Bombings of Heilbronn in World War II
Encyclopedia
During World War II
, the German city of Heilbronn
was bombed many times by both the British
and the Americans
. The largest attack occurred on 4 December 1944, but there were many previous attacks targeted at Heilbronn that were almost as damaging. These attacks continued until the end of World War II, and in 1944, Heilbronn was attacked to a point where alarms in the city were almost daily. Altogether, an estimated 7.000 inhabitants lost their lives during the bombings.
occurred. Three high-explosive bombs and 20 incendiary bombs were released upon the city, resulting in the destruction of 20 houses and the damaging of 70 more. Three people were killed, and a further twelve were injured. Two days after the incident, heavy air defence was installed in the city, but was shortly replaced by light air defence, due to military
regulations.
was minimal. During the day of one of these bombings, individual fighter-bomber aircraft
had been seen flying close to and around the city. However, on 7 May 1942, a bombing raid struck the city center, destroyed or damaged approximately 150 houses, and killed seven people.
In January 1943, the allies held a conference concerning the future direction of the war. Included in this was the strategic bombing of Germany. Under the agreed strategy
the US would make attacks on precision targets by day (including traffic junctions and specific industrial targets), while the British would carry out nighttime attacks, which would of consequence be less accurate ("area targets"), in particular on industrial cities. After this conference, the two nations upheld their respective assigned 'duties', and while the Americans conducted fairly accurate air assaults on individual targets, such as German war plants, Luftwaffe
airfields, and military ports, the British were successful in their endeavour to attack city centres, leaving many German cities in ruins. However, while many German cities and towns were destroyed in 1943, Heilbronn was not targeted for destruction.
. These attacks and Heilbronn's struggle continued into April, at which stage the city was utterly devastated, and air alarms sounded almost daily. By July, store opening times were extended to make up for lost shopping time.
Later into the year, the attacks grew so bad that theatre
in the city was abolished, and the local police
decided to enforce a ban on any decorations on windows that could be potentially flammable. However, help eventually did come, when gau leader
Wilhelm Murr
arrived in the town on 5 August, supplied with air-defence devices and weaponry. By the beginning of September, the number of alarms sounded in the city had risen to a staggering 160.
At this time, frequent and near-daily alarms were still occurring in the city, but on 8 September, four alarms were triggered due to bombers heading for Nuremberg
. The alarms happened first from 1:45 am to 2:31 am, then 11:34 am to 12:42 pm, 2:38 to 3:48 pm and from 10:30 pm to 11:42 pm.
The following day, 9 September, only one alarm sounded. However, in the morning of the day after that, 10 September, approximately 100 airplanes of the 8th US Air Force went over Heilbronn. Even though this mission was centred on an aircraft plant in Günzburg
, with a secondary target of a marshalling yard in Ulm
, there was close-cloud cover that day, and Heilbronn was the secondary target. Over Heilbronn, the sky
was cloudless, and the actual assault was visible to the populace. Soon after 11:30 that morning, Allied planes struck at Heilbronn's stations and ports and the marshalling yard. Then ensued a bombardment of the city that continued for several hours into the afternoon
, and caused the loss of over 300 houses and the death of over 280 men and women, with an estimated further 400 in need of help due to injury. Almost 100 car
s were heavily damaged or destroyed, and many other buildings and stations were rendered irreparable. The planners of this raid called these statistics "very good results" afterwards.
The ensuing fires were too much for the local brigade to handle, and help had to be called from places such as Gronau
, Lauffen am Neckar, Untereisesheim
, Schwaigern
, Weinsberg
, among others. Even with this aid, the extinguishing of the many fires, both in and around Heilbronn, took several days. The fire that had started after the city hall
was destroyed took three days alone to put out. In addition to this, cattle
from local and surrounding regions had in fact been harmed by raining bomb
fragments, and many of these cattle had to be slaughtered. This slaughtering of cattle resulted in days of work for many veterinarians of the safety and emergency service.
, a radio-beacon based navigational system. However, targets in southern Germany were about 500 to 600 km away from the transmitting plants, and because radio
signals spread in a linear way and do not follow the Earth
's curvature, airplanes had to be led over the target region at a height of approximately 10,000 metres, requiring the use of the light and almost completely wooden Mosquito
airplanes.
With the establishment of Oboe, and in control of a fleet of six Mosquitoes (directed by Oboe), the Allies staged a strike on the city that commenced at 9:30 pm. The railway facilities were targeted by three of these planes, while the city centre was assaulted by two aircraft.
The next day, the 28th, the railway was hit again, this time under fire by five Mosquitoes. Two days later, six aircraft again attacked the railway, and the city centre. After this, several more attacks caused intense fire. During these raids, at least half a dozen bomb raids had hit the city, all in the month of October. Despite this, the city remained a target.
On the evening of 4 December 1944, 282 Lancaster bombers
of 627 Squadron and ten escort fighters flew over the city in loose formation. The night was thickly clouded, and this factor altered the approach height for the planes.
At 7:18 the first plane flew over, but it was the second plane that dropped 10 bombs with long-term fuses onto the city about one minute later. Immediately after dropping the bombs, this plane began its return flight. At 7:20, flare marker
s were dropped on the city in order to allow accurate bombing by the rest of the squadron. A flashlight bomb was dropped, and exploded at 600 feet. After all the flares were released, the area was illuminated as bright as day. This light was obviously distinguishable to the bomber pilots, and they were subsequently ordered to go in and assault.
After the flare markers, the flashlight bombs, and other such devices used for targeting were released and were functioning effectively, Lancaster PB 251's dropped the first load of high explosive bombs. Approximately 5,800 bombs, dropped from a height of 3,800 metres, hitting the city at 7:29. The attack continued until 9:38, with a further 1,200 tonnes of bombs released upon the city, and 380 devastating the marshalling yard.
Within a period of half an hour, over 6,500 people, including 1,000 children under 10 years of age, lost their lives. However, the exact number of victims is impossible to determine because many corpses were burned beyond recognition or were unrecognisable. Due to the number of incendiary bombs that fell on the city, and the number and impact of the bombs, fires started up the entire night, and entrance to the city was impossible for days.
During the actual attack, German defence could do little. Two anti-aircraft positions at the Neckar and 14 German Junkers Ju 88
night fighters fought against the British bombers. The RAF lost eleven of its 282 airplanes.
Since the bombing was conducted on a Monday evening, much of the population
of Heilbronn was positioned in or around the city centre, but at the first signs of attack, many fled to a high bomb shelter (General Wever tower) and two other low shelters (in the industrial area and at Emperor Friedrich place). Many also fled to an air raid shelter nearby. However, by 8:00 pm the city centre was engulfed in flames, and anyone inside these buildings either burned to death or asphyxiated. Many people who attempted to leave the city were also burnt on the roads. In the end, the air raid shelter collapsed, and anyone left inside was killed.
To make matters worse, the urban hospital
was left in ruins, so it was nearly impossible to treat the wounded. A great many people were able to take refuge in the emergency military hospital, or a converted mental hospital located in nearby Weinsberg.
After the fires were under control, rescue work and clearing up of the town began and help was sought from surrounding areas. On the night of 5 December the number of dead was announced to be approximately 4,000, with another 3,000 hurt.
A task force was chosen to find the dead and to rescue any bodies. The dead that were found were brought to the city cemetery
. Even then, there were not enough coffins for all the dead, but Ulm and other cities supplied a total of 1,000 coffins. When it was found that the cemetery, as well as other places, would not provide enough space to adequately lay to rest the deceased, the resolution was that an honour cemetery be built at the edge of the forest near the valley of the Köpfer Creek. The work on this project began on 6 December, while the dead were brought on carriages to the Köpfer Valley.
On 8 December, the burnt-out city centre and the collapsed air raid shelter were accessed by salvage teams, and more dead were returned to the families for burial. The salvage work continued for over three weeks, into the Christmas of 1944. Many dead could not be retrieved, particularly in heavily damaged road courses. Many would simply have been impossible to locate or bring out, whether from the air shelter, or the ruins of the city centre, and it is still assumed that there are many human remains still in the soil.
Up to the end of the war, several raids, while much less powerful or as damaging as the December 1944 bombings, were centred on Heilbronn. These attacks were relatively minor and were more focused on other parts of southern Germany, with Heilbronn receiving much less attention than before.
However, on 12 April 1945, US forces occupied the city, after a ten day battle
over the Neckar crossings.
At the war's start, Heilbronn had almost 14,500 buildings. During the war 5,100 buildings were destroyed and another 3,800 heavily damaged. Heilbronn's population shrank to 46,350.
Starting in 1951, US forces were permanently stationed in the city. The Americans added several of their own buildings. They also used barracks built before World War II.
Today, the city of Heilbronn thrives, but while the city itself has all but recovered, the memory of the attacks and all who died as a result still lives on. It now has approximately 120,000 residents, and is currently the 6th largest city in Baden-Württemberg
, at almost 100 square kilometres in area. Heilbronn is also known as the "major economic centre" of the Heilbronn-Franken
region, an area that encompasses almost all of the Northeast section of Baden-Württemberg.
The first memorial
celebration of those who died took place on 26 August 1945. Since then, an annual memorial service has been held, and on 4 December, many people come to the honour cemetery to reflect on the dead. The destruction and following reconstruction has reshaped the landscape, and its effects are still visible today. The unsalvageable rubble
from the attacks has been released into River Neckar
and Böckinger Lake.
, was expressed in many bombing attacks against other countries, both neutral
and Allied. Unprovoked German bombings of Rotterdam
, Warsaw
, Belgrade
and many others throughout Europe occurred before Allied retaliation against German cities and military targets, and many nations suffered. The war was not a one sided conflict, and it is important to note that while Germany was the instigator of the war, many civilians were killed on both sides.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the German city of Heilbronn
Heilbronn
Heilbronn is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is completely surrounded by Heilbronn County and with approximately 123.000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state....
was bombed many times by both the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The largest attack occurred on 4 December 1944, but there were many previous attacks targeted at Heilbronn that were almost as damaging. These attacks continued until the end of World War II, and in 1944, Heilbronn was attacked to a point where alarms in the city were almost daily. Altogether, an estimated 7.000 inhabitants lost their lives during the bombings.
Initial air raids
On 17 December 1940, the first raidRaid (military)
Raid, also known as depredation, is a military tactic or operational warfare mission which has a specific purpose and is not normally intended to capture and hold terrain, but instead finish with the raiding force quickly retreating to a previous defended position prior to the enemy forces being...
occurred. Three high-explosive bombs and 20 incendiary bombs were released upon the city, resulting in the destruction of 20 houses and the damaging of 70 more. Three people were killed, and a further twelve were injured. Two days after the incident, heavy air defence was installed in the city, but was shortly replaced by light air defence, due to military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
regulations.
August 1941 - May 1942
Between August and November 1941 the city of Heilbronn was bombed four times. However, the resulting damage to the cityCity
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
was minimal. During the day of one of these bombings, individual fighter-bomber aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
had been seen flying close to and around the city. However, on 7 May 1942, a bombing raid struck the city center, destroyed or damaged approximately 150 houses, and killed seven people.
Casablanca conference
Casablanca directive
The Casablanca directive was approved by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of the Western Allies at their 65th meeting on 21 January 1943 and issued to the appropriate the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force commanders on 4 February 1943....
the US would make attacks on precision targets by day (including traffic junctions and specific industrial targets), while the British would carry out nighttime attacks, which would of consequence be less accurate ("area targets"), in particular on industrial cities. After this conference, the two nations upheld their respective assigned 'duties', and while the Americans conducted fairly accurate air assaults on individual targets, such as German war plants, Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
airfields, and military ports, the British were successful in their endeavour to attack city centres, leaving many German cities in ruins. However, while many German cities and towns were destroyed in 1943, Heilbronn was not targeted for destruction.
1944
While 1943 proved a good year for Heilbronn, 1944 saw one of the worst bombings ever to hit the city. In January and February, Heilbronn suffered a two-week-long air raid by the Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. These attacks and Heilbronn's struggle continued into April, at which stage the city was utterly devastated, and air alarms sounded almost daily. By July, store opening times were extended to make up for lost shopping time.
Later into the year, the attacks grew so bad that theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
in the city was abolished, and the local police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
decided to enforce a ban on any decorations on windows that could be potentially flammable. However, help eventually did come, when gau leader
Leader
A leader is one who influences or leads others.Leader may also refer to:- Newspapers :* Leading article, a piece of writing intended to promote an opinion, also called an editorial* The Leader , published 1909–1967...
Wilhelm Murr
Wilhelm Murr
Wilhelm Murr was a Nazi politician...
arrived in the town on 5 August, supplied with air-defence devices and weaponry. By the beginning of September, the number of alarms sounded in the city had risen to a staggering 160.
September
By September 1944, the Allied forces were seriously considering a major assault on Heilbronn.At this time, frequent and near-daily alarms were still occurring in the city, but on 8 September, four alarms were triggered due to bombers heading for Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
. The alarms happened first from 1:45 am to 2:31 am, then 11:34 am to 12:42 pm, 2:38 to 3:48 pm and from 10:30 pm to 11:42 pm.
The following day, 9 September, only one alarm sounded. However, in the morning of the day after that, 10 September, approximately 100 airplanes of the 8th US Air Force went over Heilbronn. Even though this mission was centred on an aircraft plant in Günzburg
Günzburg
Günzburg is a Große Kreisstadt and capital of the district of Günzburg in Swabia, Bavaria. This district was constituted in 1972 by combining the city of Günzburg—which had not previously been assigned to a Kreis —with the district of Günzburg and the district of Krumbach.Günzburg lies...
, with a secondary target of a marshalling yard in Ulm
Ulm
Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and...
, there was close-cloud cover that day, and Heilbronn was the secondary target. Over Heilbronn, the sky
Sky
The sky is the part of the atmosphere or outer space visible from the surface of any astronomical object. It is difficult to define precisely for several reasons. During daylight, the sky of Earth has the appearance of a pale blue surface because the air scatters the sunlight. The sky is sometimes...
was cloudless, and the actual assault was visible to the populace. Soon after 11:30 that morning, Allied planes struck at Heilbronn's stations and ports and the marshalling yard. Then ensued a bombardment of the city that continued for several hours into the afternoon
Afternoon
Afternoon is the time of day from noon to about 18:00.The term should not be confused with "after noon" , which is a translation of the Latin "post meridiem" as used in the 12-hour clock, meaning a time of day from noon to midnight.In Australia and New Zealand, the word "arvo" is a slang term for...
, and caused the loss of over 300 houses and the death of over 280 men and women, with an estimated further 400 in need of help due to injury. Almost 100 car
Čar
Čar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:...
s were heavily damaged or destroyed, and many other buildings and stations were rendered irreparable. The planners of this raid called these statistics "very good results" afterwards.
The ensuing fires were too much for the local brigade to handle, and help had to be called from places such as Gronau
Gronau
Gronau is the name of two German cities*Gronau in Westfalen, district Borken, North Rhine-Westphalia*Gronau an der Leine, district Hildesheim, Lower Saxony...
, Lauffen am Neckar, Untereisesheim
Untereisesheim
Untereisesheim is a town in the district of Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
, Schwaigern
Schwaigern
Schwaigern is a town in the district of Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated 12 km west of Heilbronn.-Neighbouring municipalities:...
, Weinsberg
Weinsberg
Weinsberg is a town in the north of the German state Baden-Württemberg. It was founded ca. 1200 and is situated in the Heilbronn district. The town has about 11,800 inhabitants. It is noted for its wine...
, among others. Even with this aid, the extinguishing of the many fires, both in and around Heilbronn, took several days. The fire that had started after the city hall
Hall
In architecture, a hall is fundamentally a relatively large space enclosed by a roof and walls. In the Iron Age, a mead hall was such a simple building and was the residence of a lord and his retainers...
was destroyed took three days alone to put out. In addition to this, cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
from local and surrounding regions had in fact been harmed by raining bomb
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
fragments, and many of these cattle had to be slaughtered. This slaughtering of cattle resulted in days of work for many veterinarians of the safety and emergency service.
October
In the late stage of summer, and in the early autumn of 1944, the Allied forces developed OboeOboe (navigation)
Oboe was a British aerial blind bombing targeting system in World War II, based on radio transponder technology. Oboe accurately measured the distance to an aircraft, and gave the pilot guidance on whether or not they were flying along a pre-selected circular route. The route was only 35 yards...
, a radio-beacon based navigational system. However, targets in southern Germany were about 500 to 600 km away from the transmitting plants, and because radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
signals spread in a linear way and do not follow the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
's curvature, airplanes had to be led over the target region at a height of approximately 10,000 metres, requiring the use of the light and almost completely wooden Mosquito
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
airplanes.
With the establishment of Oboe, and in control of a fleet of six Mosquitoes (directed by Oboe), the Allies staged a strike on the city that commenced at 9:30 pm. The railway facilities were targeted by three of these planes, while the city centre was assaulted by two aircraft.
The next day, the 28th, the railway was hit again, this time under fire by five Mosquitoes. Two days later, six aircraft again attacked the railway, and the city centre. After this, several more attacks caused intense fire. During these raids, at least half a dozen bomb raids had hit the city, all in the month of October. Despite this, the city remained a target.
December Raid
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
of 627 Squadron and ten escort fighters flew over the city in loose formation. The night was thickly clouded, and this factor altered the approach height for the planes.
At 7:18 the first plane flew over, but it was the second plane that dropped 10 bombs with long-term fuses onto the city about one minute later. Immediately after dropping the bombs, this plane began its return flight. At 7:20, flare marker
Flare (pyrotechnic)
A flare, also sometimes called a fusee, is a type of pyrotechnic that produces a brilliant light or intense heat without an explosion. Flares are used for signalling, illumination, or defensive countermeasures in civilian and military applications...
s were dropped on the city in order to allow accurate bombing by the rest of the squadron. A flashlight bomb was dropped, and exploded at 600 feet. After all the flares were released, the area was illuminated as bright as day. This light was obviously distinguishable to the bomber pilots, and they were subsequently ordered to go in and assault.
After the flare markers, the flashlight bombs, and other such devices used for targeting were released and were functioning effectively, Lancaster PB 251's dropped the first load of high explosive bombs. Approximately 5,800 bombs, dropped from a height of 3,800 metres, hitting the city at 7:29. The attack continued until 9:38, with a further 1,200 tonnes of bombs released upon the city, and 380 devastating the marshalling yard.
Within a period of half an hour, over 6,500 people, including 1,000 children under 10 years of age, lost their lives. However, the exact number of victims is impossible to determine because many corpses were burned beyond recognition or were unrecognisable. Due to the number of incendiary bombs that fell on the city, and the number and impact of the bombs, fires started up the entire night, and entrance to the city was impossible for days.
Aftermath
Although 62% of the city was destroyed, the damage in relation to the number of bombs and the force of the attack is remarkable for several reasons. Many German cities and towns were already in ruins, or were burnt-out by prior bombardments, and the British would have preferred to attack with high explosive bombs in order to maximise the damage caused. Heilbronn, while assaulted heavily by powerful bombs, was only partially destroyed and still exists today. The entire old section of the town was destroyed. Donations to the city were instrumental to the city's repairs and victim aid.During the actual attack, German defence could do little. Two anti-aircraft positions at the Neckar and 14 German Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
night fighters fought against the British bombers. The RAF lost eleven of its 282 airplanes.
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of Heilbronn was positioned in or around the city centre, but at the first signs of attack, many fled to a high bomb shelter (General Wever tower) and two other low shelters (in the industrial area and at Emperor Friedrich place). Many also fled to an air raid shelter nearby. However, by 8:00 pm the city centre was engulfed in flames, and anyone inside these buildings either burned to death or asphyxiated. Many people who attempted to leave the city were also burnt on the roads. In the end, the air raid shelter collapsed, and anyone left inside was killed.
To make matters worse, the urban hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
was left in ruins, so it was nearly impossible to treat the wounded. A great many people were able to take refuge in the emergency military hospital, or a converted mental hospital located in nearby Weinsberg.
After the fires were under control, rescue work and clearing up of the town began and help was sought from surrounding areas. On the night of 5 December the number of dead was announced to be approximately 4,000, with another 3,000 hurt.
Burials
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
. Even then, there were not enough coffins for all the dead, but Ulm and other cities supplied a total of 1,000 coffins. When it was found that the cemetery, as well as other places, would not provide enough space to adequately lay to rest the deceased, the resolution was that an honour cemetery be built at the edge of the forest near the valley of the Köpfer Creek. The work on this project began on 6 December, while the dead were brought on carriages to the Köpfer Valley.
On 8 December, the burnt-out city centre and the collapsed air raid shelter were accessed by salvage teams, and more dead were returned to the families for burial. The salvage work continued for over three weeks, into the Christmas of 1944. Many dead could not be retrieved, particularly in heavily damaged road courses. Many would simply have been impossible to locate or bring out, whether from the air shelter, or the ruins of the city centre, and it is still assumed that there are many human remains still in the soil.
Attacks until the end of the war
However, on 12 April 1945, US forces occupied the city, after a ten day battle
Battle of Heilbronn (1945)
The Battle of Heilbronn was a nine-day struggle in April 1945 during World War II between the United States Army and the German Army for the control of Heilbronn, a mid-sized city on the Neckar River located between Stuttgart and Heidelberg...
over the Neckar crossings.
At the war's start, Heilbronn had almost 14,500 buildings. During the war 5,100 buildings were destroyed and another 3,800 heavily damaged. Heilbronn's population shrank to 46,350.
Reconstruction and recovery
After the war had ended, Emil Beutinger, a former, pre-Nazi era, mayor, re-entered office and took responsibility for the enormous task of reconstruction and repairing of the destroyed city. This task was continued and completed by his successors in office, Paul Metz and Paul Meyle. Reconstruction milestones included the rededication of the historic city hall in 1953 and the reopening of the community centre.Starting in 1951, US forces were permanently stationed in the city. The Americans added several of their own buildings. They also used barracks built before World War II.
Present day Heilbronn
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
, at almost 100 square kilometres in area. Heilbronn is also known as the "major economic centre" of the Heilbronn-Franken
Heilbronn-Franken
Heilbronn-Franken is a region in northeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, in the Stuttgart subdivision . It consists of the former Free imperial city of Heilbronn, Heilbronn district and the districts of Hohenlohe, Main-Tauber and Schwäbisch Hall.It covers an area of 4765 km², with a...
region, an area that encompasses almost all of the Northeast section of Baden-Württemberg.
Memorials
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
celebration of those who died took place on 26 August 1945. Since then, an annual memorial service has been held, and on 4 December, many people come to the honour cemetery to reflect on the dead. The destruction and following reconstruction has reshaped the landscape, and its effects are still visible today. The unsalvageable rubble
Rubble
Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture. This word is closely connected in derivation with "rubbish", which was formerly also applied to what we now call "rubble". Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as brash...
from the attacks has been released into River Neckar
Neckar
The Neckar is a long river, mainly flowing through the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg, but also a short section through Hesse, in Germany. The Neckar is a major right tributary of the River Rhine...
and Böckinger Lake.
Context and background information
Prior to the Allied bombing campaign against German cities, German aggression, apart from starting World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, was expressed in many bombing attacks against other countries, both neutral
Neutral country
A neutral power in a particular war is a sovereign state which declares itself to be neutral towards the belligerents. A non-belligerent state does not need to be neutral. The rights and duties of a neutral power are defined in Sections 5 and 13 of the Hague Convention of 1907...
and Allied. Unprovoked German bombings of Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
and many others throughout Europe occurred before Allied retaliation against German cities and military targets, and many nations suffered. The war was not a one sided conflict, and it is important to note that while Germany was the instigator of the war, many civilians were killed on both sides.