Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen - Part Two

 A second work trip to Remagen has given me the opportunity to take a look around the Museum in the western towers.

Nice aerial view of the collapsed bridge and two pontoons built alongside

Lt. Karl Timmermann who first spotted the bridge was still standing from a  nearby church

The view he got is recreated here.

Several emotive paintings are displayed as part of the museum's collection

The museum opens 10-5 every day in the main holiday seasons, but less frequently out of season and charges 5.50€ entrance fee.

The five scapegoats who were tried and sentenced to death between 9-13th March 1945 for failure to destroy the bridge. Only one escaped his sentence to become an American POW.

V2's were launched from the Netherlands in an effort to destroy the bridge. Several fell on civilian areas the closest to the bridge fell just 250m short. Here are pieces of V2 debris from the attack.

Personal German Infantry equipment - mess tins, pouches etc. found in the area.

There are a nice selection of artifacts dating from the time of the battle as well as some displays that high-light the sufferings in the town of Remagen itself - which was largely destroyed.

Engineers with their sign 1945

The original sign welcoming US Army bridge users

A contemporary painting of the Western towers as they are today

There was a fascinating display based around the 1960's movie and how the film's use of surplus US Chaffee tanks in the former Czechoslovakia may have helped Moscow justify the 1968 invasion!

Stills from the movie set

Promotional material from the movie

If you get an opportunity to visit I would recommend you give it a go.