Bombing of Kassel in World War II

The Kassel World War II bombings were a set of Allied strategic bombing attacks which took place from February 1942 to March 1945. The fire of the most severe air raid burned for seven days, at least 10,000 people died, 150,000 inhabitants were bombed-out, and the vast majority of the city center was destroyed. The US First Army captured Kassel on 3 April 1945, where only 50,000 inhabitants remained, versus 236,000 in 1939.

Targets
As well as being the capital of the provinces of Hesse-Nassau & Kurhessen, Kassel had some important targets.
 * Fieseler aircraft plant
 * Henschel facilities, maker of the Tiger I and King Tiger heavy tanks
 * locomotive plant
 * engine plant
 * motor transport plant
 * railway works
 * Military HQs at Wehrkreis IX, and Bereich Hauptsitz Kassel
 * Central Germany HQ, highway & railway construction
 * Regional Supreme Court

External sources

 * RAF bombing of Kassel (October 1943)
 * USAAF bombing of Kassel (September 1944)