European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 30, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                April 1985 the stars and stripes Page 7 mayor Calls cemetery visit appropriate7 by Jean Albright Pitburg Bureau chief Pitburg Germany As the Pitburg Community prepares for a presidential visit that has stirred Public Pitburg mayor Theo Hallet says recent press attention has changed nothing except his attitude toward the we will receive president Reagan and Chancellor Kohl with the same Hearty Welcome we would have if this sad prelude had not he but both germans and americans Here react badly to a press Campaign against soldiers lying in a he i am especially Hurt that a tradition of countries honouring each others War dead is veterans and jewish groups have protested reagans plan to visit Kol Mes Hoehe cemetery on where 47 members of the nazi is Are buried among the has not cancelled the but for 25 years before this american and French officials have joined the Pitburg mayor in memorial services at the Kolmes Hoehe Hallet also lays a Wreath each year at the Small jewish cemetery in Pitburg on the anniversary of when the nazis staged the first anti jewish pogrom in Germany since the mid dle the City and the air base have a Good Hallet for Hallet participates in weekly orientations for newcomers to the these and reagans planned trips to both the cemetery and a concentration Are appropriate express ions of reconciliation and Hallet Hallet said he believes that most americans still support the presidents visit to the Pitburg he said he has received letters from americans that express respect for the War dead of Pitburg and suggest that americans Are not in a Posi Tion to cast the first both pro and anti Ameri can campaigns have been mounted in bit Burg in recent unsigned fliers have been circulated calling for ant american demonstrations on the Day of the presidents a few photo by Jean Albright Kolmes Hoehe military cemetery in where president Reagan plans a Brief visit despite widespread Road Bridges and cars have been Spray painted with ant american police do not yet know who is responsible for the that was several weeks i am glad that it is quiet and peaceful Here just be fore the Hallet we have increased our foot and car said police chief Elmer Hirsch we know that there is a Small per cent of the population who Are against almost but that if they see patrol they dont do those some Pitburg citizens have formed a pro american organization that plans an information Campaign to counter anti american Werner a member of the Organiza Tion and the City thinks that most of the vandalism was done by we have a problem with Polit tour he but about 80 percent Here think like we we dont want people to think that the people of Pitburg Are anti the organization has printed stickers promoting German american members have also designed a flier that says in both English and German that the american presence assures peace and Security and that americans have been Good neighbors and the organization has not yet decided what it will do if protesters March on the Day of the presidents and a local peace which Hallet said is plans to make speeches at a Central location in town on the Day of reagans a spokesman for that group Hopes that the protest will be limited to speech Mak it is peaceful Here but people from elsewhere do come in and you never he we can expect Hallet they have been announced and we Are expecting we will have More police than usual and they will be aware that they must be very since the cemetery is Access to it will be limited to invited Access to Pitburg a also will be tightly controlled on beginning Early in the no Pri vate cars will be allowed to enter the base and passes will be issued to those who participate in following Wreath laying ceremonies at the Reagan is scheduled to at tend a nondenominational Church service on followed by a which will be attended by German residents of bit american military members and on base facilities will be a week before the planned base officials would discuss no other plans for Security or preparations for the Large num Bers of Pitburg a prepares for commander in chief by Jean Albright Pitburg Bureau chief Pitburg Germany Bright Young visitors from dressed in suits and sporting perfectly groomed walked along base they passed airmen Clad in fatigue Green chemical looking from the neck Down like the people from Washington and the people from Pitburg a eyed each but rarely did they after they had different the airmen were participating in a nato tactical evaluation exercise that checks How Well Allied forces can work the Washington team was planning president reagans visit to Pitburg this part of our Job is to do what we do without disrupting Peoples said a spokesman for the Reagan Advance we Are guests after yet the team relies heavily on base personnel to get things ready for a visit by the commander in preparation for this kind of visit de pends upon a Large team the spokesman that not just on the Day of the but on All the Days that the Advance teams Are Here we have had the very Best support and team work from people Advance team and base officials wont talk about that or about so its hard to Tell the difference among routine traditional Spring cleanup and special efforts being made for the around base hangars last airmen performed routine maintenance on air Craft and kept the hangars floor swept and hinges they worked around painters sprucing up the buildings and planners discussing the picnic Reagan is scheduled to attend on traffic on base thoroughfares swept past heavy equipment that repaired the damage of Winter people driving to work on familiar roads drove Back Home the same evening on newly Black topped and on Many major base curbs and crosswalks bore new Coats of gleaming White Gate guards checked ids and waved people onto behind were planting new flagpoles Are popping up along two major about 100 poles had been installed by the end of last the had not yet made their last Friday and saturday were chosen As the annual Spruce up As they do each year at this serv ice members who live and work on base helped sweep curbs and driveways and trimmed this contractors and civil engineers Are touching up the paint on the exteriors of buildings and repainting parking slots and the base will be looking Good when Reagan and those planning the event Are expecting a big crowd for the wed like As Many people As germans and to attend to see the the Advance team spokes Man