The Ramifications of Armed Conflicts - The majority of explosives discovered in the northern region are usually uncovered in Kiel.
Almost 20 explosive devices weighing more than 50 kilograms from World War II get neutralized annually by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team in Schleswig-Holstein. Around half of these bombs are detected in the state's capital, Kiel, as per the words of Oliver Kinast, an expert in bomb disposal with the Schleswig-Holstein Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit. Besides these, other types of bombs like phosphorus bombs also get discovered but seldom necessitate defusing.
Rare incidents during construction
Most bombs are found through planned explosive ordnance disposal operations; they are rarely uncovered during construction work, Kinast revealed. Owing to this, no undetonated munitions have been stumbled upon during the past seven years, provided the area was bombed during the war.
Additionally, there's a strong possibility that undetonated ordnance may be buried beneath sites that were reconstructed post-war. This premise is bolstered by the fact that bombing site images, which became public knowledge in the late 1980s, were previously classified as military secrets. Furthermore, not all finds during and after the war were logged.
The fuse is of utmost importance
If an unearthed find doesn't turn out to be an old engine or an antique barrel, but instead, a bomb, the type of unexploded ordnance and its fuse are identified first. The sort of fuse typically decides whether an aerial bomb can be disarmed or necessitates detonation.
In cases where the unexploded ordnance has to be disarmed on-site, the procedures are adjusted depending on the location of the find to keep damages at a minimum, Kinast emphasized. For instance, a blast shield is erected, containers are placed, or water bags are used to retain fragments and curb the blast wave's impact.
In total, over 40,000 high-explosive, 500,000 incendiary bombs, and 900 aerial mines were dropped over the state capital, Kiel, throughout the Second World War.
Other types of munitions, such as cluster bombs, have also been found but require specialist equipment for safe disposal. Despite extensive efforts, there might be other undiscovered bombs still hidden in the soil of Kiel and other parts of Schleswig-Holstein.
Additionally, the process of identifying and categorizing unexploded ordnance also involves determining if it's an other type of explosive device, like a delayed-action bomb or a booby trap.
