COMMENTS TO MY PAGE "ART POSTCARDS WITH A RAILWAY MOTIVE"
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Der Westharz
The Harz region had an extensive rail network before World War II, but the establishment of the Inner German Border after 1945 disrupted many connections between West and East Germany. The railway system in Westharz (Western Harz) between 1945 and 1990 was significantly impacted by the division of Germany. During the Cold War, railways in Westharz were operated by the Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB), the national railway of West Germany. Important lines included: 1. Seesen – Herzberg – Northeim Line: A key route connecting the northern and southern Harz. 2. Herzberg – Bad Lauterberg – St. Andreasberg: A branch line mainly used for tourism. 3. Goslar – Bad Harzburg: Important for connections to Braunschweig and Hannover. 4. Osterode – Kreiensen Line: A regional connection. 5. Südharz Railway (Südharzbahn): Northeim – Herzberg – Walkenried: A crucial route leading to the Inner German Border. The division of Germany after 1945 led to the closure of several railway lines between Westharz and Ostharz (Eastern Harz in the DDR). Many cross-border connections were severed, and stations near the border (e.g., Walkenried) became dead ends. One was Walkenried station, the last station before the DDR border and saw limited use because trains could no longer continue into the East. Another was The Brockenbahn, a famous narrow-gauge railway leading to the Brocken mountain, was cut off from West Germany, as the Brocken was a restricted military zone in the DDR. The Harzquerbahn (Harz Narrow-Gauge Railway) and Brockenbahn were partly in East Germany but had connections from Westharz before the war. However, due to the border, these railways no longer served West German travelers. In Westharz, small tourist and industrial railways remained, but they lost cross-border traffic. After the German reunification in 1990, some rail connections were restored, such as the reopening of the Walkenried–Ellrich line (1996), which reconnected Westharz and Ostharz. The Harzer Schmalspurbahnen, HSB (Harz Narrow-Gauge Railways) were fully reopened to tourism, including the legendary Brockenbahn, which is now a major attraction.
March 16th 2025
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