| New Photos (from the Book "Highway Deutschland",
published here with author's permission)
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Germany's highest Autobahn bridge, Kocher valley bridge Geislingen. Height: 185m, Length: 1128m
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A93 near Oberaudorf/Alps |
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Autobahn junction Kirchheim (A4/A7)
and highspeed rail line |
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Morning dawn near Munich, at Junction Neufahrn (A9/A92) |
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On the A95 near Murnau |
| Historic Photos
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Source: |
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AVUS Entrance in Berlin, around 1925. The AVUS
(opened it 1921) was the first "Car-Only"-Road. However, it was merely a
racing and test track, and not for general traffic. Today, the AVUS is part of the A100.
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State Archive Berlin |
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The "Auto road" between Cologne and Bonn was built between 1929 und 1932.
This "car-only"-road was the first with an actual traffic value. It's the A555 today. (Photo
taken around 1932)
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City Archive Bonn |
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The "first" European Autobahn exit on the Cologne-Bonn road near Wesseling (picture taken in 1932)
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Book "Abenteuer Autobahn" |
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In 1973, the autobahn between Cologne and Bonn (A555) was widened to 3 lanes in each direction
and became the first 6-lane-autobahn in Germany. This photo was taken during the roadworks in
1973.
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Book "Abenteuer Autobahn" |
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The first gas station on the "Reichsautobahn"
near Darmstadt opened on May 1st 1936 |
Magazine "Die Straße", 1936 |
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Construction on the section between
Berlin and Magdeburg, around 1935 |
German Federal Archive |
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Autobahn near Irschenberg
(today A8) |
Magazine "Die Straße", 1936 |
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Advertisements weren't allowed on the "Reichsautobahn". Instead, there were "phone boards" to
reach people who were driving on the Autobahn more quickly.
| German Federal Archive |
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Autobahn south of Dessau, around 1937 (today A9). Trees were often left
on the median for a more beautiful scenery.
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German Federal Archive |
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By retreating german troops destroyed Lauter
valley bridge near Kaiserslautern in 1945 (today A6)
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German Federal Archive |
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To remember the downfall of the "Third Reich" and the partition of Germany, long distance signs
with locations in the former east german areas like this one were posted at the border to communist east germany.
They stood there until the 80s, now all of them have disappeared (photo taken in 1956)
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Book "Abenteuer Autobahn" |
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Autobahn ruins
When autobahn construction ceased in 1942 because of the war, 3870 km of Autobahn
were finished. Another 2900 km of roads under construction, however, were just
left alone. After the war, not all of this construction work was continued -
either because of the changed political situation or because the old planning
schemes weren't up to modern post-war standards in terms of curve sharpness, grades
or enviromental aspects. If the old buildings weren't obstructing any new projects,
they were left alone. Some of them are still standing today. The following
photographies by Dieter Mayer-Gürr
are taken from the Book "Reichsautobahnen - Pyramiden des dritten Reiches" (Marburg 1982)
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Former autobahn to Landstuhl, today access road to USAF Ramstein Air Base. The new autobahn
section is a few km south of this old one.
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Autobahn Hamburg - Berlin (A24), condition in 1980, unchanged since 1940 |
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Autobahn Hamburg - Berlin (A24), condition in 1980, Bridge built around 1939 |
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Autobahn Hamburg - Berlin (A24), condition in November 1981. The
Autobahn was finally opened in 1982, more than 45 years after the first construction works. |
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A1 north of Trier before resumption of construction in 1958
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A1 north of Trier before resumption of construction in 1958
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Look also at the 
