“Never forget” echoes here at the Grabfeld der Bombenopfer. This is a memorial to the victims of the air raids on Mainz. It stands as a solemn reminder of a dark chapter in the city’s history. The Grabfeld der Bombenopfer is dedicated to those who perished during the bombings of World War II.
Mainz suffered greatly during the war. The Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Forces conducted multiple air raids. These attacks caused immense destruction and loss of life. The old town was destroyed in 1942.
The air raid on February 27, 1945, was particularly devastating. 435 RAF bombers dropped over 1,500 tons of bombs on the Neustadt area. The memorial here at the Grabfeld der Bombenopfer is made of red sandstone. It bears the date of the attack. A relief depicts a man holding a dead woman amidst rubble. In the background, Mainz burns. St Peter’s Church is identifiable by its onion-shaped towers. The artist included bomber planes. Oddly, they resemble a modern passenger airliner.
Victims of the air raids on Mainz are buried near the Grabfeld der Bombenopfer. Among them are some of the 1,209 citizens killed on February 27, 1945. Many others are buried in the Waldfriedhof at Mombach. The British Air Ministry issued the Area Bombing Directive in February 1942. This directive ordered attacks on German cities and their civilian inhabitants.
The first major British air raid on Mainz occurred on September 13, 1941. The target was Mainz Hauptbahnhof. Twenty-two people died in that attack. On August 11, 1942, 158 bombers attacked Mainz. They dropped 200 tons of bombs. White phosphorus bombs were used. The next night, 133 aircraft dropped approximately 180 tons of bombs. The old city center and Mainz Cathedral were hit. St. Nikolaus Church was destroyed by incendiary bombs. St. Stephen’s Church was heavily damaged.
In 1944, the bombing intensified. On December 18, 1944, the Allies targeted railway infrastructure. 157 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses dropped 430.7 metric tons of bombs. Eighty-nine people died. On February 27, 1945, the RAF sent 435 bombers to attack Mainz. They dropped 1,500 tons of bombs. The old arsenal, St. Joseph, and St. Boniface were destroyed.
By March 22, 1945, 80 percent of Mainz was destroyed. The city surrendered to the Third US Army under General George S. Patton. The Grabfeld der Bombenopfer serves as a reminder of the horrors of war. It also symbolizes the resilience of the human spirit. It is a place for reflection. It is a place for remembrance.