April 1945: The deadliest air attacks on Plzeň came at the end of WWII
April 1945 marked the final month of Allied bombing raids on Czechoslovakia. Among the targeted cities were Kladno, Chomutov, Karlovy Vary, and most notably Plzeň. In today’s episode of our series How did WWII end in the Czech lands?, we recall the last bombing raids on this West Bohemian city with historian Karel Foud.
Plzeň had been a consistent target of Allied attacks throughout the war due to the presence of the Škoda Works. From 1942 until its liberation in 1945, it was hit by around a dozen major air raids. The first of the final spate of attacks came on April 16, carried out by British RAF bombers flying in from the UK. Historian Karel Foud describes that day as the darkest in the city’s wartime history:
“The aircraft appeared over the city at around 3 a.m., targeting Plzeň’s main marshalling yard. At that time, both the British and the Americans were bombing transportation hubs in Western Bohemia, which were crucial to the advancing American ground forces. The aim was to disrupt rail transport of military personnel, materials, weapons, and ammunition. Around 222 four-engine Lancaster bombers took part in the raid. The marshalling yard and main railway station were lit up with illuminating flares, making the area visible as if it were daytime, according to witnesses from farther away.”
The bombs hit their target with devastating accuracy, destroying tracks, infrastructure, and buildings. Rail traffic was paralyzed for days. But the human cost was immense—more than 600 civilians died, not counting unknown numbers of refugees and military personnel caught in the trains and station area at the time.
The final air raid, on April 25, was aimed directly at the Škoda Works and became the last major Allied bombing operation in Europe during WWII. By then, American troops were already in the region, in towns like Cheb and parts of the Šumava mountains, and would reach Plzeň just ten days later. Many historians have since questioned whether the destruction of the Škoda plant was necessary. Karel Foud explains:
“One must understand that most bombings aimed at Plzeň from 1945 onward targeted the Škoda Works, which was one of the largest arms manufacturers in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. Up until April 25, 1945, the factory was still actively producing weapons. There were also repair shops functioning there. The key weapons produced were Hetzer tank destroyers and various artillery pieces, both under German license and Škoda designs. About 70% of the plant was destroyed or heavily damaged.”
So why bomb the Škoda Works so late, when American troops were already pushing into western Czechoslovakia? Karel Foud offers this explanation:
“American forces had been on our territory since April 18. The raid was ordered by the command of the American First Army and carried out by the Eighth Air Force. For them, it was also the last operational mission in Europe since they began service in England in 1942. At the time, the Americans still believed in the myth of the so-called Alpine Fortress. The Škoda Works was one of the few armament factories still functioning and supplying weapons. A theory later appeared—especially in the communist press—that the Americans bombed the factory to prevent it from falling into Soviet hands and potentially being used against the West. But this seems more like political spin.”
Plzeň was finally liberated on the morning of May 6, 1945, around 8 a.m., by American troops advancing through Western Bohemia, having already freed the towns of Klatovy and Domažlice. Marching in alongside them were Belgian soldiers. Historian Karel Foud sheds light on their role:
“The so-called 17th Belgian Fusilier Battalion was composed of Belgian volunteers, many from the resistance. After Belgium was liberated, they joined the Belgian Army and were attached to US units, particularly tank destroyer battalions. A group of them came to Plzeň with the 612th Tank Destroyer Battalion, which was part of the US 38th Infantry Regiment. They passed through Holýšov and eventually reached Plzeň.” Although the Belgian soldiers didn’t see direct combat in Plzeň, many veterans returned to the city in the post-war years—and their families continue to visit to this day. Towns like Holýšov still honour their legacy through memorials, plaques, and ceremonies.
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