Luftbrücke

My pano shows a memorial that commemorates a bridge, figuratively speaking. In german, the term "airlift" is called "Luftbrücke" (literally: air bridge).

The memorial is a monument to the Berlin Airlift by which the protective powers supplied the two million people in the western part of the city through out one of the most serious international post-war crisis, the Berlin-Blockade from 24th June 1948 to 12th May 1949.

In 277,264 sorties, the "Candy Bombers" transported over 1.8 million tons of food, coal and other goods to Berlin and took goods produced in the blockaded city with them on their return flights. The names of the pilots, co-pilots, radio operators and transport workers who lost their lives during the airlift are inscribed in the base of the memorial.

The Airlift Memorial, dsigned by Prof. Eduard Ludwig, was unveiled at the Platz der Luftbrücke on 10 July 1951. The three prongs of the "Hunger-Rake", as it was nicknamed by the people of Berlin, symbolise the three air corridors.

Related Links:

• U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Berlin Airlift Web Site
• United States Air Force Museum
• Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation
• Berlin Airlift Verteran Foundation
• Allied Museum Berlin

In my contribution to Wrinkle 16 (September 22, 2001), I photographed a real bridge: the "Glienicker Brücke", also a cold war scene. More ...

---

---

Europe / Germany

Lat: 52° 29' 5" N
Long: 13° 23' 24" E

→ maps.google.com [EXT]

Precision is: Unknown / Undeclared.

Taken with a Seitz Roundshot Super 220 VR, Schneider PC-Super-Angulon 2,8/28mm, f.22 at 1/60 second, Kodak Portra 800, Adobe Photoshop and Apple QuickTime Player