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  • International Database and Gallery of Structures

Ludendorff Bridge

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General Information

Structural Type: Arch bridge
Function / usage: Railroad (railway) bridge
Other name(s): Ludendorff-Brücke
Completed in: 1918
Status: destroyed (1945)

Geographic Information & Related Structures

Location: Remagen, Ahrweiler (Kreis), Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, Europe
Crossed
  • Rhine River

Technical Information

Dimensions

total length 326 m

Materials

arch steel
truss steel

Chronology

1938

Bridge is mined with explosives.
7 March 1945

German commanders order the bridge to be detonated, but the ignition system malfunctions. A volunteer lights the fuse by hand, the bridge is lifted up, but lands back in place and is only partially damaged.
The 9th armored division manages to take the bridge for the approaching Allied troops.
Within a week four German officers are court-martialed and executed for losing the bridge to the Americans.
17 March 1945

After 25 000 troops have crossed the bridge, it collapses due to the heavy damaged from shelling and the detonation. 28 American soldiers go down with the bridge.

Participants

Construction

Relevant Web Sites

Relevant Publications

  • Dupré, Judith Brücken, Könemann, Cologne (Germany), ISBN 3829004095, 1998; pp. 87-87
  • Dupré, Judith Les ponts, Könemann, Cologne (Germany), ISBN 3829004109; pp. 87-87
  • Dupré, Judith Bridges, Black Dog & Leventhal, New York (USA), ISBN 1884822754, 1997; pp. 87-87

Internal Information

Structure-ID: s0002400
Created: 18/11/2001
Last Updated: 27/02/2013