Dresden
DRESDEN
During the final months of the Second World War, Dresden harboured some 600,000 refugees, with a total population of 1.2 million.
Dresden was attacked seven times between 1944 and 1945, and was occupied by the Red Army after the German capitulation.[citation needed]The bombing of Dresden by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) between 13 and 15 February 1945 remains controversial. The inner city of Dresden was largely destroyed by 722 RAF and 527 USAAF bombers that dropped 2431 tons of high explosive bombs, and 1475.9 tons of incendiaries. The high explosive bombs damaged buildings and exposed their wooden structures, while the incendiaries ignited them, denying their use by retreating German troops and refugees.
With a pleasant location and a mild climate on the Elbe, as well as Baroque-style architecture and numerous world-renowned museums and art collections, Dresden has been called “Elbflorenz” (Florence of the Elbe).