70 years ago: a Fallschirmjäger and a Roman bridge

[blinky]

Did Feldwebel Trageser survive the war? And if he did, do you know if he ever returned to visit the bridge he saved?

[Willi Z.]

Oriano, thanks for posting this interesting piece of history with a personal touch!

[mufasa]

Did Feldwebel Trageser survive the war? And if he did, do you know if he ever returned to visit the bridge he saved?

I have not notice that Traser has returned to Rimini after the war.

I do not know (I try to do more research) where the Prof. Amedeo Montemaggi (who died two years ago) have taken the photo of our Feldwebel and if Trageser has survived or where it went after the war (east Germany?). Montemaggi in his article of 1957 (then taken up in other books) cites two witnesses, interviewed by him, that confirming this "operation": the commander of the 1 Falls. Reg. Oberst Rudolf Rennecke, and Herr Joseph Klein president of the Pionier Fallschmirjager veterans association...

[mufasa]

Oriano, thanks for posting this interesting piece of history with a personal touch!

many thanks Willi Z.

Ciao Oriano

[mufasa]

and them another around the Ponte di Tiberio: Fallschmirjager: Uffz. Konrad Wittmann "gefallen am 21 september 1944 bei Rimini"....


Konrad Wittmann Block 25 Grab 461

Nachname: Wittmann
Vorname: Konrad
Dienstgrad: Unteroffizier
Geburtsdatum: 16.12.1920
Todes-/Vermisstendatum: 21.09.1944

[mufasa]

Konrad fell (most likely) in the afternoon of the 21th september, and a about a mile north of the bridge of Tiberius.
The Paras of the 1st Falls. Div. stop at the crossroad of Celle, a very t strategic and imnportant point: here are joined the Via Emilia (to Bologna-Milan) the Via Romea (to Ravenna-Venice) and Via Flaminia (to Fano-Roma)
(Cells- blue triangle, bridge tiberio- red triangle) .
I have indicated vith blue triangle Celle and with red triangle The Tiberius Bridge...

[mufasa]

At Celle di Rimini, the Germans had organized a strong defence line and here the stop the advance of the Allies for two days .... the center of the defence line was araund a Pantherturm turret....

[mufasa]

The Celle di Rimini Pantherturm inspected by Allied soldiers after the capture......

[mufasa]

and the cement base of Pantehrsuturm today...

[mufasa]

(we are 500 mt near the new Rimini Fair)

[Gustav 43]

Great info ! Too bad I missed it while spending 2 weeks in Rimini this summer holiday

[Ironcrown]

Nice story.
Unfortunately Fallschirm-pioniere were not all that good toward ancient bridges.
Think about what they did in Florence just a month earlier. In this case, the men were from Fallsch. Pi. Batl. 4
I understand thay they had to obbey to orders, but what was done remains a crime against the culture and the world heritage. A stain of infamy in their history.
Ponte Vecchio survived, but all the buildings surrounding it were blown up

[mufasa]

Nice story.
Unfortunately Fallschirm-pioniere were not all that good toward ancient bridges.
Think about what they did in Florence just a month earlier. In this case, the men were from Fallsch. Pi. Batl. 4
I understand thay they had to obbey to orders, but what was done remains a crime against the culture and the world heritage. A stain of infamy in their history.
Ponte Vecchio survived, but all the buildings surrounding it were blown up

then (ias a joke!) we put on the top list of the good ones and the Pionier of the 1 Falls. Div. and behind the Pionier of the 4 Falls. Div.!

ciao !
Oriano

[mufasa]

Great info ! Too bad I missed it while spending 2 weeks in Rimini this summer holiday

thanks!

[mufasa]

And in the battle of Rimini in september 1944 the 1st Falls Div. paratroopers have always been the drive to the east towards the sea ........

I had already posted photos of a special place for the paratroopers here near Rimini I take it again : San Lorenzo in Strada!