The earth trembled, as if the whole city would be crushed. Dust and blasting clouds swirl and burst darkened the sky, walls, roof trusses were cut open, debris flying high in the air. Eerie small stones and clods of earth rained down on surrounding homes. The first wave was over. A brief respite. Then all hell breaks loose again. A rumble of giants such as drums, deafening and painful. The air shocks are horrible. Once a quiet moment – until the next carpet bombing. It is followed by several minutes, which are full of the hideous circles of invisible bombers. Then just one explosion after another. The shattering blows unheeded. The roar subsides.

Only thirteen minutes have passed – an eternity for all who had to live through it. The 43 enemy bombers have turned over and removed themselves. Because of the lack of good visibility, the “marshalling yards” by Olpe – supposedly the real target – are still intact. Their bombs had missed their target? The only result of their attack to register the squadron commanders the huge mushroom that breaks through the clouds at 3,000 meters. The inferno from this surprise attack triggers gruesome scenes, in the houses, in the bunkers. Some the fear of death has made mad. Others pray quietly to themselves. Only a few are brave enough to go against the general excitement, to tidy up the mess and prevent outbreaks of panic. The twon center shows great devastation. Windows, doors and solid walls were dented or torn out. Ceilings have fallen, smashed furniture and household items. Trees were uprooted and torn, bent poles. For miles around, there is no visibility. Supply cables and telephone lines were gone.

Everywhere death has harvested: under collapsing walls, inside burning buildings, on the way to the protective bunkers. Most people were exposed to the attack in the open air. Some were later struck down by time fuse bombs, shredded by shrapnel, killed by air pressure. In long rows of people lying moaning in the hallways of the hospital and the Upper Secondary School, because the space in the hospitals are no longer sufficient, many naked on the floor. At least 80 are seriously injured. The School is the center of terror and indescribable misery.

No fire water flows from the hydrants to fight the fires. It must be pumped from the mill trench. At about 12:30 clock, roars up low altitude fighter-bombers who fire from their guns and these machines dropped bombs with phosphorous munitions that kindled more fires in different places. Extreme heat also radiates the now burning Holterhoff fashion store, where plenty of food materials are stored. Soon the fires are in all corners of alarming proportions. The glow begins to heat the air much. Walls collapse. A shower of sparks rained out on the fire teams, often blocked on their the way to the fires by wreckage.

While working in the hard-hit streets, fire and rescue crews have to duck for cover from two or three fighter-bombers who circle above the city for seven minutes, hindering the rescue work by firing guns, finally dropping eight bombs on the barracks of the Russian camp. A small group of people escaped and, like rats, scurried through deserted houses stealing what the bombs have spared. That even the dead bodies are not spared the shameless behavior of these looters and grave robbers is one of the almost incomprehensible events of that day.