Decades after the Second World War, duds still regularly occupy the Free State. Old World War ammunition continues to come to light in Saxony, especially during construction work. In order to warn the population in such cases and to evacuate endangered districts, social media are becoming increasingly important, as Michael Klahre, spokesman for the Dresden fire brigade, said. During an operation in October in the state capital, the cooperation between the city administration, fire brigade and police worked well. “The public’s need for information is also very high. They want to be informed quickly and comprehensively.”
That is why the responsible authorities are increasingly using Twitter and Co to report on developments in a short space of time. “The media also spread the reports. There was even a live stream. This crisis communication is very important for many citizens, and feedback has shown that,” Klahre explained this year’s operation in Dresden-Friedrichstadt, which lost more because of a 250-kilo bomb when 3000 people had to leave their homes.
“World War I ammunition will keep us busy for many years to come,” Klahre suspects. A spokeswoman for the state police headquarters confirmed that there was still no trend that such finds would become rarer over the years. In 2021, the explosive ordnance disposal service in Saxony was called to 670 operations. There were five defuses and 35 explosions at the site. The figures for 2022 are expected to be available next February, it said. The annual costs of clearing explosive ordnance and destroying it amount to up to six million euros in Bavaria.
After this year’s bomb discovery in Leipzig, the city is considering using tram announcements and electronic displays at stops to draw attention to upcoming evacuations, said city spokesman Matthias Hasberg. “The announcement on the social networks alone was not enough for residents to leave their houses or for the cafes to close.” Only the police and fire brigade on site would have the desired effect. “But that’s personnel-intensive.”
The city of Chemnitz draws positive conclusions after defusing a 250-kilo bomb in November. The city’s alarm and action plan and the evacuations went well, a spokeswoman said. The evacuation affected around 1000 people. “Essentially, you will find understanding among the population.”
In the three larger bomb find operations in 2022 in Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz, the cooperation between the explosive ordnance clearance service and the responsible authorities went well, summed up the Saxony Police Administration Office. After the fire at a blasting site in Berlin’s Grunewald forest this summer, the fire protection concept in Saxony is currently being examined and possibly adjusted accordingly. “Explosive ordnance is stored in bunkers specially designed for this purpose,” said the police administration office.
Explosive ordnance disposal service in Saxony
