The state border under Devín was copying dramatic development in the past centuries. The Morava River represented the border between Austria and Hungary in the period of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy until the establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic. At those times, the border could be crossed, for example, using the road bridge in the county of Devínska Nová Ves the construction of which was ordered by Maria Theresa in 1771. After its demolition, the transport was provided by a ferryboat. A railway bridge was added in 1848.
The former Hungarian border was also running through the current Austrian territory. The Czechoslovak border on the Morava River as defined by international conventions matched with the Hungarian border, but, after the World War I, the territory on the right bank of the Danube River at Devín became a part of the Austrian state.
At the time when Austria joined the German Empire and World War II was drawing nearer, Czechoslovakia started to build border defence fortifications – concrete bunkers – along the Morava River. Almost 6,000 bunkers were already built in 1938, but they had never been used by the Czechoslovak army.
After the break-up of Czechoslovakia, Devín and Petržalka were assigned to the German Empire and the state border, this time between the Slovak State and Germany, was moved. It was running across the slopes of Devínska Kobyla along Karlova Ves towards the Danube River.
After the end of the World War II, the occupied territories were returned to the renewed Czechoslovak Republic. Shortly afterwards, the state border was full of watchtowers with barbed wire instead of bridges. Finally, the Iron Curtain fell down in 1989 and its casualties are reminded by the Memorial under the Devín Castle.
Text author: Andrej Barát