Unravelling the Past: The Persisting Peril of WWII Chemical Fuses
"Chemical Ignition Over Time Pose the Major Threat"
In the sprawling realm of our ever-evolving world, Berlin, the German capital, remains a treasure trove of history. Buried deep beneath its streets and parks lies a relic of the past, a time marked by conflict, strife, and destruction — World War II ordnance, or as they're popularly known, "Blindgängers."
Matthias Kotulla, a grizzled, 56-year-old police bomb expert, has a seemingly never-ending count of innocent lives he's saved from these remnants of a bygone era. Whether it's bombs, grenades, or other explosives, this family man has dedicated a significant portion of his life to defusing these WWII relics, surfacing in Berlin since 2008.
The ground is peppered with these ordnances, eighty years after the war's end. The bomb disposal service in Berlin alone experiences an average of two to three deployments daily, unearthing these hidden perils of yesteryears.
But what makes these Blindgängers more dangerous as the sands of time march onwards?
The Chemical Long-term Fuse: A Time Bomb Ticking Away
At its core, a chemical long-term fuse is a delicate mechanical contraption, typically composed of a spring-tensioned firing pin and plastic that binds both components together. Over time, this plastic hardens, becoming brittle and prone to cracking under even minimal pressure. Once cracked, the force of the spring could propel the firing pin towards the percussion cap — igniting the fuse and detonating the ordnance.
Recognizing these munitions can be tricky for laypeople, as their external features may vary wildly. However, it's crucial to remember that all munitions share a common trait: they have explosives and a fuse. And that's where the real danger lies.
These munitions, once thought redundant, still pose a significant threat, decentred by age and entangled in the intricacies of corrosion, crystallization, and mechanical stress. Despite advancements in defusal technology, the task remains laborious and fraught with danger, with defusing becoming more complicated as the bombs age.
A Dance with Danger: The Stealthy Detonations
For Matthias Kotulla, the greatest danger comes from the chemical time fuses, a ticking time bomb whose peril grows over time. Unlike other fuses, the condition of a chemical time fuse can't be easily assessed from the outside. After decades of aging, these bombs can detonate spontaneously at any moment. And with an average of one to two spontaneous detonations per year in Germany, there's no room for complacency.
But fear isn't something that grips our experts when faced with an incident. Instead, they maintain a calculated, measured cool, an unyielding respect for the task ahead. As Kotulla eloquently puts it, fear can lead to uncontrollable reactions, which is the last thing he and his team need in this dangerous dance with death.
As we journey through the annals of history, it's important to remember that the past is rarely truly past, especially when it's buried beneath our feet. The exploration, extraction, and defusal of WWII ordnance remain a vital part of preserving our shared history—a tangible reminder of a time that once shook the world to its very core.
- After decades of aging, the chemical time fuses, a component of World War II ordnances, can detonate spontaneously without any warning signs, posing a significant danger.
- The common trait of all munitions, whether old or new, is that they contain explosives and a fuse, making them potentially hazardous for people who encounter them.
- Despite advancements in defusal technology, removing and defusing World War II ordnances, known as "Blindgängers," continues to be a laborious and dangerous task, as the bombs become increasingly complex with age.
- To mitigate the risks associated with chemical time fuses, police bomb experts like Matthias Kotulla maintain a calculated focus and unyielding respect for the task at hand, recognizing that fear can lead to uncontrollable reactions.
