The Defusing of the German “34/35 cm Röchlinggranate 42 Be” Concrete Demolition Grenade Found in Hungary Using Water Jet Cutting Equipment

Abstract

Since the end of the war, rules and procedures have been established for the neutralization and disposal of known ordnance, which have made the work of bomb disposal experts safer. However, from time to time, explosive devices still emerge that challenge even the well-trained bomb disposal professionals. One such device was the German 34/35 cm Röchlinggranate 42 Be concrete-piercing grenade, which resurfaced in the late 1990s (hereinafter referred to as "Röchling grenade"). Successfully neutralizing this ordnance represented a task that spanned several generations of bomb disposal experts. This writing aims to present this special and rare projectile, as well as to describe its neutralization process.