Ludendorff Bridge

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Ludendorff Bridge

Ludendorff Bridge at March 11, 1945

Ludendorff Bridge at March 17, 1945 four hours before the collapse

Ludendorff Bridge at March 17, 1945 after the collapse

Ludendorff Bridge 1950

Ludendorff Bridge 2005

The Ludendorff Bridge was a railroad bridge across the Rhine in Germany, connecting the cities of Remagen and Erpel.

The bridge is famous for its capture by Allied forces in the Second World War. The bridge was an important strategic point in WWII because it was the only remaining bridge which led over the Rhine River into Germany and Berlin.

[edit] History

The bridge had been built in 1916 during the First World War to facilitate transport to the Western Front. Designed by Karl Wiener, it was 325 meters long, with two rail lines and a walkway. It was named for the German WWI general Erich Ludendorff, one of the bridge's proponents. This was one of the four bridges guarded during the US Third Army occupation at the end of World War I.

[edit] Captured

During Operation Lumberjack, on March 7, 1945, troops of the U.S. 9th Armored Division reached one of the two intact bridges over the Rhine (a railway bridge in Wesel (today NRW) was the other one), after German defenders failed to demolish it, despite several attempts. Sgt. Alexander A. Drabik of Holland, Ohio was the first American soldier to cross the bridge thereby becoming the first American soldier to cross the Rhine River into Germany. Lt. Karl Timmermann was the first officer over the bridge. By the Allies, this was hailed as the "Miracle of Remagen". General Eisenhower called the bridge "worth its weight in gold." It remained intact, but severely weakened, despite several further German efforts to destroy it. 8,000 men crossed it in the first 24 hours alone.

Hitler's reaction was to court-martial five officers, four of whom, Major Hans Scheller, Lieutenant Karl Heinz Peters, Major Herbert Strobel and Major August Kraft, were quickly executed. The fifth one, Captain Willi Bratge, was convicted and sentenced in absentia, having become an American prisoner of war by this time.

Ten days after its capture, the bridge collapsed, killing over 20 engineers working to strengthen the bridge. However, by then the Americans had established their position and had additional pontoon bridges in place.

A Hollywood film, The Bridge at Remagen was made in 1969. The surviving towers of the old bridge now house a museum.