Remembering the Berlin Air Lift

Figure 1.--There are several memorials in Germany. The one here is at Frankfurt with the American C-47 planes beside it. It is located at the highway A5 between Frankfurt southbound and Darmstadt at the entrance of the former US airbase--Rhine Main. This was the center of the American effort to keep Berlin supplied. The Airlift began with the redoubtable C-47, but within a few weeks a fleet of C-54 Skymasters was arriving friom the States and became the backbone of the Airlift.

German readers growing up in post-War Germany have written to comment on the Air Lift. The overwealming impression we get that Stalin's opening shot in the Cold War doomed the Soviet Union to failure. He not only ensured that the Germn people would reject Communism, but crerated a bond between Germans and Anericabns that woukd endure throughout the Cold War. One German reader who lived through the Airlift writes, "Thank the American people, the government and the pilots for the support and help to the Berlin population. It is a story that needs to be remembered." Another reader writes, "Yes, I very much agree. I was a very little girl at the time, but I recall it like yesterday. I knew nothing about Americans and Russians. But you see I got my first taste of chocolate. It was heavenly."

One German reader who lived through the Airlift writes, "Thank the American people, the government and the pilots for the support and help to the Berlin population. It is a story that needs to be remembered."

Another reader writes, "Yes, I very much agree. I was a very little girl at the time, but I recall it like yesterday. I knew nothing about Americans and Russians. But you see I got my first taste of chocolate. It was heavenly."

Many thanks for remembering the "Luftbrücke" (Luftbruecke) in the HBC page. There are several memorials in Germany. The one here is at Frankfurt with the American C-47 planes beside it. It is located at the highway A5 between Frankfurt southbound and Darmstadt at the entrance of the former US airbase--Rhine Main. This was the cenbter of the American effort to keep Berlin supplied. It is in the neighbourhood of the International Frankfurt Rhein-Main Airport, the most importand airport of Germany. It is better to see it going northbound, with the old planes parked at the north side of the memorial. The A5 is a four lane highway in both directions with very high traffic. Many people driving there may see it and may hopefully remember the historical importance of the Luftbrücke realized by the Allies in the late 40s to support West-Berlin against the pressure of the Soviets during the Stalin era. Thanks, thanks, thanks !!! And to remember the crews of the planes who died in performing this service to the German population in Berlin. Many Germans, even politicians in high positions in German governments, forget the immediate help which we received from the Allied, especially from the United States during this period of the cold war. For me it is a scandal, that 60 years later in the German population the Americans are not more honoured for there historical decision to overcome the pressure by the communists in 1948-49 (and then, again, in 1990 to take the successful chance to end the separation of Germany in two parts).

Created: 7:42 AM 1/6/2011
Last updated: 7:43 AM 1/6/2011