European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 03, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse Is photos by Vince Chawley hosting theh Melei Gerhard Freitag right chats with sol 1st Cross Jerry Brown. G by David Tarrant Stafl writer enter Seitle jumped to his feet eagerly clapping and swaying to the old gospel tune Runnin for my life. It s fantastic shouted the heavy set Man in a Bluet shirt and jeans. Across the room Jochim Shaboo his seamed and Sun cracked Gypsy face beaming with approval stood and clapped along to the song. At another table Rudolph Bressler a czechoslovakian Veteran of world War ii nodded his head in time to the music while beside him even the tall aristocratic Felix Emil Hildenbrand was snapping his fingers. It was gospel hour at the Gellhausen no club and some of Frankfurt s hardcore homeless were getting Down with their american seemed an unusual meeting in an unusual setting. But to Leanon Trawick. Pastor of the full gospel holiness Church of god and Christ in Budinger West Germany hosting a gospel concert for some of Germany s homeless made perfect sense. The homeless Are not just in America. The homeless Are All Over. Since we Are Here Why not Deal with the situation Here. The problem is the same. People Are people he said. Ii one o the missions of a Church is to reach out and help people it is simply a matter of looking around and seeing who needs help to i that Church is american and based in West Germany this is not some Mission in a Lar Olf country. He re you have an Opportunity to support to to Trawick a sergeant first class Whoso Church is one of several working with the shelters in Frankfurt wanted to leed As Many of the homeless As he could. So to went to the homeless shelter at Frankfurt s Otto Strasse and picked up a Busload Otmen and women. We got 50, but we could have brought 500," to said. Meanwhile sitting around the tables in the club were about 200 americans who paid $10 Loi the Benefit with the proceeds going toward buying food Lor the homeless. The americans most of them connected to the military sat Down with their homeless guests to heaping plates of Fried Chicken barbecued ribs potato salad Cole Slaw Rolls and build your own ice Cream sundaes. In their own Way Many of the homeless gave something Back to their american hosts in some cases it was the Wisdom acquired with experience in other cases it was simply the sharing of Good humor opinions or memories. The old Soldier Bressler swapped War stories with a Young american sergeant Henry Allen. After discussing Bressler s role in world War ii they talked about fishing and even discussed How to make ice Cream sundaes. Bressler Allen said reminded him of an old neighbor. Something of a father Ligure. For Allen a muscular and amiable Young Man hosting a dinner for the German homeless in Gern made perfect sense. It does t i starving. The question is who is c any other saturday night c probably would spend his time a Frankfurt or possibly walking the chatting with some friends look ii something to do. But Seitle jumped at the chair his hosts. His English was Perfec met americans while working be. In Kaiserslautern. And the music i liked the gospel songs Coli gospel songs he said. His Friend Erdogan Bas Koyu f moved to Germany from Turkey came to the dinner hoping to Dis questions with his guests. Leaning Forward his dark Shir with animation Bas Koyu explain world would be a better place if harder to understand each other together the people who have z but it does t matter whore you re from or what you have. You re still a not All the homeless were desperate to change their lives. Hildenbrand a former translator liked the Freedom his current life offered. It s wonderful. When you got some Money together you go travelling to Spain or he said waving his cigarette like it was the magic Wand that could suddenly make those countries appear. Hildenbrand who also Speaks French Spanish and italian Learned English in the when he lived in Minnesota with married a go after world War ii. H now my lungs Are outside the club Gerhard fre standing in the Sunshine reminds 1 St class Jerry Brown rom Wor Reilag had been a musician Anc american club circuit throughout Germany. \ to remembered All the old req. Rose of Texas Dixie and Yankee c Dandy. And he said flashing a Grin he re the spotlight when Rock n Roll was y robust and King. Bop Bop she Doo Bop. Bop Tutti Fulti. ,." he his lingers As if he could make to again. To can t play the horns any Are bad. Pm tuft he said pointing to inothing." go to i Felix Emit Hildenbrand my lungs Are kaput Page 14 the stars and stripes saturday.,
