Bombing of Cologne in World War II

The German city of Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raids^[1] by the Allies during World War II, all by the Royal Air Force (RAF). A total of 34,711 long tons of bombs were dropped on the city by the RAF.^[2] 20,000 civilians died during the war in Cologne due to aerial bombardments.^[3]

While air raid alarms had gone off in the winter/spring of 1940 as British bombers passed overhead, the first bombing took place on 12 May 1940.^[4] The 30/31 May 1942 attack on Cologne was the first 1,000 bomber raid.

^ Stadtlandschaften versus Hochstadt at www.koelnarchitektur.de "Internet portal for the architecture of Cologne". (In German).
^ "Target Analysis". Flight. 9 August 1945. p. 154. Archived from the original on 10 January 2015.
^ "Cologne Museum: NS-DOK" (in German). Retrieved 16 June 2023.
^ "Kriegserinnerungen 1940". Archived from the original on 3 December 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2009.

[koelnarchitektur-1] Stadtlandschaften versus Hochstadt at www.koelnarchitektur.de "Internet portal for the architecture of Cologne". (In German).

[2] "Target Analysis". Flight. 9 August 1945. p. 154. Archived from the original on 10 January 2015.

[3] "Cologne Museum: NS-DOK" (in German). Retrieved 16 June 2023.

[4] "Kriegserinnerungen 1940". Archived from the original on 3 December 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2009.

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