Related post: Slovenian Railway Museum in Ljubljana.
Post updated 13 August 2024. Reason for update: Added new video from Bosnia dated 12 August 2024.
Disclaimer: Images or information on Nazism published in this post are of a historical reference.
Note: The German word Kriegslok is an abbreviation for Kriegslokomotive. In English: War Locomotive.
This post is about the last Kriegslok war locomotives in commercial, but not in heritage service. A small number of these locomotives still haul coal wagons at coal mines in the Tuzla region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Source: Europe’s last Real Steam: Bosnia-Herzegovina. Accessed 25 April 2024. In February 2024, FarRail Tours advertised a tour to visit the railways at the coal mines.
First Manufacture of Kriegslok War Locomotives Started in 1942
Editorial from the German newspaper Mährisch-Schlesische Landeszeitung, dated 14 October 1942. English: Moravian-Silesian regional newspaper.
Kriegslok 52 001 Launched in Berlin
Newspaper editorial translation from German:
The First Kriegslok War Locomotive Completed
The first war locomotive of the Class 52 was recently presented to representatives of the Berlin press. In the production of this simplified freight locomotive, which is the only type to be built in large numbers by all locomotive factories in Greater Germany for the Reichsbahn, a new approach is being taken according to guidelines of the Reich Minister for Armament and Ammunition. Structural and technical simplification leads to an increase in performance.
With the war locomotive including tenders, around 26,000 kilograms of material and 6,000 working hours are saved for each locomotive. In terms of its external shape, it differs from the previous Class 50 locomotive of the same power due to the lack of smoke deflectors and the large snow clearer, which is particularly important for the East, as well as the semicircular profile of the tender, which has been simplified and is, therefore, technically more efficient.
Source: Archived at the Silesian Digital Library, Poland. In German. Page 6. Accessed 25 April 2024.
Kriegslok War Locomotives – More Information
Alfred C Mierzejewski, in his book Hitler’s Locomotives: Part 1 has more copyrighted information including photographs that you can view.
For example there is a photograph entitled With a Kriegslok behind him, Albert Speer addresses locomotive builders and Reichsbahn officials at a locomotive factory outside of Berlin in July 1943. Source: JSTOR. Accessed 23 May 2024. Subscription required.
Albert Speer was the former Reich Minister of Armaments and War Production.
Kriegslok War Locomotive Production – Nazi Propaganda Film
The video shown below is hosted at the Noel Black YouTube channel. The footage is of an original Nazi propaganda film about the production of the Class 52 Kriegslok war locomotives. Video accessed 9 May 2024. This YouTuber has supplied closed captions not only for the German voiceover but also for the film credits. Well done to him!
Kriegslok War Locomotives Following the Defeat of Germany
Following the defeat of Germany at the end of World War II, many of the kriegslok locomotives stayed in the countries that Germany had occupied during the war, or in countries that had been allied with Germany. Some of the locomotives stayed within the post-war boundaries of the Democratic and Federal Republics of Germany. In the post-war years, the kriegsloks were used in commercial operations in many countries throughout Europe.
Some Examples of Post-War Kriegsloks in Europe
A Kriegslok Locomotive in Bosnia
The associated photograph from 2018 is of a Class 52 locomotive hauling coal wagons at the Šikulje Coal Mine in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This locomotive has been renumbered to 33-064.
Attribution: Bastian Königsmann via Flickr. CC BY 2.0 Deed. Accessed 28 April 2024.
This locomotive is featured in the first YouTube video further down in this post and was in service when the YouTuber visited in October 2023.
A Kriegslok Locomotive in Yugoslavia
The associated photograph from 1952 is of a Class 52 locomotive numbered 52.3812, somewhere in Yugoslavia.
Attribution: daves_archive _inactive at current time via Flickr.
A Kriegslok Locomotive in Poland
The associated photograph from 2007 is of a Class 52 locomotive hauling freight at an undisclosed location in Poland. This locomotive has been renumbered to Ty2-953.
Attribution: Radosław Kołodziej, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikipedia. Accessed 28 April 2024.
Ty2-953 is now located at the Chabówka Rolling Stock Heritage Park in Chabówka, Poland. Source: Polish Steam Engines. In Polish. Accessed 28 April 2024.
A Kriegslok Locomotive in the German Democratic Republic
The associated photograph from 1985 is of a Class 52 locomotive in passenger service. The location is Salzwedel Railway Station in the German Democratic Republic.
Attribution: Michel Huhardeaux from Brussels, Belgium via Wikimedia Commons.
Source: Wikimedia. Accessed 27 April 2024.
List of Countries that Inherited Kriegslok War Locomotives
- Bulgaria
- Czechoslovakia
- Hungary (Kriegsloks imported from the Soviet Union in 1963)
- Norway
- Poland
- Romania
- Soviet Union (Kriegsloks captured or seized)
- Turkey (Kriegsloks imported from Germany)
- Yugoslavia (still used today in Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Source: DRB Class 52 at Wikipedia. Accessed 26 April 2024.
Two Good YouTube Videos to Watch
I have chosen the videos below because the creators give a commentary to add context, and they have added closed captions.
Title of video: Operating WWII Steam Trains in Bosnia | Kriegslok War Locomotives. By the Tattooed Traveller. Posted 15 October 2023.
Title of video: Steam’s Last Stand – Driving WWII German Steam In Bosnia. Posted 12 August 2024.
How Long Will These Kriegslok War Locomotives in Bosnia Keep Running?
The FarRail Tours website tells us that the financial situation of these mines is dire and that there is not enough money to purchase second-hand diesel locomotives. Hopefully, these Kriegsloks will not be replaced any time soon. Now, that would be nice.
Related Post
Tram Route No. 38 in Bytom Featuring the Kriegsstraßenbahnwagen
Kriegsstraßenbahnwagen (war tramcar). Copies of this German World War II tramcar are still in scheduled passenger service in Bytom, Poland.
External Links
The German Steam Locomotive Museum – About the war locomotive.
Chabówka Rolling Stock Heritage Park in Chabówka, Poland.
FarRail Tours website Home Page.
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