In the past few years, many WWII bombs have been found in Budapest and its vicinity: at BAH intersection, Bozsik Stadium, and near Budafok in the river Danube. Bomb-disposal experts blew four of them up near their depot of Tatárszentgyörgy on 30th July 2019.
“The biggest one’s explosion literally shook the soil under us.”
– Bence Szokolay, a journalist of Origo said in his report.
“We met our colleagues at the local church of Dabas and headed right into the nearby forest in a convoy. We were informed about today’s programme at a hunting lodge, and then we were taken to the explosion site by bus. We saw three huge pits, surrounded by military cordons and guarded by soldiers. There were four bombs placed in those pits.”
Photo: Veronika Dévényi
There were two Soviet bombs in the first pit, found at Vörösmarty Square in April: the “concrete destroyer” and the “destroyer bomb”- both of them above 100 kilogrammes.
The English destroyer bomb, weighing 250 kilogrammes, was placed into the second pit. It was also found and deactivated in April near Bozsik Stadium.
The third bomb was the biggest of all. The American destroyer bomb, weighing 1 tonne, was found in the river Danube on the 23rd of March.
“After checking out the bombs, they took us to a safe place in the middle of a field, to a tent. A press conference was held there, and they told us everything about the bombs and the dangers they carry. They also explained how the disposal operation was prepared and would be carried out and how it affected people living nearby.”
Photo: Veronika Dévényi
A military ambulance car was called there just in case, and the preparation for the explosions began. There was long, intense waiting before them, and then the first order was shouted: Ignition! In the next moment, the first trench exploded.
First, the two 100-kilogramme soviet bombs were detonated.
Photo: Veronika Dévényi
The British 250-kilogramme bomb followed.
Photo: Veronika Dévényi
Finally, the American 1-tonne bomb was detonated with the biggest smoke cloud, shaking the ground in the surrounding area. It could be felt even 1 kilometre away. It seemed like a volcano eruption, so it was a very spectacular view to see.
Photo: Veronika Dévényi
The explosion of the American bomb created a 9-meter deep crater.
Photo: Veronika Dévényi
One of the bomb-disposal experts noted:
“Just imagine the destruction that such a bomb could cause in a populated area.”
Zita Markovics, spokesperson of the experts, informed Origo that such explosions are regularly made every 2-3 weeks – not publicly, of course.
