Bombing of Mainz in World War II

The German city of Mainz was bombed in multiple air raids by the Allies during World War II by the Royal Air Force (RAF), as well as the United States Army Air Forces. These led to numerous victims and heavy damages throughout the city scape.

Overview of major air raids

 * Altstadt, Mombach (11/12 and 12/13 August 1942)
 * Bischofsheim (9 September 1942, autumn 1944, 13 und 27 January 1945, 27. February 1945)
 * Ginsheim (23/24 April 1944)
 * Gonsenheim (Kathen-Kaserne: 19 Oktober 1944)
 * Gustavsburg (particularly 9, 15 September 1944 and 27 Februar 1945)
 * Mainz-Kastel (particularly 8 September 1944)
 * Mainz-Kostheim (autumn 1944)
 * Mainz-Neustadt (11/12 und 12/13 August 1942, 20 December 1943, autumn 1944, 1 February and 27 February 1945)
 * Mainz-Weisenau (particularly 19 Oktober 1944, 1 February and 27 Februar 1945)

1939 to 1941
After the beginning of World War II only minor unguided aerial bombs, were delivered by the Royal Air Force during the first two years of the war. The first major British air raid took place on 13 September 1941 targeting Mainz Hauptbahnhof (Mainz main station). 22 people died during this attack, originally scheduled for Frankfurt am Main.

1942 to 1943
Until August 1942 only small air raids took place. On 11 August 1942 the RAF Bomber Command launched 158 British bombers for performing an operation targeting at Mainz in the framework of the Area Bombing Directive amended to the General Directive No.4, issued by the British Air Ministry on 5 February 1942. This directive determined the “European Theater of Operations” for the rest of the war. During the following night 200 tons of bombs were dropped, comprising the dangerous white phosphorus bombs. During the next night 133 aircraft attacked the city. Again approximately 180 tons of bombs were dropped. These bombs hit to a great extend the old city center and the Cathedral, but also parts of the town extension of the 1870ies, the Neustadt, and Mombach. St. Nikolaus church in Mombach, finalized with its bell tower in 1703, was destroyed by incendiary bombs. St. Stephen's Church was heavily damaged, die St. Johannis burnt out completely, the Invalidenhaus for the disabeled was ruined. Hundreds of people died in the flames. Nonetheless some quarters in the core city remained inhabitable. On 9 September 1942 allied bombers bombed Bischofsheim. The air defences of Mainz were aided by an anti-aircraft battery set up on the premises of today's University of Mainz.

1944
In the course of the year 1944 the intensity of the aerial warfare increased. A British emergency drop during the night of 23 to 24 April led to multiple fire in parts of Ginsheim. Through this the evangelic church was destroyed. In the autumn targeted attacks on the city accumulated. On 8 September Kastel was hit hard and again Gustavsburg on the 8th and 15 September. Parts of Kostheim were bombed on 8 September and Mainz-Weisenau on 19 Oktober. On the same day the Kathen barracks in Gonsenheim were destroyed by bombing and fire. Throughout the autumn, there were perpetual alerts for over-flying bombers.

On 18 December 1944 the railway infrastructure around Mainz became targeted. According to released operation reports of the US Army Air Force 157 four-engine heavy bombers Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress of the Eighth Air Force dropped 430,7 metric tons of explosive bombs from 27000 ft height in several waves during 01:45 to 01:59 pm. 89 people died.