Andau Bridge

The Andau Bridge, rebuilt in 1996

The Andau Bridge is a small wooden bridge over the Einser Canal on the Austro - Hungarian border in Seewinkel near the village of Andau (Hungarian: Mosontarcsa). It became famous when tens of thousands of people fled to Austria after the suppression of the Hungarian people's uprising .

history

Until 1956, the bridge served the local farmers in Seewinkel as an auxiliary bridge to reach their fields, which were often on both sides of the border. The bridge crosses the Einser Canal.

In the course of the Hungarian people's uprising, there was a wave of refugees to the west from the summer of 1956. A total of over 200,000 Hungarians fled, and in the Andau area alone, around 70,000 people crossed the border into Austria.

On the afternoon of November 21, 1956, the wooden bridge was blown up by Hungarian soldiers. Forty years later, the New Bridge in Andau was built in memory of Hungarian and Austrian soldiers and was ceremoniously opened on September 14, 1996. You can take a look at the newly built historical bridge from the observation tower on the border at the Einserkanal.

The escape route

The path between Andau and the bridge is around nine kilometers long and is called the escape route . Along this path, numerous artists from all over the world have created a unique open-air gallery with their sculptures and installations.

To the south you come across the new Andau bridge on the Hungarian side into a corridor that is open to pedestrians and cyclists from April to October.

Movie

• Der Bockerer III - The Bridge of Andau , Director: Franz Antel

Image gallery

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  More than 70,000 Hungarians fled to Austria in this direction

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  The Einser Canal runs parallel to the state border with Hungary

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  Memorial stone of the Austrian Red Cross on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian people's uprising

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  Lookout tower on the Austrian side next to the bridge

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  Memorial plaque by the bridge

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  Memorial on the Hungarian side of the canal

literature

• James A. Michener : The Bridge at Andau , Random House, USA 1957, German: Die Brücke von Andau
• Johannes Sachslehner : Austria's kind of destiny , 2009 Verlag Styria, ISBN 978-3-222-13278-0

Web links

Commons : Bridge of Andau  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Commons : Fluchtstraße Andau  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Entry on Andau in the Austria forum

Coordinates: 47 ° 42 ′ 24 "  N , 17 ° 4 ′ 43"  E