The Bridge
Movie Poster
The Bridge Die Brücke ) is a 1959 WWII film based on the novel by Manfred Gregor and directed by Bernhard Wicki. Set during the final months of the war in Europe when the Germans conscripted teenagers and old men to defend the crumbling Reich, the film focuses seven teens who are abandoned by the retreating, demoralized Wehrmacht to defend a worthless bridge against advancing Americans. The film was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Foreign Language Film in 1960 and is considered by many to be the greatest German film about World War II and among the greatest anti-war films of all time. The film was released after the also successful Stalingrad: Dogs, Do You Want to Live Forever? eponymous remake was released for television in 2008.
The following weapons appear in the film The Bridge :
Pistols Walther PP Throughout the film, Jϋrgen Borchert (Frank Glaubrecht ) carries his father’s Walther PP .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing War Time Walther PP Pistol. The lesser-known, full-length barreled Walther PP is available in .22LR, 6.35mm auto (.25 ACP), 7.65x17mm (.32 ACP) Auto or 9x17mm (.380 ACP). Error creating thumbnail: File missing Jürgen's mother removing her late husband's Walther PP from the weapon closet in his house. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Jürgen aiming his Walther at a German civilian. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Jürgen firing his PP in desperation. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Jürgen after being killed by an U.S. sniper. Luger P08 A German police officer challenges Corporal Heilmann (Günter Pfitzmann ) with his Luger P08 .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Luger P08 - 9x19m Error creating thumbnail: File missing A distrustful M.P. aiming his P08 at Sergeant Heilmann. Submachine Guns MP40 Military policemen and German officers carry the MP40 . Also, protagonist Jϋrgen Borchert (Frank Glaubrecht ) uses an MP40 instead of his original weapon - an MP44 - when firing his gun. This MP is fitted with a wooden stock and a thicker magazine.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing MP40 - 9x19mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing A German Military Policeman firing an MP40. Error creating thumbnail: File missing German MPs with MP40s. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A panicked Wehrmacht officer preparing to stop a truck bearing injured soldiers. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The officer with his MP40. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Protagonist Jürgen firing his MP40 at some American GIs taking cover. M3 / M3A1 "Grease Gun" Throughout the film, US soldiers use the M3 / M3A1 "Grease Gun" .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M3A1 "Grease Gun" Error creating thumbnail: File missing An American GI aiming at Walter (Michael Hinz). Error creating thumbnail: File missing An American GI shooting it out against Jürgen. Rifles Karabiner 98k Wehrmacht soldiers use the Karabiner 98k .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Karabiner 98k - German manufacture 1937 date - 7.92x57mm Mauser Error creating thumbnail: File missing Conscripts training with Karabiner 98k. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Conscripts cleaning their Karabiner 98k. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sgt. Heilmann inspecting Jϋrgen’s Mauser. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The armory. Mauser Gewehr 1898 Some Mauser Gewehr 1898 rifles can be seen.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Mauser Gewehr 1898 - 7.92x57mm Mauser Error creating thumbnail: File missing Some (longer) Gewehr 1898 rifles in middle of the stands. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Heilmann on the left with a Gew. 98 over his shoulder. Karabinek wz. 1929 At least one German soldier can be seen with a WZ29 Polish Mauser rifle.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Polský WZ29 Mauser - 8x57mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing Note the typical front sight of the rifle. Carcano M91/38 An Italian Carcano M91/38 Short Rifle is briefly seen carried by a German soldier on a lorry.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Carcano M91/38 - 6.5x52 mm Error creating thumbnail: File missing The sitting soldier on the left. M1 Garand U.S. soldiers use the M1 Garand .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing M1 Garand - .30-06 Springfield Error creating thumbnail: File missing An American GI wielding his M1 Garand. Error creating thumbnail: File missing M1C Sniper Variant with M84 scope - .30-06 Error creating thumbnail: File missing A US Army sniper aiming his M1 Garand with an M84 telescope. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A US sniper having Jϋrgen in his sight. M1 Carbine Some GIs are armed with M1 Carbines .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing World War II Era M1 Carbine - .30 Carbine Error creating thumbnail: File missing An American encounters Walter. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The same GI outside. Sturmgewehr 44 Jϋrgen Borchert (Frank Glaubrecht ) uses a Sturmgewehr 44 as a sniper rifle. However, during actual shooting scenes the MP44 inexplicably trades place with an MP40 .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Sturmgewehr 44 Error creating thumbnail: File missing Jürgen carrying his MP 44. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Jürgen carrying his MP 44. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Jürgen preparing for battle. Machine Guns MG42 Hans Scholten (Folker Bohnet), Albert Mutz (Fritz Wepper), Karl Horber (Karl Michael Balzer) and Klaus Hager (Volker Lechtenbrink) fire an MG42 during the defense of the bridge. Another one is mounted in the hull of a mocked-up Sherman tank.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing MG42 with sling and bipod collapsed - 7.92mm Mauser Error creating thumbnail: File missing Karl (left) and Klaus (right) with their MG42. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Hans (left) and Albert (right) with their MG42. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Hans (left) and Albert (right) with their MG42. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Karl (left) and Klaus (right) with their MG42. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing An MG42 standing in for a Browning M1919A4 mounted in the hull of a mocked-up M4 Sherman tank. Other Jäger Rifle The weapon closet includes some Jäger Rifles .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Plain German Jaeger rifle - .62 cal Error creating thumbnail: File missing Two Jäger rifles on the left. Panzerfaust Walter Forst (Michael Hinz) uses the Panzerfaust to knock out several U.S. tanks.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Panzerfaust - 44mm with 149mm warhead Error creating thumbnail: File missing Anti-tank grenades loaded into a truck. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Walter in position. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Walter firing his Panzerfaust. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Walter scoring a hit on a U.S. tank. 
