Bombing of Mainz in World War II

During the first two years of World War II, the Royal Air Force conducted only minor raids on Mainz.

Other parts hit included the Neustadt and Mombach,[1] whose St. Nikolaus Church was destroyed by incendiary bombs.

A British emergency drop during the night of 23 to 24 April led to multiple fire in parts of Ginsheim.

[citation needed] On 13 and 27 January the Eighth Air Force bombed railway facilities in Bischofsheim and Gustavsburg.

[citation needed] A large-scale attack on Mainz was planned by RAF for 1 February, but the bombs missed their target and landed in the majority on the "Großberg" in Weisenau.

[citation needed] Between the hours of 16:29 and 16:45, 1,500 tons of bombs were dropped, hitting large areas of the Neustadt.

Weisenau, Gustavsburg, and Bischofsheim were also hit hard, and there were reports of burnt material from the raid as far as Gonsenheim.

Madonna sculptures were found in great numbers in Mainz; it was supposed to have had more than 200 of them before World War II.

The remaining Wehrmacht and Volkssturm units withdrew across the Rhine and the city surrendered without a fight to the Third US Army under General George S. Patton.