ANTWERP

1914-2014

BUILDS

BRIDGES

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This is a publication issued by the Vredescentrum of the province and the city of Antwerp, Lombardenvest 23, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium, tel 0032 (0) 292 36 52 - info@vredescentrum.be - www.vredescentrum.be

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1914-2014: Antwerp builds a bridge to commemorate the Great War

In 2014, we are commemorating the Great War. The Vredescentrum of the city and province of Antwerp is collaborating with more than 40 partners, Belgian and foreign, to launch a fascinating cultural program commemorating the First World War in the city. The programme includes exhibitions in Antwerps main museums, lectures, walks, a dance event for young people, a light spectacle put on by students and an educational programme for children. The Magnus Opus is the reconstruction of a temporary footbridge across the River Scheldt, from Steen Castle to the Left bank (Linkeroever), by the Belgian and Dutch Engineer Corps on 3 October 2014. At that very location 100 years ago, at the outbreak of the First World War, the Belgian army built a pontoon bridge across the Scheldt. By using this bridge, the fortified city of Antwerp could be adequately supplied and also quickly evacuated. The construction of a modern Peace Bridge is a technical tour de force as well as a powerful example of Belgian-Dutch military cooperation. The realisation of a bridge across the River Scheldt in the city centre is also a beautiful symbol of connecting past, present and future, one that will undoubtedly inspire people. But above all, the bridge provides a unique experience for the many tens of thousands of visitors who will be able to walk across the River Scheldt from 3 to 5 October 2014 following in the footsteps of the Belgian army and more than 100,000 refugees who, in 1914, were leaving a burning and bombed out city behind them, in search of safer places. The Antwerp Port Authority believes that this exciting and ambitious project will be successful and wholeheartedly supports the construction of the footbridge in 2014. See you on the bridge! Marc Van Peel Alderman Port of Antwerp

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The

pontoon bridge 1914

continues well into the evening and night. Sometimes work lasted more than 15, 20, even 24 [hours], regardless of the weather conditions, testifies Commander Pierard The bridge floats on 25 riverboats. The ships are anchored so that they stay put and so that they do not drift apart, carried by the tide or current. To compensate for the movement of the tide, the bows of the ships are positioned alternately upstream and downstream. Beams are mounted on the ships and on them, the bridge deck and railings. The ramps between bridge and quay move with the tide. The bridge has to be able to open up for inland navigation on the River Scheldt. Near the Vlaams Hoofd two portires or passages are made, each with a width of 42 meters. They are mounted each on two boats. To allow riverboats to pass through, the doors are temporarily moved aside.

Six bridges, as part of a broader military plan Antwerp was designated Nationaal Rduit in 1859, the last line of defence where King, government and military leadership were able to withdraw in case of a siege. Pending support from the allies, Antwerp was basically easy to defend and supply. The forts would be able to provide the fortified city with a lifeline, consisting of troops and food, as well as to ensure that the city would be able to withstand a possible attack via the Netherlands and the River Scheldt. In 1914, the last fixed bridge on the Scheldt was located at Temse. In Antwerp ferries leave from the Suikerrui. But none of it was sufficient to carry the size and weight of a quick evacuation of the city. Therefore, four bridges were built over the Scheldt: between Steen Castle and St Anna on the Left Bank, between Hoboken and Burcht, between Hemiksem and Basel, and in Rupelmonde. Two more bridges across the river Rupel were added: at the Tolhuis and the Hellegat. All the material had already been purchased before the war and was stored in the Vlaams Hoofd: the metal deck, the wooden floors and the ramps between the bridge and quay.

The bridge at the Steen is ready in a week

The construction of the bridge starts on 2 August 1914, two days before the German invasion. The first task is to transport all the material from the Vlaams Hoofd redoubt to the location of the bridge, about 400 meters away. The pontoon engineers work long hours, from six oclock in the morning until six oclock in the evening. The only break they have involves a second meal. The work often
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After seven days, the bridge is ready. On 9 August, a delegation of military and civilian officials inspect the bridge, including the Mayor, General Dufour, the governor of the province and a few foreign consuls. According to the newspaper the Gazet van Antwerpen the wonderful work of the pontoon workers was admired by all. Commander Pierard, the head of this fine corps of sappers, was warmly congratulated by General Dufour.

Soldier Odon Van Pevenage was one of the soldiers. He was very impressed. We hit the dike where we had to cross the river. I had never seen such a wide river. The bridge we had to cross was made of ships with planks on top of them. The bridge had been constructed by the engineer troops to facilitate the transport of armed forces. I believe the river was at least three hundred meters wide.

The pontoon bridge is in permanent use

In 1914, the author Josef Muls described everyday life in the besieged city. He witnessed the departing troops for instance. From the pontoon bridge, at the foot of the old grey Steen Castle, a wooden bridge on barges went to the opposite river bank. On 5 September, we saw sizeable cavalry divisions cross the bridge with their artillery, aiming to recapture Dendermonde from the Germans and keep the connection open between Antwerp and the coast open. (Jozef Muls)

The headquarters of the pontoon workers was located in the Vlaams Hoofd redoubt on the Left Bank. This military stronghold was located at what is currently known as Frederik van Eedenplein. Around the fort a lively area had formed, with many pubs and eateries. From its own train station, trains had been departing from the Vlaams Hoofd to Ghent since 1844.

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The Pontoon Bridge as a

supply line
The bridge is narrow, the ramps steep
The narrow bridge can be used in one direction only. It is three meters wide, has a carriageway of 1.80 meters, and an an adjacent path for pedestrians. To determine which direction is needed, the guards keep in touch with one another by telephone. Crossing the bridge is subject to strict rules. Vehicles that are too heavy have to be unloaded first. The load is then divided or remains on the quays. Some vehicles are too wide and cannot cross. Foot soldiers have to step out of cadence to reduce the thunder of their steps. Soldiers and officers on horseback have to dismount and cross the bridge in pairs. Artillery has to be rolled across at a walking pace. Cars have to drive slowly, maintaining a safe distance from one another. Soldiers are given priority, but citizens can also use the bridge.

The bridges across the River Scheldt have to ensure rapid troop movements, the transport of materials and supplies between the two river banks. The construction is done by specially trained pontoon workers of the Belgian army. They are engineer corps soldiers with combat training. They are responsible for the construction of bridges, for maintenance and repairs, for monitoring, for opening and closing of bridges, for the maintenance of the railway bridge in Temse and the few ships that cross the River Scheldt, for monitoring the Scheldt and should the need arise, for the destruction of the bridges.

The military control of the bridge and the River Scheldt

The pontoon bridge is closely guarded. The military authorities are weary of sabotage and want to keep an eye on people entering or leaving the city. The technical guard (two sergeants, two corporals and 35 to 40 soldiers) ensures the proper functioning and maintenance of the bridge. The army guards the approaches to the bridge and runs call duties. The bridge at Steen Castle is guarded by infantry units and the other bridges by the pontoon soldiers themselves. The river guard has two boats at anchor upstream and downstream. During the day they hoist the flag, lighting the lanterns at night. They monitor upstream traffic with a motor boat and downstream with a tug. Along the river banks patrols walk up and down continuously. To prevent the bridges from being blown up by the Germans using floating mines, armed motor boats guard the River Scheldt at all times. There are two fire brigade cars ready to extinguish fires at each bridge.
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The slope of the entry and exit ramps of the bridge depends on the tide and the traffic on the bridge. At low tide the boats are much lower, making the ramps steeper. At times of heavy traffic, the weight makes the bridge even lower. Horses often have trouble in reaching the river bank. The ramps suffer from the weight of the vehicles and are repaired regularly. At night the bridge is lit up by electric lanterns. The wiring is done by a civilian company. However, after the first zeppelin bombings the city has to remain in darkness overnight. The lanterns on the pontoon bridge are extinguished or obscured. After the zeppelin attack, the people of Antwerp lived in complete darkness at night. At eight oclock, everything had to be closed and all tram traffic was suspended. If there were lights visible from the windows of the houses police officers or civilian guards would ring bells to notify the owners. In the dark, the citys streets and squares were scarcely recognisable. (Jozef Muls)

Antwerp bombed by a zeppelin

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The pontoon bridge as an

escape route

The strategic retreat of the field army

On 6 October, King Albert commands the field army to retreat to the other side of the River Scheldt. This happens at night to prevent the Germans from noticing the withdrawal. Josef Muls writes: A rumble of thunder seemed suddenly to come out of the darkness as though out of nowhere. I stood still and listened attentively to the strange noise. It became very loud. It was as frightening as if I were stuck in a maze. Then I was clearly able to distinguish the sound of countless of horses hooves.At the Central Station Muls notices a procession of dark riders who head for the town centre and who rode through the streets with rattling guns and caissons He follows the procession towards the Scheldt and in the faint light of the moon he sees how the dark, lamentable flight pushes slowly towards the river bank opposite, across the long wooden bridge whose beams and planks clattered... Back at home Muls hears the retreating cannons rolling through the city all night. On 7 October, he witnesses King Alberts car leaving the city via the pontoon bridge at the Steen...

hinders the army. Yet people try to organise the exodus in an orderly manner. The citizens have to wait until the soldiers have crossed the bridge. A British newspaper reports how gendarmes, armed with bayonets, keep the surging crowd at bay for hours on end so as to ensure the army their passage. However, when the bridge becomes overwhelmed by people in blind panic, the guards can no longer keep things under control.

De vluchtelingen (The Refugees), Eugeen Van Mieghem, 1914

The retreat is chaotic

Fleeing people are stuck for hours without being able to move either forwards or backwards. They have put on their best clothes; who knows where they might end up during their flight? Hurriedly they gather a few personal belongings, dragging them along in wheelbarrows, prams or trolleys, often pulled by oxen and donkeys. There is a feeling of panic; people are shouting, babies crying, dogs are barking and cows lowing. Cars, ambulances and buses are stuck in the crowd. 200 people are transferred to St Anna by ferry every fifteen minutes.

The population also flees

The threat of German bombing hangs over the city. The soldiers are defeated, tired and afraid. Fear reigns everywhere and hundreds of thousands of civilians try to flee. The sheer mass of people forms an unbridled crowd, which rolled on the spot, like a harvest in a storm, voicing its anger, complaining and cursing. The roads to the quays are completely blocked, people have to queue for hours. The sea of people and carriages often
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An old docker from the Schipperskwartier told me of the flight that he had witnessed along the Scheldt. Barges, mussel trawlers, rowing boats, sailing ships, anything that could float and move was used to escape the horror of the burning and besieged city. People jumped from the high quay into the vessels, often overloaded and on the point of sinking. The river was a swarm of black boats on its broad even surface, against the backdrop of the red glow of the burning petrol tanks coming from the direction of Hoboken. (Jozef Muls)

The burning oil tanks form an apocalyptic spectacle, with ames a hundred feet high. The people waiting on the quays complain that they are almost choking in the thick air dense with petrol fumes. (Dirk Van Thuyne)

Number of refugees
Tens of thousands of people flee the burning city over the pontoon bridge. The newspaper reports vary concerning the exact number of refugees, which is difficult to gauge amidst the chaos. The New York Times writes: Besides the long exodus by the roads to Holland I saw a crowd estimated at 150,000 blocking the ferry and pontoon (at Antwerp) on their way to get trains to St. Nicholas and Ghent. The newspaper Le Bruxellois mentions 200,000 refugees, other newspapers as many as 500,000. More than a hundred thousand people flee the city via the foot bridges or ships to the Left Bank, heading for Ghent, Bruges, the coast and Zeeland. They usually go on foot. The Vlaams Hoofd railway can only be used for military purposes. Many refugees also go to the Netherlands on foot or by train. Soldiers who have lost their unit and who flee to the neutral nation of the Netherlands are interned there, an international martial law prescription.

An endless crowd of people and convoy of vehicles head for the Left Bank. The low tide and the weight of the crowd tilt the ramps at the quay to such an extent that soldiers, civilians and even a pram end up in the river. A journalist from the New York Times writes: The twenty-foot entrance to that pontoon bridge seemed to me like the mouth of a funnel through which poured the dense misery of an entire nation.

ing , a chaotic mass consist There is a sea of people iveh und gro fair , wagons, of carriages, automobiles am ste the , ked Pac e. imagin cles, anything you can rother side at regular inte the to r ove s sse cro ry fer the hit to re if a grenade we vals, I hold my breath ... vessel...

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Technical details
Pontoon bridge 1914
units that built the bridge Pontoon forces Forteresse de la Position Fortifie dAnvers, 1st Company Pontoon Engineers of the 1st Engineer Battalion

Pontoon bridge 2014

11th Belgian Engineerg Battalion from Burcht and the 105th Engineer Bridging Company from s-Hertogenbosch, which is part of the 101st Dutch Engineer Battalion from Wezep. Coordination: Military Commander of the Province of Antwerp Command: Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Philipsen, Commander of the 11th Engineer Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Ed Caelen, Commander of the 101st Engineer Battalion + / - 150 to construct and deconstruct, + / - 60 during the operation Headquarters: Burcht, Wezep en s-Hertogenbosch 370 meters 8.12 meters and 4.10 meters for the road Faltswimmbrcke (FSB) pontoon bridge, gangway, 20 feet Bailey Bridge FSB: Aluminum gangway and Bailey Bridge: steel and wood Between mooring pontoon at Steen Castle on right bank and the landing of the pilotage on the Left bank. 2 & 3 October 2014 6 October 2014 (disassemble the bridge)

commanding officer

Captain-Commander Virgile Pirard

number of troops headquarters length of the bridge width of the bridge Type material location construction destruction

about 310 men, commanded by seven officers Vlaams Hoofd, fort located at the current Van Eedenplein (Left Bank) 390 meters 3 meters Eiffel - The construction plan had already been conceived and built before the war. iron, wood, requisitioned ships Suikerrui, Steen - Vlaams Hoofd from 2 to 9 August 1914 by command: 8 October 1914 execution: 9 October 1914, 6:30 to 8:30 pm

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Passage for ships

The pontoon bridge has two passages for riverboats. They can only pass provided they have explicit permission. Commander Pierard issues a message including the following guidelines.

From the southern tip of the quays along the Scheldt to the Royers locks, no vessel without authorisation given by the Commander of the pontoon engineers will be granted access. All ships without permisson, must move to the docks immediately or to the tiny port of the Left bank. The ships at anchor on the river or moored at the quayside, must reinforce their anchors and ropes. The fact that the bridge is closed is indicated by a black sphere on top of a mast. When the bridge is open, ships may sail through only against the current and at stagnant water. The bridge will never be opened after sunset and before sunrise.

To cover their retreat Belgian troops destroyed the mooring platform on the Left bank
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Pontoon Bridge 100 years later

Left bank Anchored to the pier of the maritime police Right bank

Folding bridge 340 meters Gangway anchored 38 meters on shore

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Dirk Verhaegen is Staff Colonel and Military Commander of the Province of Antwerp. As the link between the military and the civilian populations, he will be responsible for coordinating the pontoon bridge in 2014. Constructing such a bridge will not be easy, not least because the River Scheldt in Antwerp is about 370 m wide and the tidal currents are at times very strong. The sappers of the 11th Engineer Battalion from Burcht will take care of the fixed section of the bridge. The 101th Engineer battalion from Wezep in the Netherlands and their 105th Bridge Company from s-Hertogenbosch will build the floating section. Because the entire operation wont be easy, the bridge will be constructed for a first time, as a test, in September 2013. The whole event is like a large collection of Meccano, with pieces that do not always fit together properly. Additionally, the preparation represents a huge technical challenge. We are including a risk assessment as well, a prevention and safety plan, agreements with the port authorities, with civil and military authorities, and so on. Over thirty delegates are usually present at the meetings. But the cooperation works very well, everyone is excited. The construction of this bridge is a wonderful example of international defense cooperation at a European level, in this case between Belgium and the Netherlands and fully in line with the policy of our respective Secretaries of Defence. And it is wonderful to be able to build a Bridge of Peace for all citizens across the River Scheldt in Antwerp in 2014!
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The fixed part of the bridge is about 60 meters long and consists of about 60 tons of steel. The floating section is about 270 meters long and consists of 15 to 20 pontoon boats, each driving roughly three linked pontoon elements. The total weight of the aluminum frame is approximately 200 tons - which accounts for 40 trucks of equipment. The assembling and inspecting of the bridge is carried out by 250 sappers, half of them Dutch, half Belgian. Divers will also be on guard. The fixed section of the bridge is anchored with support poles in the river bottom of the Scheldt, floating pontoons are held together using the screws of the pontoon boats. These will have to be monitored round the clock. For example, during the slack period between high and low tide the river water almost comes to a standstill, but at its strongest it can flow at 9 kilometers per hour. This represents a tremendous force. In addition, the bridge should be able to open up regularly to let ships sail through. This is already monitored at Flushing, close to the estuary of the River Scheldt.

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Historic bridges across the Scheldt in Antwerp

1584
During the Eighty Years War Antwerp is besieged in 1584. The Spanish army led by Alexander Farnese aims to enclose the city. To close the circle, he builds a floating bridge across the Scheldt In 1795, Antwerp is liberated from the Austrians by France. To commemorate that event, a floating bridge is laid across the Scheldt in 1895

1895

1565

Sometimes ice forms a natural bridge between the two banks. Images exist of a frozen River Scheldt in 1565, 1670, 1871 and 1891

During World War II, the German occupying force established another pontoon bridge across the Scheldt. When they withdrew in September 1944, they blew up that bridge

1944

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1914

The bridges built in 1584, 1914 and 1944 on the Scheldt were military bridges. The new bridge in 2014 is intended to be a Bridge of Peace. A bridge that connects people, young and old, natives and foreigners.
The pontoon bridge of 1914 was an important supply route for military equipment and an escape route for countless citizens. A few hours after the destruction of the bridge, the Germans entered the city. The German army aims to build a new pontoon bridge itself. This proves not too straightforward as each attempt is washed away by each high tide. Eventually a bridge is constructed across the Royerssluis, 2.6 kilometers downstream of Steen Castle.

A bridge that contributes to the collective memory of the city. A bridge that encourages dreams for the future.

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The reconstruction of the bridge in October 2014 is realised in collaboration with:

Antwerp Tourism & Conferences Artesis Plantijn Hogeschool Fire Brigade Antwerp City Mayor and Aldermen Department Events City of Antwerp Department Emergency Prevention and Planning City of Antwerp Department Protocol City of Antwerp Port of Antwerp Authority Military Engineer Corps Burcht - 11 GN Engineer Corps Netherlands - Den Bosch 101 Engineer Battalion / 105th Bridge company GeoSea (DEME) Federal Department Defense Federal Department Transport DG Maritime Transport Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History Military Command Province of Antwerp Dutch Ministry of Defence Dutch Consulate-General Antwerp Police Antwerp Waterways police Antwerp Tourism Flanders Impulse Fund 100 years The Great War Flemish Department of Mobility and Public Works Maritime Access Division Flemish Agency for Maritime and Coastal Pilotage Waterways and Sea Canal Flanders

The Scientific Committee Antwerp 14 - 18 is responsible for the content quality of the project:
Marnix Beyen, historian and professor University of Antwerp Christophe Declercq, PhD student Imperial College London Piet Lombaerde, Simon Stevin Foundation and Artesis Hogeschool Dirk Martin, Centre for Historical Research and Documentation on War and Contemporary Society (Cegesoma) Koen Palinckx, historian and former director Vredescentrum Eric Rombouts, VIP Guide Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History Inge Schoups, city archivist Felix Archives Antwerp Maarten van Alstein, researcher Flemish Vredesinstituut Luc Vandeweyer, archivist National Archives Brussels Alex Vanneste, Professor Emeritus University of Antwerp Antoon Vrints, Postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University Marleen Van Ouytsel, Director Vredescentrum Antwerpen Lotte Dodion, project coordinator Vredescentrum Antwerpen Sophie Serraris, project coordinator Vredescentrum Antwerpen

References
General histories SOPHIE DE SCHAEPDRIJVER, De Groote Oorlog, Amsterdam / Antwerp, Atlas, 1979. ANTOON VRINTS, De Klippen Des Nationalismus, De eerste Wereldoorlog en de ondergang van de Duitse kolonie in Antwerpen, 2002. SAM VAN CLEMEN, Den Oorlog Verklaard, De Grote Oorlog in de provincie Antwerpen, Antwerpen, Provinciebestuur, 2003. Pictures Antwerp in the Great War Image archives Cegesoma (p. 4) Churchill Archives Centre (p.10) Collection Hugo Buyle (p.8, 9) Collection Alex Elaut, picture Peter Maes (p.13) DANIEL JAMES, My First World War, Franklin Watts, London, 2009 (p.7) German propaganda booklet, Hugo Resseler (p.7) Photo Collection city archive Lier (p.8) Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History (p.1, 11, 12, 17) Phil Douglis, The Douglis Visual Workshops (p.6) Antwerp City Archives (p. 5, 8, 9, 10, 11) The War Illustrated (p.12)

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Colophon
Antwerp builds bridges BRABO archives (p.14) Collection Hugo Buyle (p.7) Museum Eugeen Van Mieghem (p.8) The Virtual Skating Museum (p.14) Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History (p.2, 6-7, 9) Letterenhuis Antwerpen (p.17) Private Collection (p.5) Antwerp City Archives(p.1, 11, 14, 15) Technical drawing, 105th Hydraulic Company NL (p.12-13) Quotes Antwerp in the Great War De Tijd, 9 October 1914, Genie Museum Jambes (p.12) Het Volk, 9 October 1914, Genie Museum Jambes (p.13) JOZEF MULS, De val van Antwerpen, Ons Vlaanderen, Ghent, 1918 (p.13) Antwerp builds bridges ALEXANDER POWELL, Fighting in Flanders, London, Heinemann, 1914 (p.8, 11) DIRK VAN THUYNE, 1914, De Duitsers komen: de moordende begindagen van de Eerste Wereldoorlog, Lannoo, Tielt, 2010 (p.8, 9) Gazet van Antwerpen, 10-11-12 August 1914 (p.5, 11) HORACE GREEN, The Log of a noncombatant, www.greatwardifferent.com (p.9) IVAN ADRIAESSENS, Odon, dagboek van een IJzerfrontsoldaat, Lannoo, Tielt, 2009 (p.5) JOZEF MULS, De val van Antwerpen, Ons Vlaanderen, Ghent, 1918 (p.5, 7, 8, 9) Rapport kapitein-commandant Pirard, collection Royal Museum the Armed Forces and of Military History, Moskou, Compagnie de Pontonniers, rapport tabli le 26 juin 1916, par le Cpt - Cdt Pirard, emploi du temps, nature et importance des travaux executs (p.11) Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad, 13 August 1914, Genie Museum Jambes (p.4) The New York Times, 11-12 October 1914, Genie Museum Jambes (p. 8, 11) The publisher has sought to settle the rights of the published pictures according to the legal stipulations. Those who nevertheless feel to assert certain rights should contact the publisher. Composition: Author: Editor: Design Translation Vredescentrum, Scientific Committee Antwerp14 -18 Historical research by Geheugen Collectief Stefaan Vermeulen Lotte Dodion and Sophie Serraris Het Geel Punt bvba Christophe Declercq

At the outbreak of war in August 1914, the young lawyer Joseph Mulch ( 1882) joined the Antwerp civilian guards. Only a week into the conflict he became the German translator for the military government and clerk at the court martial. By the end of September, he was appointed civil lawyer of the war governor and oversaw the ware houses whose German owners or trade managers had been expelled or taken into custody . Josef Muls was a first hand witness of events in the city. His chronicle De Val van Antwerpen (The Fall of Antwerp) paints a lively picture of everyday life in the besieged city. On 7 October, he fled from the city himself. He stayed in London first, but then moved to Paris. After the armistice he returned to Antwerp, where he became a professor of art history. Writer Thomas Maes incorporates diary excerpts from De Val van Antwerpen by Josef Muls in his book Antwerpen 1914. The book Antwerpen 1914 was launched in cooperation with publishing company Linkeroever during Cultuurmarkt 2013.

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See you on the bridge!

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