▁refers ▁to ▁the ▁heavy ▁bomb ing ▁of ▁Nor wich ▁and ▁surrounding ▁area ▁by ▁the ▁German ▁Luft wa ffe ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁The ▁bomb ings ▁launched ▁on ▁numerous ▁British ▁cities ▁were ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Bl itz . ▁ ▁Initial ly ▁bom bed ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁Nor wich ▁was ▁subsequently ▁not ▁attacked ▁until ▁April ▁and ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁so - called ▁Ba ed ek er ▁ra ids , ▁in ▁which ▁targets ▁were ▁chosen ▁for ▁their ▁cultural ▁and ▁historical ▁value ▁and ▁not ▁as ▁a ▁strateg ic ▁or ▁military ▁target . ▁The ▁most ▁dev ast ating ▁of ▁these ▁attacks ▁occurred ▁on ▁the ▁evening ▁of ▁ 2 7 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁and ▁continued ▁again ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁April . ▁There ▁were ▁further ▁attacks ▁in ▁May ▁and ▁a ▁heavy ▁bomb ard ment ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁and ▁ 2 7 ▁June ▁in ▁which ▁Nor wich ▁C athedral ▁was ▁dam aged . ▁Nor wich ▁Castle , ▁the ▁City ▁Hall ▁and ▁the ▁Gu ild hall ▁escaped ▁while ▁many ▁resident ial ▁streets ▁were ▁destroyed . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Nor wich ▁suffered ▁extensive ▁bomb ▁damage ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁affect ing ▁large ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁city ▁centre ▁and ▁Victor ian ▁terra ce ▁housing ▁around ▁the ▁centre . ▁Indust ry ▁and ▁rail ▁infrastr ucture ▁also ▁suffered . ▁The ▁heav iest ▁ra ids ▁occurred ▁on ▁the ▁night s ▁of ▁ 2 7 / 2 8 ▁and ▁ 2 9 / 3 0