14, 1945. The destination was again the marshalling yard and the nearby St. Johann district. The attack began at 3 p.m. The attack involved 107 Halifax, 19 Lancaster and eight Mosquito aircraft . 1,203 high explosive bombs (500 pounds) and 648 high explosive bombs (250 pounds) were dropped in ten minutes

Record of air strikes

A total of 1,234 people were killed in 32 attacks in the air war in Saarbrücken. Out of 10,175 residential buildings, only 2,175 (21.4 percent) remained undamaged. Out of 10,175 residential buildings: 1,960 were slightly damaged, 1,650 moderately damaged, 1,340 severely damaged 1,560 houses were conditionally totally damaged 1,490 totally damaged.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ http://www.lhv-saarland.de/aktivitaeten/zeittafel-saarraum/
  2. ↑ http://nk.es-heftche.de/index.php/jahrgang-12/111-ausgabe-139-november-2009/2415-die-bombenangriff-der-alliierten
  3. ↑ http://www.sol.de/archiv/news/Gedenken-in-Saarbruecken-an-die-Bombennacht-am-5.-Oktober-1944,32624
  4. ↑ http://www.regionalgeschichte.net/saarland/saarbruecken.html
  5. ↑ https://der-weltkrieg-war-vor-deiner-tuer.de.tl/Saarbr.ue.cken.htm
  6. ↑ http://nk.es-heftche.de/index.php/jahrgang-12/111-ausgabe-139-november-2009/2415-die-bombenangriff-der-alliierten
  7. ↑ https://der-weltkrieg-war-vor-deiner-tuer.de.tl/Saarbr.ue.cken.htm