Ruins whisper tales of Dortmund Süd. Before you stand the remnants of a once-vital railway hub. Imagine its bustling past. Dortmund Süd wasn’t just any station. It was a crucial link in Dortmund’s railway network. For almost ninety years it served as the city’s second most important station. This was before Dortmund’s main station. For months during the war its traffic even surpassed the main station.
Two separate railway companies the Rheinische and the Westfälische built their stations here. They opened in 1874 and 1876 respectively. The Rheinischer Bahnhof and the Westfälischer Bahnhof became one. They merged to form Dortmund Süd. Its unique island platform design a testament to a bygone era. Access was only from the Heiligen Weg. This design had significant drawbacks. However it was dictated by geography and history.
The station’s strategic location fostered a vibrant atmosphere. Countless passenger and freight trains crisscrossed its tracks. Before World War I. a luxurious D-Zug train ran between Oberhausen and Eger via Dortmund Süd. It even included sleeping cars. The journey between Dortmund and Soest took a mere 41 minutes. That’s remarkable considering an Interregio in 1997 took almost the same time.
Dortmund Süd’s story took a tragic turn. During World War II it was a major target. The bombing of March 12 1945 was devastating. The station was completely destroyed. A horrific air raid dropped almost five thousand tons of bombs. This was supposedly the largest amount ever dropped in a single air raid. The images of destruction are stark reminders of the war’s impact. Yet even amidst the devastation the resilience of the railway workers shone. They quickly restored some service.
Even after the war Dortmund Süd’s role diminished. The rise of personal vehicles and shifts in traffic flow led to its decline. Passenger services dwindled. By 1963 the station closed. The line to Herdecke and Hagen was closed in 1957.
But the story doesn’t end there. The line was revived as part of the S-Bahn network. A new station Dortmund Stadthaus replaced Dortmund Süd. It’s better situated close to the city center. The S-Bahn line serves Dortmund’s east. Today only the water tower and the remains of the roundhouse stand. Overgrown stairwells are a poignant reminder of this forgotten station. The water tower a remarkable survivor now stands as a silent testament. It stands as a monument to Dortmund Süd’s rich past. The Kronprinzenviertel a new residential area stands where the station once thrived. A symbol of Dortmund’s continuous evolution. The ghosts of steam trains linger. Their echoes are in the rustling leaves that now reclaim the station’s grounds. Dortmund Süd’s story reminds us of progress and loss. It’s a story written in stone and steel. But also in the memories of those who once passed through.