Brücke der Solidarität

The Brücke der Solidarität (Bridge of Solidarity) crosses the Rhine between the Rheinhausen and Hochfeld districts of Duisburg. A conventional-looking rail and road bridge, it acquired its name and its historical significance during the steelworkers' strikes of 1987, when workers protesting the closure of the Krupp-Rheinhausen steelworks blockaded it in one of the most dramatic labour confrontations of postwar German industrial history.

The bridge itself is not architecturally remarkable, but the Rhine crossing offers good views of the river and the industrial landscape on both banks. The story of the 1987 protests — which ultimately failed to save the plant — is told in the Ruhr Museum and various local publications. For those interested in the social history of the Ruhr industrial region, the bridge remains a significant marker.

things to do sight
A story
The Bridge of Solidarity got its name during the strike wave of 1987, when steel workers at the Rheinhausen plant were fighting plant closures. During the protests, workers and their families blocked the bridge for weeks in demonstrations that became a landmark moment in Ruhr labour history. The bridge was given its current name in memory of that struggle.