Bridge at Remagen

As I was walking Frannie along (and in) the Rhine earlier this week on one of the days when the river was out of its banks. I started to think about the importance of the Rhine as a last line of defense for the Germans in WWII. That sparked a memory that the crossing of the Rhine happened about this time of the year. Sure enough, it occurred on March 7, 1945, 65 years ago today.

I suppose that this is an event that had more importance to Americans that lived during WWII or in its shadow. The Rhine seemed at the time a major obstacle to the advance on Berlin. The Germans had blown up all other bridges across the Rhine and had indicated that they would defend the Rhine with all that they had. So it was quite a surprise when elements of the 1st Army under Omar Bradley discovered the bridge intact. As the US forces approached, the Germans attempted to destroy the bridge, but the charges that had been set were not enough. The US forces captured the bridge and a way over the Rhine.

The bridge only stood for an additional 10 days. The attempt to destroy the bridge had damaged it, and it fell into the river on March 17th. By that time, 1st Army had moved significant men and materials to the other side of the Rhine and had managed to build a pontoon bridge for continued movement of troops and supplies.

A few days later on March 22/23, Montgomery's British forces to the north and Patton's 3rd Army to the south also managed to cross the Rhine in boats and began to build pontoon bridges to support their advances. Since the 1st Army slowed it's advance until Montgomery's and Patton's forces were able to cross, most historians today downplay the capture of the bridge. But the story I heard as a kid was quite different. Eisenhower said the bridge was "worth its weight in Gold". Plus it made a great movie.

By the way, I have visited to Remagen. It is about 40 miles north of Coblenz. It is a suburb of Bonn that has been hit very hard by the movement of the German capital from Bonn to Berlin. The bridge towers still stand on each side of the river, as well as the approach. The bridge was never rebuilt. The is a small museum in the tower on the west side of the Rhine. And plaques describing the capture and use of the bridge.