Duisburg, with one of Europe’s largest inland ports, was strategically important to the Ruhr’s heavy industry and raw-material supply. It was therefore subjected to repeated heavy bombing. The raids struck not only the port and industrial installations but also the city centre and residential districts.
A total of 299 major bomber operations or raids were recorded against Duisburg.
Particularly heavy raids included:
13 June 1941
2 June 1942 — 726 bombers
27 March 1943 — 455 bombers = 11 dead
9 April 1943 — 392 bombers = 36 dead
10 April 1943 — 109 bombers = 27 dead
13 March 1943 — 572 bombers = 272 dead
27 April 1943 — 557 bombers = 207 dead
21 May 1944
15 Oktober 1944
1 December 1944
8 December 1944
18 December 1944
22 February 1945
The historic centre of Duisburg and about half of the remaining urban area were destroyed. Operation Hurricane on 15 October 1944 alone caused around 3,000 deaths according to the figures given here.
On 21 March 1945, General Eisenhower warned civilians by radio to leave several Ruhr cities that were about to become combat zones; Duisburg was among those named. In the following days, low-flying aircraft continued to attack transport and movement in and around the ruins.
The total number of bombing deaths in Duisburg is given here as 5,730.
