European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 31, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Krass Hradil Down the Hill from bit Lighthouse Home to want town when Kross Rel Iris in August Hli unctions will in of placed by aut mattion. Island Light housekeeper one of adding Breed mariners incl Mir Linn Birds have homed in on the Beacon of Light Hal sweeps .1 id mile ill across ii Nair la sea from the tiny Island of Helgoland Germany. Fur ii years Willi Friiss has Kepi the Lighthouse Deacon burning 2f a Lee above the water s surface. I is of a tradition the Strelches to 16.10 ill the first Lighthouse in the Island i is ,1 tradition that included Friiss father. .1 Ira Dilion ends with Friiss retirement in August. Kruss t5, is the Lighthouse keeper id give Way in automation on the Bay if Germany .1 Well travelled part of ii North sea West of the polls of Hamburg and Bremen. Automation and re rement aim ill tin time lot Friiss. I will Lucky lint i in.uk1 ii it Kruss a i . Millions of Birds us of Kolind As a Slop. They use Ihu Sli fit Aliffi below the lira thrust is .1 worst Linn during Thi in Impi it. In the ill tin1 Birds i one from Llic North Mil heart off for when Harpum. He slice art1 fill to with what Scien iils .in1 is m 10 million Birds of varying i Puii a. Back in Ihu Days when lit1 would hike a Small out to replenish ii fuel slut k it the Lin Hli in he buoys Kruss in i Iii or a ill l with groups of As Many As 411 seals no Mully shun Wiilis it in the heavily Vii itt re . Perched on lilt buoys As they to tvs from Side to Side Friiss could the seals from a perspective disk real from i hot of even the Nho Depe Lii on Kru is to guide their ship in rough the shallow Waters Surro Uzulins i . They the Sonk ire very Friiss said. When you Are alone Wilh them you Atmos to up until the f us kiss said someone Hail to Alch each in Glt in the Helgoland lower to make sure the i ruled buoys marking hi-1 Hannel a Nurl the Rocky Island Turki in. I would Lel Brale in tin1 Light House. Wilh my wife Kroisi As he Rem Mikird in tile living to room of his Rii Iules a Nus Norvl in Llic i a Louie. But Llie lights ire a i Iii. Anil Thi v Are Kii cd on .lulom.iliciilty. Pitlurg Finif other lighthouses Han on his Walls. In one Turner is .1 Model of the 1 lib Ohlhouse. Friiss would like to visit some of the Henhouse of the world whose a lures his . Also in Friiss living room is a Monitor that Illmus him id Check the lights Wilhour climbing the Lighthouse. An alarm system lets him know if one in the lights goes Oul while he is sleeping. Friiss was born on the Liny Reserl Island 47 Miles from Bru Mchaven. Except far visits to the Mainland Friiss has spent his life in in environment where aul Omnik s Are rare and the Anliss of seals make for daily conversation. His father ended ,1 Lighthouse on the Island of Syll. Willi Friiss also worked Sheie and returned to Helgoland in 1952 in help rebuild the Lighthouse damaged during world War ii. Everybody Here knows everybody and we ire ill in the same i Friiss said. I land mikes and lip Jiing of hats Are shunned by Itie 2, k10 islanders but Mil because Helgn Landers Are impolite Friiss said. Handshakes and lipped hats Are Mainland formalities not needed in the Ilose nil world of the Island he said. Friiss belongs to a choir sing. Sim and Hli wife belongs i a Folk dance group. Friiss said he sometimes leaves the Island to sine at i choir s appearances
