Overview
- Explosive‑ordnance teams led by Mike Schwitzke completed work on the 250‑kilogram US aerial bomb on Tuesday, rendering its fuze and transfer elements safe and moving the device to interim storage.
- Authorities had set a roughly 700‑metre Sperrkreis and evacuated about 6,500 people from care homes, schools, ministries and homes so specialists could secure the site.
- Potsdam Hauptbahnhof and regional S‑bahn, tram and bus services were suspended during the operation and resumed after the exclusion zone was lifted around 12:29 midday.
- Disposal crews found the bomb in poor condition, cleaned the fuze area, removed components and carried out a controlled detonation of zündübertragende Elemente when hand removal proved unsafe.
- The find is the 220th World War II munition located in Potsdam since 1990 and the third such operation this year, underscoring recurrent risks from historic ordnance during construction and searches.