European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 9, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Magazine staff sgt Henry Boms Ett Stltt unit cry St at Stefan cheap Charlie or Antner s Wagon of military Ware. Cheap Charlie the eternal Cavalryman Story and photos by Tony Nauroth Nimberg bureaus ook at his legs. Hell even pull his bavarian Gien Slacks up Over the calf to show you whore he hair stopped growing Al Merrell Barracks in Nurnberg Germany they cat him cheap at Christensen Barracks in Bundlach he s Jesse in Bamberg. He goes by the Macht nights a German idiom Tor it does t and at Pond Barracks in Amberg 63-year-od Lelan Krammer becomes just Charlie.11 when he fled the oncoming russians sweeping into his native Hungary alter world War ii Krammer got off the rain in Munich and walked. And walked. And walked. A heavy suitcase in each hand scraped Back and Forth against the outsides of his calves. Look i Don t have any hair there now Krammer said. It s All been rubbed off. All that walking he murmured. Krammer name May change depending on where his Wagon of wares is parked. One thing remains constant Krammer is a . Army cavalry Booster has been since Way Back when he painted color into the Cheeks of Young girls in Black and White photographs gis carried in their wallets. They Ware German girlfriends at a time when amen can soldiers were forbidden to fraternize with local woman rules that were frequently broken. Krammer found a Market filled a need and expanded on it. He discovered that soldiers were having a hard time finding uniform items at their Exchange. He solved the problem by. Turning out hand painted and embroidered insignia at his Home. Back in the mid-1950s, Exchange officials launched an investigation into his methods because he continued to undersell them nothing Evar came of it. He still pours the Metal into holds to make the Black clip on rank insignia he Sells to cavalry troops 10 places Tor 6 Marks about $2.70. To gel six at the Exchange a Soldier today spends about $4. You want 100,000 in two weeks he boasts i can i Home in Ober Ribach near Nalmberg houses a cottage Industry specializing in cavalry Memorabilia Basic military gear some real historical finds and the Bric a Brac that seem to sell so we a to americans Wineskins. Germany jackets and 2nd army Cav Root pendants. But there s More. His real business is trading in the traditions of the cavalry. Krammer talks Wilh a thick bavarian accent about Battles tactics. Ouster s last stand and the american of West Indian wars. His voice is almost Dusty with the lore of lha horse Soldier. Strange stuff coming from a Man born in a Village 12 Miles from Budapest. His whole body talks in sweeping gestures. He uses his expressive face like punctuation an exclamation Point to get across an important thought a question Mark when there s the slightest doubt a wide eyed comma for the briefest break in conversation. And when he s done period. A Shock of White hair splits from his forehead and sweeps Back in two plumes. His eyes Are cobol Blue. And every once in a while. The Gold lash of an expensive false tooth winks from lha Comer of a wide smile. He is Well aware of his status As a tradition that has become As much a part o the cavalry As the legendary Lone survivor of ouster s last stand a horse. In a Way he s survived that Way Loo. As world War ii raged he and his family were in the thick of it and off balance. Bui when the dust cleared wednesday july 9, 1986 the family remained Inlall. We were he said dragging his Fingernail across his mealy upper left Arm. The gesture toll a red Mark As if there was yet some untold scar. In january i960 Kramor received a 2nd army Cav regt certificate at achievement marking his 25th year of outstanding support of the specifically mentioned in the document is his willingness to assist in obtaining Novelty items such As crests spurs. Holsters berets lags and tankers boots at readily affordable whatever they want t can get he said Krammer Points to a line of russian airborne patches hanging above his head in the Wagon i get them from a collector in Budapest glancing Over his shoulder he adds the russians Don i like it but i get just last month alter 32 years of serving cavalry soldiers and their families he received Yel another certificate o achievement that goes one step further to legitimize his cavalry tics. Ii Calls his service an act of Friendship that cannot be Krammer of the Many names really is an eternal private in the cavalry. He s in the theater again Asho pretends to wind an imaginary key that seems to stick out of his Chest. He s winding counterclockwise and Al the time saying it i could change my tile Back to when i was a 20-year-old, i would join the Cav " a thought seems to tickle his nose the Gold tooth winks. He stops winding leans Over the counter and says alter to. It Dies Oul " the it is the tradition of his own life so wonder my entwined in the tradition cd the modern Day horse soldiers Riding their Metal steeds along the bavarian Borderland. As he mounts the Wagon s Steps he reaches Down to scratch his Call an itch from the past Saletan cheap Charlie Jessie James the Macht nights Man Krammer is a Long tradition away from Budapest. He a
