Eisenbahner-Denkmal

Across the bustling Dachauer Straße, the Eisenbahner-Denkmal stands as a solemn sentinel. It whispers stories of service and sacrifice. This memorial, a reconstruction of the 1923 original, honors the 386 fallen soldiers of the Bavarian Railway Troops during World War I. The original Eisenbahner-Denkmal, designed by architect Karl Badberger, stood near the former barracks and training grounds of the Royal Bavarian Railway Battalion. Dedicated on October 23, 1923, it marked the battalion’s 50th anniversary. Funding for the monument came from veterans and officers. They organized fundraising events like the “Patriotic Evening” at the Hofbräuhaus in March 1923. The inscription originally read, “They believed they were dying for Germany’s glory and honor.” However, this was altered around 1934/35 by the National Socialists to “They died for Germany’s glory and honor.” After its destruction in 1945, the Eisenbahner-Denkmal was rebuilt in 1962. It features a striking winged wheel, the symbol of the railway troops, atop a limestone wall. The reconstructed memorial carries the altered inscription from the Nazi era, reflecting a complex history of remembrance and political manipulation. Today, the Eisenbahner-Denkmal serves not only as a reminder of the Bavarian Railway Troops but also as a place where the Bundeswehr commemorates all victims of war and tyranny.