Pictorial histories new edition if ken hechlers classic the bridge at remagen, has been updated with a new afterword, a bonus chapter about the 1969 film of the same name it was originally published in tv guide. The bridge at remagen, part 1 this 1965 film documents the capture of a bridge on march 7, 1945, that gave allied forces the first bridgehead across the rhine june 30, 1963. The historical war drama was based on ken hechlers 1957 nonfiction book the bridge at remagen. The amazing story of march 7, 1945 by writer and u. Cruise the most castlestudded stretch of the romantic rhine as you listen for the song of the treacherous loreley.
Its purpose was to carry troops and supplies across the rhine for a german invasion of. Army and its allies battle to capture the bridge at remagen and cross the rhine river into germany. The american forces were looking for a way across the river into the heart of germany. For handson thrills, climb through the rhinelands greatest castle, rheinfels, above the town of st. He helped capture remagen bridge over rhine river war tales.
As the allied armies close in, the germans decide to blow up the last rhine bridge, trapping their own men on the wrong side. It also omits the construction of bailey and pontoon bridges across the rhine. On mar 7, 1945, more than 8,000 u s troops crossed the rhine river into germany by way of the ludendorff bridge near remagen. The remnants of the ludendorff bridge on the west bank of the rhine river in remagen, germany. With american army troops only a day away from the germans, a nazi general orders a bridge over the rhine river be destroyed. The capture of the ludendorff bridge at remagen occurred on march 78, 1945, during the closing stages of world war ii 19391945. The town of remagen is on the rhine river midway between cologne and koblenz.
Ohio, was the first american across the rhine, the first invader to. The bridge at remagen is a 1969 deluxe color war film starring george segal, ben gazzara and robert vaughn in panavision. The bridge at remagen george segal robert vaughn ben gazzara 1969 an army lieutenant george segal and a nazi major robert vaughn ponder whether to blow up. As they crossed the bridge, they found that the catwalk near the. In honour of the americans who died there, an american flag proudly flies atop one tower on the west bank.
It is an old roman town, with a population of about 5,000. Keeping with the general tone of the film, sergeant angelo defies orders, assaults his battalion commander, and habitually robs the dead. It is based on the nonfiction book the bridge at remagen. This happened after for us troops already had transferred man and material to the right side of the rhine river in order to continue their victorious offensive against. See more ideas about world war two, wwii and world war ii. Despite the nazis attempt to destroy the bridge it was captured intact by 9th armored division. The commander of the leading company reported the ludendorff railroad bridge was still intact. The bridge at remagen contains examples of antihero.
It was a stunning strategic victory of world war iiand one of the most fantastic breaks for the allies. This was the last bridge left that spanned the rhine. The news comes to west point, nebraska how we planned to cross the rhine clearing the springboard able company of the twentyseventh the ninth armoreds advance toward the rhine the german troops at remagen the ludenoff bridge bombs over remagen the german predicament in the rhineland march 7, 1945 the last hours of the. The book is a fair read, first published in 57 my paperback in 69. The bridge at remagen by ken hechler 1993, paperback. Hitler had ordered that all bridges leading across the river be blown, but this one was still standing.
Being two generations removed from wwii my grandfather got drafted the day japan surrendered, this information was a bit overwhelming for me but perhaps for a wwii. Bridge at remagen last bridge on the rhine of wwii and peace museum. The ludendorff bridge sometimes referred to as the bridge at remagen was in early march 1945 a critical remaining bridge across the river rhine in germany when it was captured during the battle of remagen by united states army forces during the closing weeks of world war ii. It has sold more than 600,000 copies, becoming the basis for the american movie story filmed in czechoslovakia in 1968.
Remagen bridge at remagen friedensmuseum rhine river. It was situated between two lines of hills that flanked the rhine river. Please do not use any of our photographs before contacting us first. Ken hechler presents the story of the day that allied forces crossed over the rhine river during the last days of world war ii and of the men of the u. The amazing story of march 7, 1945, the day the rhine river was crossed. Us troops capture bridge at remagen entering nazi germany in wwii. Ludendorff bridge on the west bank of the rhine river in remagen. The bridge stirs memories for many people, especially the many americans on our rhine river cruise, and the number of history books, documentaries and even john guillermins film based on the battle of remagen have kept alive the interest in the events surrounding the bridge at remagen. Bridge at remagen and friedensmuseum peace museum rhine. The ludendorff bridge at remagen, having served its purpose of carrying thousands of allied troops with their tanks and supplies across the rhine, collapsed into the river on march 17, 1945. He even interviewed the main participants from both sides. This book names names in the famous remagen bridge capture and presents.
On march 7,1945, the allies captured the ludendorff bridge when the explosives planted by. The authorship of the book by hechler and his own personal history offer compelling backstories, which ill get to later. A bridge across the rhine at remagen was originally included in the schlieffen plan used by germany at the start of world war one. In early 1945, american forces pressed towards the west bank of the rhine river during operation lumberjack. The book started off a bit slow, trying to give all of the background information of all of the armies and persons involved leading up to the battle for the bridge at remagen. Its real name was the ludendorff bridge, but is now forever known by its location, as the bridge at remagen, made famous by a book and a 1960s movie of its story, the bridge across the rhine river which understood days of assault by german and allied forces, remaining standing to be captured by the allies, only to crash. In action, hes at the forefront of the fighting, and tries to protect the. The americans in the area around remagen were not even supposed to cross the rhine 14. If you like military history, this is a great story of the iconic storming of the remagen bridge, the allies first opportunity to punch across the formidable barrier of the rhine river in western germany. The bridge at remagen was still standing when their unit reached the little german town. Can i use this photograph in a publication i am doing, such as book, documentary or website. The bridge at remagen is the detailed narrative of this surprising but crucial military action, one that stunned the german army.
On march 7, 1945, a small group of american infantrymen, engineers, and tank crews secured the ludendorff bridge that crossed the rhine. The book the bridge at remagen was written by ken hechler in 1956. The bridge at remagen wikimili, the free encyclopedia. The upstream confluence of the ahr river south of remagen added considerable speed and turbulence to the 270metrewide 890 ft rhine at remagen. Very detailed tick tock of the capture of the a bridge over the rhine river in march of 1945. Karl timmerman led his 27th armored infantry battalion up to the west end of the bridge, he fully expected it to be rigged with explosives. The race was on to find intact crossings that could save many lives and precious time. The bridge at remagen united artists, 1969 is often overlooked in discussions about world war ii films. The rhine valley is storybook germany, a fairytale world of legends and robberbaron castles. The bridge at remagen, part 2 this 1965 film documents the capture of a bridge on march 7, 1945, that gave allied forces the first bridgehead across the rhine june 30, 1963. As the commander of company a, 27th armored infantry battalion, 9th armored division, u. Founded in the 1 st century ad, the german town of remagen sits on the rhine, south of the city of bonn. The ludendorff bridge was a railway bridge across the rhine, between the towns of remagen and erpel. The remagen bridgehead yesterday and today in the romantic rhineland, where the romans once tended vineyards, where castles dot the hilltops, the defeat of nazi germany was suddenly and surprisingly hastened when on march 7th, 1945, american soldiers captured the intact remagen bridge across the rhine and breached hitlers last defensive line.
Visitors approaching the bridge today, either on the rhine river or along its banks, will see two towers, all that is left of the original bridge on the west bank. Until 1932 the generally accepted length of the rhine was 1,230 kilometres 764 miles. With george segal, robert vaughn, ben gazzara, bradford dillman. Ohio, was the first american across the rhine, the first invader to reach its east bank since the time of napoleon. Seven days to the river rhine was a warsaw pact war plan for an invasion of western europe during the cold war. The bridge at remagen battle of remagen wwii battle. It is also the moving story of men who did not consider themselves heroes, but who performed magnificently under fire. This mighty river was literally the last ditch for the defence of hitlers germany. In this amazing true story, ken hechler gives you the hourbyhour account of brilliant military. In wwii, the bridge at remagen allowed us troops to cross the rhine. The successful mission saved thousands of american lives and spearheaded the invasion of nazi germany.
Major kreuger robert vaughn is the nazi officer who realizes that if. The amazing story of march 7, 1945the day the rhine river was crossed thee best book on the subject written by a man who was there to record it all. Army 2d lieutenant timmermann was the leader of the assault on the ludendorff bridge at remagen, and he was the first american officer to fight his way across the rhine river and into the heart of the land of his birth. The amazing story of march 7, 1945the day the rhine river was crossed unknown binding. The ludendorff bridge over the rhine river at remagen on march 8, 1945. Tourists come to remagen to stroll the riverbank, climb the grapecovered hillsides, and join in throaty songfests at the local cafes. This also became the subject of a film, the bridge at remagen. Karl heinrich timmermann june 19, 1922 october 21, 1951 was the first american officer to cross the rhine river in germany during world war ii after directing the assault across the bridge, helping remove explosive charges, and surviving the german army demolition attempt to destroy the ludendorff bridge at remagen on march 7, 1945. Famously the american forces in a daring coupdemain operation seized the bridge at reagen which due to german blunder and. The least favored crossing points were in the area around the railroad bridge at remagen. On march 7, 1945, clemente and the men of the 47th found it.
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