The Rhine River is constantly mentioned in articles about Rome and the Reich. For the Romans, the Rhine became a physical reminder of the Empires limit. Crossing that barrier put the traveler beyond civilization. The Rhine for Hitlers Third Reich became a catalyst for redressing the Great Wars defeat and a blinding nationalist revival. The Rhine flowed deeply into the psyche for both.The Edge of CivilizationThe Roman Empire at its greatest extent. Source: inspiredpencil.comFor the Mediterranean Sea-based Romans, the Rhine Rivers winding path became the Empires northern border. The Roman legions had reached the Rhines edge by 50 BCE, following Caesars conquest of Gaul. With the Rhines strategic importance now, Rome sought to keep German tribes on the far side. For them, the clash evolved between barbaricum and imperial civitas.Barrier, Launchpad, and GatewayRoman Empire along the Rhine River Source: WikimediaAs a barrier, the Rhine averaged 100-300 meters during the Roman era. Though a formidable barrier, German invaders still crossed; the frontier remained volatile, never truly quiet. The Romans took security here seriously, establishing fortified camps like Vetera and Mogontiacum (Mainz). The settlements kept watch and allowed for rapid response along the Limes Germanicus or German frontier.For ease of command, the Romans split the Rhine zone into Germania Inferior and Germania Superior. Eight battle-hardened legions lay stationed along the Rhine, or some 40,000 soldiers. The Empire used the Rhine for annual expeditions, too, hoping to expand imperial reach. However, the 9 CE ambush and loss of three legions at the Battle of Teutoburger Forest changed imperial thinking.Reconstructed Roman Fort Gate Source: North East MuseumsBefore this, Romes ability to invade, conquer, and assimilate never wavered. The traumatic loss of three legions to Germanic tribes changed this thought.The Rhine River became a bulwark and one not lightly crossed. To Romans, the edge of the civilized world now existed. Yes, certain tribes emigrated, earning citizenship, but Imperial thought didnt change. This status quo changed little until winter 406 CE. Here, Germanic tribes broke through the Rhine defenses, invading and settling. Romes fall wouldnt be far off.The Reichs River ViewGermania Guarding the Rhine Source: British MuseumHitlers Third Reich viewed the Rhine in different waysfirst, in a mythical light. The Rhine signified a connection to Germanys two previous Reichs. In the First Reich (800-1806) or Holy Roman Empire, the Rhine operated like an artery, connecting the different parts in Imperial cities like Mainz or Cologne. The Second Reich (1871-1918) under the Kaisers viewed their existence as the First Reich, stating the Rhine as a God given frontier. To the Reichs third incarnation, the Rhine stood as a sacred frontier echoing their predecessors.Secondly, in Nazi propaganda, the Rhine held an ideological significance. The Nazis, especially Hitler, viewed the 1918 Great War defeat as extremely humiliating. As part of the Treaty of Versailless reparations, the Allies occupied Germanys Rhineland. Demilitarized of any German presence, the rump acted as a security buffer.British Officers Crossing the Rhine. Source: mikesresearch.comWith Hitlers takeover in 1933, ending this became one of the Nazis primary goals. Under the Nazis Blood and Soil belief, the Rhine River embodied a border that separated the German racial homeland. This kept the Aryan Volk racially pure. The Nazis skillfully manipulated their people, tapping into the Rhines historical legacy as a sentinel. Germanys 1936 Rhineland remilitarization restored the Reichs west wall. Hitlers bluff succeeded, wiping out the humiliation. The Rhines last chapter came in late 1944-45.The 1945 Crisis Defense of the Rhine1936 Nazis Reoccupy the Rhineland Source: WikimediaThe Rhines importance as a Nazi symbol peaked in early 1945. Defeat loomed from East and West as Allied armies rolled steadily over the Wehrmacht. In the West, the Rhine stood as Germanys last natural barrier. Should they cross the river, their greater mobility and firepower meant a rapid Nazi defeat.Nazi propaganda revved up their propaganda, touting the Rhine. The Rhine became, quite literally, a last bulwark, echoing the late Roman Empire. The Nazis tapped the Rhines symbolic power by painting the Rhine as core to the German identity, preventing foreign contamination. Propaganda Minister Goebel encouraged the Volk to defend Germany at all costs.Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen, 1945. Source: WWII MuseumYet, in March 1945, despite all the exhortations, the Allies crossed the Rhine. The cross-river attacks breached German defenses, despite better resistance. On March 7, the Americans, in a stroke of German misfortune, captured the Remagen bridge, giving them an intact crossing. Once established across the river, nothing could dislodge them.The incredibly successful crossings shattered the Rhines mythology. Nazi propaganda faltered, unable to spin a yarn as German morale plummeted. Now, no part of Germany was safe. The Rhines symbol to Imperial Rome and the German Reichs psyche as barrier, heartland, and border cant be underestimated. To them, the Rhine was a central belief.