▁bank ▁were ▁declared ▁a ▁" dem il itar ized ▁zone ". ▁▁ ▁At ▁first ▁the ▁Americans ▁admin ister ed ▁this ▁territory , ▁after ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁the ▁French . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁Rh in eland , ▁the ▁change ▁from ▁a ▁mon archy ▁to ▁a ▁republic ▁went ▁almost ▁un not iced . ▁The ▁plan , ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 3 , ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁" R hen ish ▁Republic " ▁failed . ▁The ▁French ▁with d rew ▁their ▁troops ▁again ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 9 . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁appointment ▁of ▁Hitler ▁as ▁Chan cell or ▁on ▁January ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁the ▁enthus ias m ▁on ▁the ▁Middle ▁Rh ine ▁was ▁great . ▁In ▁many ▁places , ▁Hitler ▁was ▁named ▁an ▁honor ary ▁citiz en . ▁Jewish ▁and ▁other ▁non - Christ ian ▁officials ▁were ▁replaced ▁by ▁party ▁function aries . ▁The ▁Jews , ▁who ▁had ▁played ▁a ▁significant ▁role ▁in ▁small ▁town ▁business ▁were ▁ro bb ed ▁and ▁driven ▁out , ▁some ▁of ▁them ▁murder ed . ▁ ▁The ▁Battle ▁of ▁Rem agen ▁during ▁the ▁Al lied ▁invasion ▁of ▁Germany ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁capture ▁of ▁the ▁Lud endor ff ▁Bridge ▁over ▁the ▁Rh ine ▁and ▁short ened ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁in ▁Europe . ▁Dam age ▁during ▁the ▁battle ▁caused ▁the ▁bridge ' s ▁collapse ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁but ▁only ▁after ▁the ▁Al lies ▁had ▁gained ▁a ▁fo oth old ▁on ▁the ▁eastern ▁side ▁of