Bombing of Hildesheim in World War II

The German city of Hildesheim, about 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Hanover, was the target of eight Allied air raids in 1944 and 1945 and suffered considerable bomb damage.

"[2]: i, 356 However, a branch of the United German Metalworks (Vereinigte Deutsche Metallwerke, or VDM) named VDM-Halbzeugwerke in the town produced aircraft parts for constant speed propellers, landing gear and aircraft engines, others were producing fuzes and tank parts (Senking-Factory), torpedoes (Ahlborn AG) and rubber products such as lifejackets and inflatable dinghies (Wetzell Gummiwerke).

In the Hildesheim forest southwest of the city a subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH with the code name "ELFI" (Elektro- und Feinmechanische Industrie, Electrical and Precision Engineering Industry; from 1942 to 1952: Trillke-Factory) manufactured starters, generators and other components for truck and tank engines.

A few bombs hit Südstadt, a residential area in the southern part of the city where one house was destroyed and five heavily damaged.

[3] As part of the Allied Operation Clarion (destruction of German traffic centres in smaller cities) the marshalling yard in Hildesheim was targeted in the afternoon of February 22, 1945.

A total of 583 explosive bombs were dropped on Oststadt, a residential area in the eastern part of the city.

While the marshalling yard was hit hard again and disabled for several days, the bombers missed VDM and instead bombed the Senking metal works, destroying the factory.

British and Canadian bomber aircraft were ordered "to destroy built up area with associated industries and railway facilities.

[6] Almost 74% of the buildings in Hildesheim were destroyed or damaged during the attack, including nearly the entire historical city centre.

Although the famous historic centre had little military significance, two months before the end of the war in Europe it was chosen to be destroyed in order to shatter the will to defend as part of the area bombing directive.

In the fall of 2007, a decision was made to reconstruct the Upended Sugarloaf (Umgestülpter Zuckerhut), an iconic half-timbered house famous for its unusual shape.