Unexploded bomb scare for SA visitor

Andre Neveling's friend said: "Welcome to Germany."

This was after the South African was ordered out of his hotel room on Sunday morning after staying a night in Frankfurt.

Bomb experts defused a massive bomb dating back to the World War 2 discovered last week on a building site in Westend. More than 1000 emergency service personnel helped clear the area.

About 60000 people were told to leave their homes by 8am. Police cordoned off a 1.5km radius around the bomb.

More than 2000t of live bombs are discovered every year in Germany.

British and US warplanes dropped about 1.5-million tons of bombs on Germany, killing about 600,000 people. The German government estimates that 15% of the bombs failed to explode.

Neveling said the evacuation alarm at the Hilton Hotel went off 30 minutes earlier than expected.

"We were out of that room so quickly. We did not take anything. We just jumped out of bed."

According to Neveling, the hotel doors of patrons who did not want to evacuate their rooms were taken off their hinges.

Hilton Hotel patrons were offered temporary accommodation at the Hilton Garden Inn, close to Frankfurt Airport, but Neveling decided to roam the city.

"It was a bit traumatic to have a night out, getting little sleep and then suddenly you are on the streets. It was a difficult day. You walk from coffee shop to coffee shop," he said.

"You just try to stay awake and enjoy a German beer every hour."

Neveling said the local radio station kept listeners up to date about the detonation.

"A lot of people gathered in pubs and coffee shops. Everyone knew what was going on and kept each other informed."

He said that when the hotel's guests returned they were offered sparkling wine at the door.

"I think they were trying to say 'Sorry'."