Viewing bridge
Bewaubrücke is the name of a footbridge from which the border troops of the GDR controlled cross-border trains between the GDR and the Federal Republic as well as West Berlin from above. Corresponding systems also existed on the border between the GDR and Poland , in this case also on the Polish side.
construction
Inspection bridges were often signal bridges, not dissimilar metal structures. They were either supported on one side on a pillar ( Schwanheide ) or on both sides on two pillars (example: Berlin-Alt-Treptow ). The pillars were often lattice masts, but there were also simpler construction methods (example: Marienborn ) and other constructions (example: Gutenfürst ). The stairs were mostly simple ladders or stairs made of metal. The inspection entrance could be open or enclosed (roofed).
Locations
The inspection bridges spanned the track or tracks in or behind the GDR border station in the direction of the inner-German border and to West Berlin. Subsequent to them was often a “ protective switch against unauthorized exits”. In special cases (example: Berlin-Alt-Treptow) there were inspection bridges along the open road. In the Friedrichstrasse station a Beschaubrücke in the western hall facade was integrated.
staff
The inspection bridges on the inner-German border were manned by armed organs of the GDR border troops.
Railway stations with viewing bridges
Inner German border
- Drewitz , massive metal construction with an integrated sentry box on the west side
- Ellrich , spanned three tracks in the western area of the station, two pillars in lattice construction, open, first one, later two guard houses on the bridge
- Barley
- Good prince , massive viewing bridge between two buildings, a sentry box in the middle
- Marienborn , spanned two tracks at the eastern end of platforms 2 and 3, enclosed
- Oebisfelde
- Schwanheide , initially just a pillar in a lattice construction, later a bridge spanning several tracks, central closed guard house
Oder-Neisse line
- Frankfurt (Oder) station for freight trains entering the GDR from Poland
Viewing bridges outside of train stations
Inner German border
- Berlin-Alt-Treptow: The track leading through the East Berlin district of Treptow and connecting the two freight yards Treptow and Görlitzer Bahnhof in West Berlin was provided with inspection bridges on both sides
- at the connection junction Harbke in the direction of Helmstedt , enclosed, sloping stairs on both sides
Oder-Neisse line
- Railway line Berlin – Szczecin , in Poland directly on the German-Polish border
literature
- Bernd Kuhlmann: German-German border stations . 2nd Edition. GeraMond, Munich 2006, ISBN 3-7654-7140-2 .
- Bernd Kuhlmann: Trains through the wall and barbed wire . 1st edition. GVE, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-89218-050-4 .
- Rail extra : railroad and fall of the wall . Issue 3/2009. GeraMond. Munich
- Bernd Kuhlmann: Railways across the Oder-Neisse border . Ritzau KG - Zeit und Eisenbahn Verlag, Pürgen 2004, ISBN 3-935101-06-6 .
- Train Extra: German-German border stations . Issue 5/2016. GeraMond. Munich
Individual evidence
- ↑ Bernd Kuhlmann: German-German border stations , p. 69
- ↑ Bernd Kuhlmann: German-German border stations , p. 59
- ↑ Bernd Kuhlmann: Trains through the wall and barbed wire , p. 29
- ↑ Bahn Extra: Railway and the fall of the Berlin Wall , p. 11
- ^ Bernd Kuhlmann: German-German border stations , pp. 86/87 u. 89
- ↑ Bernd Kuhlmann: German-German border stations , p. 123
- ↑ Bernd Kuhlmann: German-German border stations , p. 80
- ↑ Bernd Kuhlmann: German-German border stations , pp. 74/75
- ↑ Bernd Kuhlmann: German-German border stations , p. 69
- ^ Bahn Extra: Railway and the fall of the Berlin Wall , p. 35
- ↑ Bernd Kuhlmann: Railways across the Oder-Neisse border , p. 115
- ↑ Udo Dittfurth: August 1961 - S-Bahn and construction of the wall . Publishing house GVE. Pp. 67/68. ISBN 3-89218-080-6
- ↑ Bernd Kuhlmann: Trains through the wall and barbed wire , p. 45