Brücke von Andau
Encyclopedia
The Brücke von Andau ( or Mosontarcsai-hid) is a small bridge over the Einserkanal/Hansági-főcsatorna, a small river which forms part of the border between Austria
and Hungary
. It is located near to the village of Andau
(Burgenland
, Austria
).
. Even though it was just a small, wooden bridge over a small river, the bridge at Andau was the escape route for about 70,000 Hungarian people during the Hungarian Revolution.
After crossing the border, fugitives had to walk a nine kilometer long road, the "Road To Freedom" (Fluchtstrasse), to the village of Andau, where they were received with great hospitality by the inhabitants of Andau and the surrounding villages.
On November 21, 1956, the bridge was blasted by Soviet
troops.
by James Michener (1957), but also became a world-known memorial. The Bridge of Andau is also the topic of Der Bockerer III, an Austrian movie dealing with the Hungarian Revolution in a slightly humorous manner.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. It is located near to the village of Andau
Andau
Andau is a village in Burgenland, Austria, near the border of Hungary. It is situated in the flat, lake-studded Seewinkel region which is part of the Little Hungarian Plain.- Name :...
(Burgenland
Burgenland
Burgenland is the easternmost and least populous state or Land of Austria. It consists of two Statutarstädte and seven districts with in total 171 municipalities. It is 166 km long from north to south but much narrower from west to east...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
).
History
With the turmoils in summer 1956, more and more Hungarians fled to the west over the border to AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Even though it was just a small, wooden bridge over a small river, the bridge at Andau was the escape route for about 70,000 Hungarian people during the Hungarian Revolution.
After crossing the border, fugitives had to walk a nine kilometer long road, the "Road To Freedom" (Fluchtstrasse), to the village of Andau, where they were received with great hospitality by the inhabitants of Andau and the surrounding villages.
On November 21, 1956, the bridge was blasted by Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
troops.
Today
In 1996, with the 40th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution, the bridge was rebuilt as a symbol of tolerance and helpfulness. Organised as a joint operation by the Austrian and Hungarian armies, it replaced a stub bridge, which had been built by peasants for transportation reasons. At the same time, the Road Of Freedom was used as an open air exhibition with the title "Road Of Woes", showing about ninety sculptures and other art works by Hungarian and Austrian artists.Literature and film
As a symbol of freedom, the bridge not only achieved fame with the book The Bridge at AndauThe Bridge at Andau
The Bridge at Andau is a 1957 nonfiction book by James Michener chronicling the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Michener was living in Austria in the 1950s...
by James Michener (1957), but also became a world-known memorial. The Bridge of Andau is also the topic of Der Bockerer III, an Austrian movie dealing with the Hungarian Revolution in a slightly humorous manner.