CHAPTER ONE
Remagen’s Background
The Romans established the original settlement on the west bank of the Rhine. Drusus, commander of the Army of the Rhine, built over fifty forts along the river between 16BC and 12BC to protect the Empire from marauding tribes. One fort was Ricomagus, a crossing point situated where the river sweeps gracefully past the foot of Erpeler Ley, a huge basalt outcrop. The settlement dealt with trade heading into and out of Gaul for over five hundred years, before the disintegration of the Roman Empire in the face of the Huns, forced an evacuation from the Rhineland.
The Rhine witnessed turbulent times over the centuries that followed and future settlers on the banks of the river faced invasion and occupation by a succession of warring tribes. Despite setbacks the town continued to thrive as a significant crossing over the Rhine. Although the end of the Dark Ages signified a new period of peace a new conflict, the Thirty Years War, marked the start of a series of raids on the town. Between 1631 and 1633 ninety per cent of the town was razed to the ground as Swedish Troops engaged Imperial and Spanish soldiers in a struggle for southwest Germany. At the turn of the Seventeenth Century large parts of Remagen were again destroyed as British and French Armies waged war during the Wars of the Spanish Succession. A century later Napoleon’s soldiers exacted their revenge on the inhabitants of Remagen before they were driven back by Russian troops. Each time, the people of the town returned to the west bank of the Rhine to rebuild their homes.
By the turn of the twentieth century the town had developed into a fashionable resort, relying on its charming position to attract tourists to the area. Many flocked to Remagen to take advantage of the fantastic views along the river, or to use the town as a base for walking holidays in the Rhineland.
In 1914 Europe was once again plunged into turmoil as the Allies and Central Powers clashed at the start of the Great War. During the build up to the world conflict, German military planners had recognised the need for additional crossings over the Rhine. Although the river had acted as a defensive barrier in the past, it would restrict the volume of traffic required to transport troops from Central Germany into France and Belgium. Three bridges were planned to accommodate the rapidly expanding rail network connecting Germany’s border regions, the Saar and the Eifel. Despite the advice given by the military, construction of a new rail link across the Rhine at Remagen was postponed indefinitely.
Although Germany’s military plan for war, the Schlieffen Plan, was designed to knock France out within a matter of weeks, by mid-September 1914 a series of setbacks found the German Armies in full retreat. Following the Battle of the Marne and the so-called Race to the Sea that followed, Germany found itself on the defensive in the West. The Central Powers were fighting a two front war, requiring an efficient cross-country rail network to keep men and materials flowing to the front. Faced with this new strategic situation, General Erich von Ludendorff, the German Chief of Staff, resurrected part of the pre-war construction plan and sanctioned the building of two new river crossings; a road bridge in the city of Cologne and a rail bridge at the town of Remagen.
Design work began immediately on the Remagen project, a rail link connecting the Ruhr and the Ahr valley. A series of natural obstacles would test the chosen architect, Karl Wiener, to his limits. The Rhine, a fast flowing river over three hundred and fifty metres wide, was only one of three problems faced by the engineers. Wiener proposed a symmetrical three span bridge, supported by two piers in the river. The deck had to be fifteen metres above water level to give adequate clearance for passing river traffic. It meant that a railway viaduct had to be built on the west bank, to carry the railway across the river valley. The construction team on the east side of the river faced a completely different obstacle. Erpeler Ley, the steep rocky outcrop, rose one hundred and seventy five metres above the river. A short tunnel had to be driven through the basalt, so that the rail link could connect with the direct line from Bonn to Frankfurt.
Remagen’s position on the banks of the Rhine ensured continuing prosperity for its population.
Construction work commenced in 1916 and for two years the people of Remagen looked on as the structure began to grow. The engineering teams progressed as quickly as possible and with limitless funds of money available, the project was finished on time. The bridge carried twin rail tracks across the Rhine and pedestrian walkways flanked the tracks. It meant that the inhabitants of Remagen and Erpel would be able to cross the river without having to rely on the ferry.
Although the bridge had been designed primarily for military traffic, the local residents were please to note that it was sympathetic to the eye. The central span, measuring over one hundred and seventy metres wide, took the form of a bowstring arch, two smaller spans, each one over one hundred metres wide, connected the piers to the riverbanks. Twin turreted towers stood on each bank, guarding the approaches to the bridge, and although they looked like architectural features to the casual observer, they were designed as guard towers. Each tower was capable of housing dozens of men and gun embrasures in the turret walls would make sure that no one could capture the bridge without a fight. A battalion of men could live in the towers and, if necessary, fight from any of the three storeys. Lookout platforms at the top of each tower made sure that the garrison could see an enemy approaching from miles away. Tunnels beneath the tracks, connecting each pair of towers, completed the formidable bastions.
The architect had been instructed to incorporate a further defensive feature in his design, in case there was a danger that the bridge could fall into enemy hands. The two bridge piers were built as hollow shells, complete with demolition chambers. Several tonnes of explosives could be installed at the base of the piers in case it came under attack. Electrical circuits, protected by steel tubing, had been included so engineers would be able to detonate the bridge from the safety of the rail tunnel beneath the Erpeler Ley.
The rail connection was finally completed in 1918 at the same time as a new road bridge in Cologne, forty kilometres downstream. A dual dedication ceremony followed and the two new crossings were named in honour of the military partnership responsible for leading the German Army; the Hindenburg Bridge at Cologne and the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen. Although rail traffic was soon speeding across the bridge, it had no effect on the outcome of the war and a few months later, on 11 November 1918, the Armistice was declared. Before long the first troops of the American Expeditionary Force crossed the bridge on their way into the heart of Germany.
American troops cross the Ludendorff Bridge in December 1918. Friedensmuseum
Thousands more Allied troops had crossed before the Rhineland was handed over to French control in 1919. The French authorities were concerned that saboteurs might try to destroy the rail bridge and their engineers filled the demolition chambers, built as an integral part of the piers, with concrete. During the 1920s deep economic depression across Germany reduced the flow of trains across the bridge to a bare minimum. Businesses could rarely pay to transport their goods by rail and few people could afford to travel by train. For years the bridge stood virtually idle, reduced to little more than a footbridge connecting Remagen with the east bank of the Rhine.
General Ludendorff. The bridge at Remagen was named in his honour.
As Germany’s fortunes turned in the 1930s, rail traffic across the Ludendorff Bridge increased dramatically. Large numbers of troops were transported west during the reoccupation of the Rhine land in 1936, at the start of Germany’s expansion across Europe. Rearmament of the Germany Army meant that the Ludendorff Bridge was, once again, being used for its original purpose.
In 1938, as the political situation with France deteriorated, German engineers took steps to prepare the bridge for an emergency demolition. The ‘sabotage’ carried out by their French counterparts in filling in the demolition chambers called for a new approach. It was impractical to remove the concrete from the chambers inside the piers so, instead, the engineers took steps to prepare the superstructure for demolition.
The engineers installed a series of zinc-lined containers on key structural members. If the need arose explosive charges could be placed in the protective boxes ready for detonation. The ignition wiring was laid in steel tubing to protect the cables from accidental damage and a system of circuit testers was installed so that regular checks could be carried out on the wiring. An additional manual system was installed as a back up to the main circuitry. Primer cords, that could be ignited by hand, were on standby in case the electrical system failed. Nothing had been left to chance. The guards billeted at the bridge could destroy the rail crossing with the minimum of preparation.
Sightseeing along the Rhine between the wars. Schleef/Friedensmuseum
As businesses flourished under the National Socialists there were concerns that a new autobahn, connecting Bonn and Koblenz, would ruin the charm of the town. The local population were pleased to see that the planners eventually routed the highway around the outskirts of Remagen. Dr Hans Kemming assumed the role of Burgomaster in 1932 and immediately took steps to improve facilities in the town for visiting tourists. His main project was a new riverside promenade to allow visitors to enjoy the views along the Rhine in safety.
However, while the 1930s brought prosperity to many, it was the start of a life of deprivation and fear for some inhabitants of the town. The rise of National Socialism and the wave of anti-Semitism that followed introduced a series of laws aimed at restricting the Jewish community. Businessmen were forced to hand over their properties for a fraction of their value or face deportation to one of the many labour camps springing up across the country. The burning of Remagen’s synagogue in November 1938 during Kristallnacht, a night of destruction and humiliation sanctioned by the National Socialists, signified the start of an exodus of the Jewish community.
The Bridge Security Company during the first winter of the war. Stang/Friedensmuseum
Remagen during the war
Although the Rhine crossings received little attention during the early stages of the war, there was a need to maintain a military presence at the bridges. 2/12th River Security Company, led by Feldwebel Jakob Kleebach, manned Remagen Bridge from the outbreak of war, and spent their time monitoring traffic across the river. In the summer of 1943 the VI Military District, an organisation responsible for internal security, took steps to increase the number of troops based along the Rhine. The 3rd Battalion of the 12th Territorial Regiment was allocated the stretch of river between Bonn and Koblenz and Company 12, under the command of forty-eight year old Hauptmann Karl Friesenhahn, was given responsibility for the Ludendorff Bridge. Friesenhahn, a veteran of the First World War, had been discharged from the Army after he had been wounded for the third time. He was recalled during the build up to the Second World War and given command of a non-combat unit.
The Allied landings in Normandy in June 1944 meant that there was a need for increased security along the Rhine. The 80th Infantry Replacement and Training Battalion was formed in Koblenz, and one of its companies was stationed at Remagen. The commander, forty-year old Hauptmann Willi Bratge, had served as an army training officer in the Reichswehr and had been recalled as a reservist as Germany prepared to invade Poland. He saw active service in Poland and France and after a brief period as a training officer, returned to the front line. Bratge was seriously wounded in Russia and on his recovery he was given a non-combat role.
Hauptmann Karl Friesenhahn, bridge Commandant, and his wife.
Hauptmann Willi Bratge
The men under Captain Bratge were convalescing soldiers, and during their stay at Remagen many made daily visits to the local hospitals to have their dressings replaced. Although Bratge tried to take steps to build defensive works around the bridge, his work was frustrated by the lack of supplies and active men. Over the winter months Captain Bratge managed to build a series of outposts along the Victoriasberg heights west of the town. He also set up a guardroom in the Waldberg Hotel overlooking Remagen, so that his men could keep in contact with his headquarters at St Anne’s Convent in the town. Following the Allied breakout from Normandy in August 1944 Remagen was suddenly thrust into the spotlight when United States Air Force planners were ordered to target the German rail network. The Ludendorff Bridge was an ideal target; if the bombers managed to destroy the bridge it would seriously restrict the flow of men and supplies across the Rhine.
Throughout September, the Ninth US Air Force carried out a series of daylight bombing raids on the rail crossings at Düsseldorff, Cologne, Remagen and Koblenz. The VI Military District responded by deploying engineering units to maintain and repair the bridges along the Rhine. Although it was difficult to hit a target as small as a bridge, hopes were raised on 19 October when US 36th Bombing Group reported that it had destroyed the Ludendorff Bridge. Reconnaissance photographs later showed the bridge had only suffered superficial damage and within two weeks the German 103rd Railway Engineer Company and a company of the 1st Technical Battalion had managed to reopen it for rail traffic.
Flak units were deployed on the heights to defend the bridge and although the majority possessed light 37mm and 20mm AA guns, the 1/535th Heavy Railway Detachment provided the backbone of the anti-aircraft defences. A company of artillerymen armed with smoke generators was also deployed around the bridge.
Although the bombers had little success in hitting the bridge itself, many bombs fell in and around the town. as a consequence the inhabitants of Remagen came to despise the structure. The majority of the men folk had already left to fight at the front, and women, children and elderly left behind had to adapt to a frightening daily routine. After spending the morning queuing for rationed food, many fled into the hills and woods to escape the afternoon bombing raids. Once the all clear had sounded the town once more came alive, as the population returned to clear up the rubble, hoping that their own home had survived. Despite the danger of living in what amounted to a target zone, some refused to leave the town. Over the course of the winter of 1944/45 over sixty inhabitants of Remagen lost their lives in the raids.
In November, the US Air Force changed tactics, targeting railway junctions and Sinzig rail junction, three miles south of Remagen, was attacked a number of times. Although there appeared to be no chance of permanently severing the rail link by bringing the bridge down, continued raids succeeded in severely disrupting the flow of traffic through the Ahr valley. Following the German offensive in the Ardennes during December, the Allied planners turned their attention to the Rhine crossings once more. The people of Remagen faced a bleak Christmas as the bombers renewed their efforts to destroy the bridge. Finally, during a raid on 29 December, several bombs caused extensive damage to the viaduct and although the superstructure was unharmed, engineers estimated that it would take several weeks to repair the damage.
Throughout the winter Hauptmann Bratge’s men were recalled to the front line as soon as they were deemed fit for active service and although the 105th Convalescent Battalion sent replacements, by February 1945 the company strength had dwindled to a few dozen men. At the beginning of the month a new flak battery, the 3/900th Flak Training and Test Battery arrived at Erpel. First Lieutenant Karl Peters’ battery was armed with experimental rocket launchers, known as Föhngeräte and as the batteries deployed on the slopes above the village, they raised considerable interest among the rest of the flak crews in the area.
The temporary repairs to the damaged viaduct. US SC NARA/Friedensmuseum
The people of Remagen watched the increase of military traffic in the area and few doubted that, before long, their town would be in the battle zone. Meanwhile, the Allies were planning their new offensive and the problem uppermost in the their minds was, how to cross the Rhine.