Only a few return their love locks - Love Locks' Fate Hangs in Balance After Frankfurt Bridge Removal
Hundreds of love locks, symbols of love and commitment, were removed from Frankfurt’s iconic Eiserner Steg bridge this summer. Despite the removal, only a handful of owners have shown interest in reclaiming them, with a mysterious individual seeking to retrieve all the locks until January 2023.
The love locks, a tradition among couples who attach padlocks to the bridge as a declaration of their love, pose no structural risk to the bridge. They make up just one percent of its maximum load capacity. The removal was necessary to facilitate installation work on the bridge’s new lighting system.
The removed locks, weighing a total of five metric tons, are currently in storage. Owners have until January to claim their locks, with no returns made to date. Only around ten people have inquired about reclaiming their locks since July. Intriguingly, one unidentified individual has expressed a desire to reclaim all the removed locks by January 2023.
The fate of the love locks hangs in the balance, with the majority of owners yet to claim their symbols of affection. As the deadline looms, it remains to be seen if more owners will step forward, or if the mysterious individual will succeed in their quest to reclaim all the locks.
