The Children Who Crossed a River by Pulley: Modena, Italy

In 1959, near Modena in northern Italy, schoolchildren were forced to cross the Panaro River by means of a pulley device. A bridge had once spanned the river, but it was destroyed during the Second World War and was left unreconstructed for many years because funds were lacking.

To address the situation, metal cables were stretched across the river, and each child—and any adult who needed to make the crossing—had to carry an individual pulley. Misplacing the pulley created serious difficulties, so keeping it secure was essential. Remarkably, this improvised method of river crossing remained in use until 1980.

(Photo credit to the original photographer/owner)