Bridge Destroyed at Remagen

[Peter Clare]

On Monday 19 March 1945 it was reported by the German News Bureau that the rail bridge east of Remagen was destroyed by the self-sacrifice of a German pilot who deliberately crashed his aircraft with its entire bomb load into the central pier of the bridge.

Can anyone add to this story?

Regards
Peter

[hanshauprich]

The "Ludendorff"-Bridge was attacked by Luftwaffe (all kind of planes, Bf 109, Fw 190, Ju 87, Ar 234, etc.) by A-4 Rocket from SS-Werferbattalion 500, from heavy Railway Artillerie, from 60cm Mörser and even by Kriegsmarine Scuba and SS-Scuba Teams with anti-shippingmines.
The self-sacririce by order was given by Hermann Göring, but I'm sure no pilot follow this order.

[B.F.M. Droog]

'Shortly after three o'clock of the afternoon of March 17, with a sickening roar of torn steel, the Bridge at Remagen collapsed and fell into the Rhine.' [...] Though unexpected, the fall of the bridge should not have been surprising. The miracle was, that battered and maimed, it stood so long.'

from: Ken Hechler, The Bridge at Remagen, Ballantine Books, 1957 (fifth printing 1969 - from which the above comes).

The author tells that a combination of factors caused the collapse:
- the emergency demolition of March 7
- the repairs, which did not strengthen the bridge, but weakened it further
- the constant heavy traffic after its capture
- explosions of more than 600 German artillery shells
- the bombings by the Luftwaffe
- American anti aircraft guns firing at the Luftwaffe, causing more ground vibrations
- the firing of 1087 heavy artillery shells by American howitzers, within 2000 yards of the bridge.

Even so, Hermann Göring related in July 1945, in his cell, how his powerful Luftwaffe had destroyed the bridge. He could not be convinced that this wasn't the case.

Regards,

Bart

[Peter Clare]

Thanks for the info Bart.

Regards
Peter