Review: "Ostseefähren im Kalten Krieg" / Wolfgang Klietz. Berlin: Ch. Links, 2012. ISBN: 9783861536734
- From 1982 to 1986, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) carried out its largest project in the transport sector near Sassnitz on the Rügen Island. Several thousand workers erected a ferry port with a track system including the Soviet broad gauge (1520mm) as well as the European gauge (1435mm). Upon completion, five huge double-deck ferries took over a large share of freight traffic between the GDR and the Soviet Union, its largest trading partner and most important ally. Consequently, the costly and time-consuming transit through the Polish People's Republic could be reduced significantly. Additionally, the Mukran ferry port was of military significance. Based on archival research, secondary literature, as well as interviews with contemporary witnesses, journalist and historian Wolfgang Klietz sheds light on such diverse topics as the genesis of the ferry port, its precursors, construction work and construction workers, the ferries, strategic planning and military significance, the partner port in SovietFrom 1982 to 1986, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) carried out its largest project in the transport sector near Sassnitz on the Rügen Island. Several thousand workers erected a ferry port with a track system including the Soviet broad gauge (1520mm) as well as the European gauge (1435mm). Upon completion, five huge double-deck ferries took over a large share of freight traffic between the GDR and the Soviet Union, its largest trading partner and most important ally. Consequently, the costly and time-consuming transit through the Polish People's Republic could be reduced significantly. Additionally, the Mukran ferry port was of military significance. Based on archival research, secondary literature, as well as interviews with contemporary witnesses, journalist and historian Wolfgang Klietz sheds light on such diverse topics as the genesis of the ferry port, its precursors, construction work and construction workers, the ferries, strategic planning and military significance, the partner port in Soviet Klaipeda, as well as the role of the Mukran port during the withdrawal of Soviet troops in the beginning of the 1990s. One chapter is even dedicated to archaeological discoveries during construction work. Three additional chapters are based on conversations that the author conducted with three contemporary witnesses: the head of the construction project, a "Bausoldat" [1], as well as a ferry captain…
Author: | Falk FladeORCiD |
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URN: | urn:nbn:de:kobv:521-opus4-7972 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.11584/opus4-797 |
Editor: | Uwe Müller |
Document Type: | Review |
Language: | English |
Date of Publication (online): | 2020/09/18 |
Date of first Publication: | 2018/09/05 |
Publishing Institution: | Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt |
Creating Corporation: | Digitale Wissenschaftsplattform Pol-Int (www.pol-int.org) |
Release Date: | 2020/09/21 |
Institutes: | Zentrum für Interdisziplinäre Polenstudien |
Licence (German): | Keine Lizenz - es gilt das deutsche Urheberrecht |