I know it’s a specific question.
My Oma (1930-2016), lived in Hannover from 1930-1950. She has a haunting story about the air raid that destroyed her section of East Hannover (just BARELY north of Kleefeld), where she and her family fled through the burning streets in search of shelter. The story is long, it may be a story for another time and place.
She said that she was carrying her infant baby sister (born May 1944), and feared she was going to die from smoke inhalation.
But from what I’ve read (maybe like 3 hours of real searching for answers, truthfully), there were no air raids in Hannover after 1943.
So now I’m trying to figure out if maybe she was in a different place during that time.
I’m just trying to establish a link between documented historic accounts from, idk, military or government sources and my family history.
If this is an inappropriate question for this sub, please kindly let me know. I’m trying to understand more about the lives of my dear German grandparents. It’s important to me.
Thank you, and I appreciate any and all informational answers.
There were several raids over 1944-45; from the USAAF Combat Chronology ( https://www.afhra.af.mil/Portals/16/documents/Studies/101-150/AFD-090529-036.pdf ) the largest in that time frame were 5th August 1944 (“1,062 HBs [Heavy Bombers] strike Magdeburg-Brunswick-Hannover region”), 22nd October 1944 (“More than 1,000 HBs attack 2 military vehicle plants at Brunswick and Hannover, 2 M/Ys [Marshalling Yards] at Hamm and Munster, and 11 T/Os [Targets of Opportunity]”), 26th October 1944 (“Over 1,100 HBs attack synthetic oil plant at Bottrop, ordnance and storage depot at Bielefeld, aircraft repair works and M/Y at Munster, military vehicle plant near Hannover, aqueduct and Mittelland Canal at Minden, and other tgts including city of Hannover”), 26th November 1944 (“ 1,000-plus B-17’s and B-24’s bomb rail viaducts at Altenbeken and Bielefeld, Misburg oil refinery, M/Ys at Hamm, Osnabruck, Hannover, Gutersloh, Bielefeld, and Herford, and 7 T/Os.”), 15th December 1944 (“Around 650 HBs strike Hannover M/Y, Kassel tank factories and M/Y, and 9 T/Os”), 14th March 1945 (“ 1,188 HBs hit 3 tank and armored vehicle plants, 2 oil refineries, 2 M/Ys (all in the Hannover area), M/Ys at Gutersloh, Holzwickede, Giessen, Osnabruck, and Hameln, 2 rail bridges and a M/Y near Herford, road bridge near Minden, and jet castings plant at Hildesheim”) and 28th March 1945 (“Nearly 900 HBs attack tank factory and armament plant in Berlin, tank plant, M/Y, and city area at Hannover, and numerous other tgts including Stendal and Minden”).
RAF Bomber Command also launched night raids; Hannover was a frequent target for small numbers (20-80) of Mosquito light bombers, more significantly there was a heavy attack on 5th/6th January 1945 (664 aircraft, destroying 493 buildings and killing 250). 275 aircraft also attacked Hannover on 25th March 1945. (Figures from Middlebrook & Everitt’s Bomber Command War Diaries)
Bigglesworths comment is a great overview: just a modern tip. There are pretty strict building codes around these areas and any digging you want to do (if your family still owns the land it will lead you to a pretty thorough check). It is not called exactly this but there is an Amt für kampfmittelbeseitigung in Niedersachsen and they do have extensive charts of bombings, your Bauamt can point you that direction. You probably need a real building project though and they won't just provide research for fun.
Edit: https://www.lgln.niedersachsen.de/startseite/kampfmittelbeseitigung/luftbildauswertung/kampfmittelbeseitigungsdienst-niedersachsen-163427.html (You need to check with them or a similar service if you build near a known bombing site)