World War II: The German town of Pforzheim is annihilated in a raid by 379 British bombers.
During the latter stages of World War II, Pforzheim, a town in southwestern Germany, was bombed several times. The largest raid, one of the most devastating area bombardments of the war, was carried out by the Royal Air Force (RAF) on the evening of February 23, 1945. Some 17,600 people, or 31.4% of the town's population, were killed. About 83% of the town's buildings were destroyed, two-thirds of the complete area of Pforzheim and between 80% and 100% of the inner city.
Pforzheim (German pronunciation: [ˈpfɔʁtshaɪm] (listen)) is a city of over 125,000 inhabitants in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, in the southwest of Germany.
It is known for its jewelry and watch-making industry, and as such has gained the nickname "Goldstadt" ("Golden City"). With an area of 97.8 km2 (38 sq mi), it is situated between the cities of Stuttgart and Karlsruhe at the confluence of three rivers (Enz, Nagold and Würm). It marks the frontier between Baden and Württemberg, being located on Baden territory. From 1535-65, it was the home to the Margraves of Baden-Pforzheim.The City of Pforzheim does not belong to any administrative district (Kreis), although it hosts the administrative offices of the Enz district that surrounds the town.During World War II, Pforzheim was bombed by the Allies a number of times. The largest raid, and one of the most devastating area bombardments of World War II, was carried out by the Royal Air Force (RAF) on the evening of 23 February 1945.Nearly one third of the town's population, 17,600 people, were killed in the air raid, and about 83% of the town's buildings were destroyed. The Allies believed that precision instruments were being produced here for use in the German war effort and that the town was a transport centre for the movement of German troops.The story of the bombardment is dramatically recounted in the history by Giles Milton, titled Wolfram: The Boy Who Went To War (2011).
From 1945-48, Pforzheim (after the initial French occupation) was administered by the United States military and was part of the then-new state of Württemberg-Baden.
In the twenty years following the end of the war, Pforzheim was gradually rebuilt. The town reflects the architecture of the postwar period and has some landmark buildings of the 1950s.