Bombing of Cologne in World War II

The German city of Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raids by the Allies during World War II, all by the Royal Air Force (RAF). A total of 34,711 long tons (35,268 t) of bombs were dropped on the city causing 20,000 civilian casualties.

While air raid alarms had gone off in the winter and spring of 1940 as British bombers passed overhead, the first bombing took place on 12 May 1940. The attack on Cologne during the night from 30 to 31 May 1942 was the first thousand-bomber raid.