Remagen
The Roman Empire constructed a border fort at Rigomagus west of the Rhine river. This structure stood about 12 miles north of Neuwied where Caesar's troops built their first bridge across the water. Drusus commanded the Roman army along this stretch and ordered multiple forts to be built in the region. Remagen appears on the 4th century Peutinger Map as one of many surviving Roman constructions. A local legend from 1164 describes a ship carrying relics from Milan to Cologne stopping in the river. The vessel could not move against the strong current until it mysteriously edged toward the shore. Saint Apollinaris remains were put ashore and interred in a chapel that was part of the original Roman fort. That chapel became the basis for a church bearing his name which has been rebuilt several times over the centuries.
U.S. Army's 9th Armored Division reached the Ludendorff Bridge during Operation Lumberjack on the 7th of March 1945. German defenders had failed to demolish the structure leaving it the only one of 22 road and railroad bridges still standing. Karl Wiener designed the bridge originally during World War I to move troops and logistics west over the Rhine. It measured 300 meters long with a clearance of 18 meters above normal water levels. The highest point of the bridge reached 25 meters above the river surface. Allied high commander Dwight Eisenhower altered his plans after seeing the unexpected availability of this crossing. Six divisions crossed the bridge before it collapsed ten days later on the 17th of March 1945. U.S. forces quickly established a bridgehead allowing them to envelop the German industrial area of the Ruhr more rapidly than planned.
The Ludendorff Bridge collapsed on the 17th of March 1945 exactly ten days after American forces captured it. A total of 28 U.S. engineers were killed in the disaster according to one source while another account lists 18 deaths. Ninety-three additional U.S. engineers suffered injuries when the structure gave way. A pontoon bridge had been built across the river by that time so the main bridge was out of use for repairs. The collapse occurred just as the Allies were preparing to expand their operations into Germany proper. The engineering failure happened despite efforts to reinforce the weakened structure during its brief period of controlled use. The tragedy marked the end of the only major Rhine crossing still standing at that moment in the war.
Hans Peter Kürten served as Mayor of Remagen starting in 1968 and long considered constructing a memorial to the fallen soldiers. Negotiations with the German Federal Railways alone lasted seven years before the city could acquire the former railway property. Announcements sent to government officials concerning preservation of the bridge towers stirred no interest initially. In summer 1976 authorities removed intact bridge support pilings from the river and deposited stones on the Remagen bank. The mayor decided to sell small pieces of the bridge stones enclosed in synthetic resin containing certificates of authenticity. On the 7th of March 1978 he went public with his idea achieving unexpected success with over 100,000 DM in sales profits. No new bridge has been built here since due to opposition from local residents who feared it would spoil the view.
The U.S. built one of many enclosures on the west bank of the Rhine near Remagen in 1945 known as Rheinwiesenlager. These camps housed captured German soldiers following the collapse of Nazi Germany's military forces. Several thousand prisoners are estimated to have died in the various camps established along the river. One specific cemetery at Bad Bodendorf contains 1,212 graves of those who perished during their captivity. Alan Heath documented the history of these burial sites in detailed records. The camps operated under Allied control while the war officially ended in Europe that spring.
The historic railway station at Rolandseck about 5 km north of Remagen now houses a museum devoted to Hans Arp. This 19th century building served as a classic example of early German railway architecture before its transformation into a cultural venue. Johannes Brahms Clara Schumann and Franz Liszt gave concerts there during its operational years. George Bernard Shaw staged his plays within the station halls while Guillaume Apollinaire fell in love nearby. After World War II the neglected building was listed for demolition until 1964 when Bonn art dealer Johannes Wasmuth restored it. Musicians like Martha Argerich Stefan Askenase and Yehudi Menuhin appeared alongside artists such as Hans Arp Oskar Kokoschka and Günther Uecker. Performers including Marcel Marceau have all graced the stage since its reopening.
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Common questions
What is the history of Remagen before World War II?
The Roman Empire constructed a border fort at Rigomagus west of the Rhine river. Remagen appears on the 4th century Peutinger Map as one of many surviving Roman constructions. A local legend from 1164 describes a ship carrying relics from Milan to Cologne stopping in the river.
When did U.S. forces capture the Ludendorff Bridge during Operation Lumberjack?
U.S. Army's 9th Armored Division reached the Ludendorff Bridge during Operation Lumberjack on the 7th of March 1945. Karl Wiener designed the bridge originally during World War I to move troops and logistics west over the Rhine. Six divisions crossed the bridge before it collapsed ten days later on the 17th of March 1945.
How many U.S. engineers died when the Ludendorff Bridge collapsed on the 17th of March 1945?
A total of 28 U.S. engineers were killed in the disaster according to one source while another account lists 18 deaths. Ninety-three additional U.S. engineers suffered injuries when the structure gave way. The collapse occurred just as the Allies were preparing to expand their operations into Germany proper.
Who served as Mayor of Remagen starting in 1968 and initiated the memorial project?
Hans Peter Kürten served as Mayor of Remagen starting in 1968 and long considered constructing a memorial to the fallen soldiers. On the 7th of March 1978 he went public with his idea achieving unexpected success with over 100,000 DM in sales profits. No new bridge has been built here since due to opposition from local residents who feared it would spoil the view.
What happened to captured German soldiers at Rheinwiesenlager near Remagen in 1945?
The U.S. built one of many enclosures on the west bank of the Rhine near Remagen in 1945 known as Rheinwiesenlager. These camps housed captured German soldiers following the collapse of Nazi Germany's military forces. Several thousand prisoners are estimated to have died in the various camps established along the river.
When was the historic railway station at Rolandseck restored and what does it house today?
After World War II the neglected building was listed for demolition until 1964 when Bonn art dealer Johannes Wasmuth restored it. The historic railway station at Rolandseck about 5 km north of Remagen now houses a museum devoted to Hans Arp. Musicians like Martha Argerich Stefan Askenase and Yehudi Menuhin appeared alongside artists such as Hans Arp Oskar Kokoschka and Günther Uecker.