1945 - Train Collision near Assling, Germany
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member harleydavidsonandy
N 48° 00.143 E 011° 59.110
32U E 722659 N 5320877
On the 16th July 1945, a train full of German has been hit by another train. 96 soldiers died.
Waymark Code: WM2QHB
Location: Bayern, Germany
Date Posted: 12/08/2007
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Crystal Sound
Views: 112

Short after WWII. A train full of former imprisoned German soldiers had to stop due to an engine failure. A fright train drove against it. 96 soldiers died.
Here is the free translation of the memorial at the collision site (see picture 2):
"At this place, 96 German soldiers died on the 16th of July 1945"

Update 25th October 2008:
About 3km further north, in the Village Oberelkofen is the burial place of these soldiers as a part of the Kriegsgräberstätte for the locals, died during WWI and WWII. The official memorial is telling us a slightly different amount of soldiers died than the memorial at the collision site itself.
Here is the free translation of the memorial at the burial site:
"In the evening of July the 16th 1945, 3000m further south, a train loaded with American tanks crashed into another train full with German prisoners of war, which was standing there because of an engine failure. At this 105 of our soldiers, driving back to the Rhenish homeland to be set free, and one American soldier died.
95 soldiers
of them are buried here
They died for us as well
To the commemoration, the Landratsamt Ebersberg, built this memorial."


You'll find this place at: N48 01.507 E011 57.788
Website address: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:
Tell of your visit. An original photo is encouraged. If you have something to "add to the story" please tell of it in your log.
Search for...
Geocaching.com Google Map
Google Maps
MapQuest
Bing Maps
Nearest Waymarks
Nearest Railway Disaster Sites
Nearest Geocaches
Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point
Recent Visits/Logs:
Date Logged Log User Rating  
ralindbe visited 1945 - Train Collision near Assling, Germany 09/16/2008 ralindbe visited it

View all visits/logs