Hanover was an important railway junction and industrial centre, with major rubber and engineering works. Its position on routes leading eastwards also made it a frequent target of Allied bombing, particularly on:
12 May 1940,
2 February 1941,
10 February 1941,
23 September 1943,
27/28 September 1943,
9 October 1943,
19 October 1943,
5/6 January 1945
The most destructive raids took place on 27–28 September 1943, when almost 600 aircraft dropped more than 2,100 tons of bombs.
Less than two weeks later, on 8–9 October 1943, a further 1,600 tons of bombs were dropped. Around 250,000 people were left homeless, and air-raid shelters in the city became death traps. The two attacks killed 1,245 people according to the figures presented here.
The last major raid took place on 5–6 January 1945, when about 2,300 tons of bombs were dropped.
The city centre was almost completely destroyed and around two thirds of the suburban districts were devastated.
Air-raid instructions for the civilian population
