Czerwińsk Floating Bridge

About

The Czerwińsk Floating Bridge over the Vistula was a temporary floating bridge used by the forces of the Kingdom of Poland during the summer campaign of 1410 in the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War. Accounts of its use are found in the anonymous Chronicle of the Conflict and in the Annals of Jan Długosz, where it is referred to as a "bridge on boats". The construction was prepared secretly during the winter and spring of 1410, floated down the Vistula, and assembled above Czerwińsk on June 30, enabling Polish units to efficiently and swiftly cross the river within three days. Afterwards, the bridge was dismantled and floated to Płock. It was reused at the end of September 1410 near Przypust, where Polish forces were crossing back from Prussia. This structure provided a faster crossing of the Vistula, which came as a surprise to the Teutonic command and facilitated the concentration of Polish-Lithuanian forces at Czerwińsk. This had a significant impact on the further course of the campaign, and thus on the Battle of Grunwald. The idea of using such a construction, as well as its execution and efficient use, is considered a major success of contemporary Polish military engineering.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.