The bridge of Remagen

Verfasst von RubinaBugge, Deutschland

53424 Remagen, Remagen, Deutschland

The bridge of Remagen was a railway bridge across the River Rhine in Germany between Remagen and Erpel designed by Mannheim architect Karl Wiener. It was built during WWI for military reasons to help deliver supplies to the German troops on the Western Front. Construction started in 1916 and the bridge was opened in 1919. It was 325 meters long with a clear height of 14.80 meters. The highest point of the bridge was 29.25 meters. There were two railway tracks and a walkway. The Ludendorff bridge was one of the most beautiful steel bridges across the Rhine.

On 7th March 1945, a vanguard under the lead of Lieutenant Karl H. Timmermann successfully conquered the bridge after the German defense failed on the blasting tests. This was the ,,Wonder of Remagen''. The German army command tried to bomb the bridge and also used undersea divers to have the bridge collapse. Strangely, the force of the explosion did not destroy the bridge which enabled the Allied Forces to cross the River Rhine. The German Wehrmacht constantly tried to destroy it.

On 17th March around 3 pm, the bridge finally collapsed killing 28 American soldiers. Only the bridge towers on both sides and parts of the access ramp are left.

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