During the later stages of the Second World War Traunstein was four times the target of U.S. Army Air Force aerial bombardment: on November 11, 1944, on January 21, 1945, on April 18, 1945, and finally on April 25, 1945. In April 1945 the heavy air raids destroyed much of the Traunstein station area, an event in which over 100 people died. A short time later, a death march with a few SS guards accompanied by 61 prisoners from the already-liberated Buchenwald concentration camp arrived; and on May 5th a massacre was carried out, resulting in 60 deaths, and only one survivor. Currently in Surberg lies a memorial commemorating their deaths. On May 3, 1945, the town surrendered without struggle.