Two World War bombs in Hohen Neuendorf and Oranienburg to be detonated – around 3,000 people must leave their homes

According to the authorities, a total of around 3,000 people are affected by the evacuation. In Borgsdorf, a district of Hohen Neuendorf, the radius of the exclusion zone is approximately 1,200 meters and affects around 2,500 residents. In addition, 414 other residents in the neighboring districts of Süd and Lehnitz in Oranienburg are affected.

Police and the municipal administration will check at 8:00 AM whether all residents have left the exclusion zone. Only when the zone is cleared can the detonation begin. As soon as the closure is lifted, sirens will sound, and the lifting of the closure will be announced on the municipal website and by personnel on site.

Impact on Rail and Road Traffic

Sensitive facilities are also located within the exclusion zone. For example, the garden center Pflanzenkölle and the Kita Krümelkiste daycare center in Hohen Neuendorf are within the danger area. These facilities had to be closed for the duration of the operation. The Borgsdorf S-Bahn station is also within the exclusion zone, which has significant implications for rail traffic.

Passengers on the S-Bahn line S1 will face considerable restrictions on this day. The scheduled stop in Borgsdorf in both directions will be canceled until 9:00 AM. From 9:00 AM until approximately 4:00 PM, no S-Bahn trains will run between Birkenwerder and Lehnitz. As a replacement, the railway is setting up a bus replacement service between Birkenwerder and Oranienburg from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, which will run without stopping in Borgsdorf and Lehnitz.

Road traffic is also affected by the closures. The federal highway B96 in the direction of and from Berlin, as well as between Lehnitz and Borgsdorf, will be interrupted. Specifically, the B96 in Oranienburg will be closed from Richard-Wagner-Straße to the Borgsdorf fire station. The closure of the district road between Lehnitz and Borgsdorf begins behind the Drosselweg entrance.

Support Services for Affected Citizens

For residents who cannot stay with relatives or friends during the closure, the municipalities have set up support centers. In Hohen Neuendorf, the Stadthalle (municipal hall) is available, and in Oranienburg, the Bürgerzentrum (community center). Affected individuals can stay there and will be provided for throughout the entire period of the closure.

Successful Detonation in Frankfurt (Oder)

Meanwhile, another unexploded ordnance find in Brandenburg has already been successfully concluded. In Lossow, a district of Frankfurt (Oder), an anti-tank mine from World War II had been found. According to the municipal administration, the controlled detonation was successful, the exclusion zone around the discovery site was lifted, and all traffic disruptions were cleared. Residents were able to return to their homes.

The authorities in Hohen Neuendorf and Oranienburg ask all affected citizens to follow the instructions of the emergency services and to strictly leave the exclusion zone. The measure is for the protection of the population, as a detonation could cause significant shockwaves and flying debris.