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How did Cologne’s population change by the end of World War II?

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Cologne The Hohenzollern rail and pedestrian bridge over the Rhine River, Cologne, Germany, with the city's cathedral in the background.

By the end of World War II, the population of Cologne had experienced a dramatic decline. After reaching a pre-war peak of 768,352 in 1939, the city’s population plummeted to 40,000 by March 1945, when the war effectively ended for the city following extensive destruction from air raids.1

However, the population began to recover almost immediately. By December 1945, the number of residents had risen to approximately 450,000 as the city began the process of clearance and reconstruction.1