The Snapshots in Time Collection
Ruined German City Skyline with Cathedral and Collapsed River Bridge, Postwar Period
A war-scarred German skyline is seen across the river, its historic cathedral spire rising above a jumble of damaged rooftops. In the foreground, a collapsed iron bridge lies broken in the water — one of countless river crossings destroyed during the closing months of WWII to slow the advance of Allied forces. Scenes like this were common throughout Germany's cities in 1945, as photographers documented the scale of wartime devastation. Project: 218298