European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 1, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Quot i be sold quite a few cars to East germans seals h Quot and they buy the exact same kind of car As my american customers Quot that is something older and cheaper that might last another couple of years. He says East bloc emigres already make up 5 percent to 6 percent of his sales. The interview was Cut Short when a pole stopped by to negotiate a car Walter Henne who Sells insurance to americans at a vow Dealership in Ansbach says his department would naturally go out of business if the gis went Home but the Parent company would barely be touched. Ever since the Mark to Dollar Exchange rate started dropping five years ago americans have been buying fewer new cars. Henne said there Are so Many opinions about the future of Ansbach s gis a most belong to the 1 St army div a that it would be ridiculous to do anything jut sit Back and wait to see what happens. In Kitzinger mayor Rudolf Schardt is concerned about the future of germans who work for the . Government. More than 300 Are employed in Kitzinger and earn an estimated 13 million Marks if the military returns to the United states Schardt said germans who lost their jobs would turn to the town for employment. Quot and there is nothing for them Quot he said. Schardt said he does t believe the troops will leave All at once. Rather he thinks and Hopes they wifi pull out gradually Quot so we can fill in the gaps As they  if not the town will have to take it a Day at a time because there Are no Long Range plans for such a pullout. Quot we have ideas in the Back of our minds but nothing Concrete Quot he said. Dieter Wolbeck owner of the Quick Burger restaurant in Kitzinger is worried less about balancing his books than he is about the big picture. He said 90 percent of his business is German. The americans eat there Only on paydays and on sundays after the end of worship services in the Kitzinger la Wurzburg Baptist Church located on a floor above. Quot i think its a Little More International with the americans Here Quot Wolbeck said. A a when the americans eave i think we will go Back to  americans Supply the Kitzinger Mcdonald so restaurant with Only 20 percent of its business according to manager Monika Genther but Quot Well miss hat 20 percent Quot she said. Genther who said she would miss americans because they clean up their tables better than German customers thought business would be Back to Normal after a year or two Quot the housing the living rooms will fill up with  Zumach the former Ansbach mayor was not so sure. If his City lost the 1 ,300 americans who rent from German landlords Quot it could mean a collapse of the housing  but Peter Seitz who runs a pet shop in Kitzinger said a . Troop pullout would actually help the housing Market in his town where nearly 2,000 americans each pay an average 1,500 Marks a month in rent. Quot the americans can pay a very High rent through the Money they get for housing Quot Seitz noted. An american withdrawal would mean cheaper rents and More available housing for germans. Gerhard Denzlinger an Ansbach store owner said a  reduction would not be an army going Home. It would be friends leaving. His upscale housewares shop hardly sees american customers any More but he still does t want them to go. We will miss the people Quot he said in halting English they did a lot for us. I was born before the War and i know what they did to me by staying Here As friends and taking care of my country. They brought smiles and could help  now that times have changed Denzlinger said Quot you can t just kick these people out and say a goodbye it s Freedom.  who knows its Freedom for How Long Quot Brigitte Oerter has been a Kitzinger taxi Driver for 18 years and remembers when All of the taxi business there was devoted to americans. Even now that the Mark rate a a Low she said americans make up 80 percent of the business for Kitzinger s 34 taxis. If they left so would four out of five of her fares. Overlooking the main River in Kitzinger is another pm 1.1990 business that would fold if Kitzinger troops disappeared. Known As the Quot House of lights Quot the american veterans club sits atop a Hill in Hohenfeld on the outskirts of Kitzinger. On Friday and saturday nights gis and their sweethearts swirl on the club s dance floor to music of country and Western bands. At the bar patrons can buy hats emblazoned with american flags and sayings such As Quot these colors Don t run Quot a we try to make it Tike an american club like a Home away from Home Quot said Earl Bell the a fwd a senior vice commander. Like others Bell has pondered How the changes in Eastern Europe could Lead to troop withdrawals. A a it a certainly crossed my mind Quot he said. Quot but you never know How world events Are going to unfold. Its a changing world and we done to know from week to week what s going to  still he feels confident that the americans wont leave in a hurry. Quot even if things developed to be real Calm the military will never just Wake up one morning and say let s pack up and let s  it would be a slow  but Henne the insurance Salesman in Ansbach says a there was really no reason to even plan on . Troop withdrawals until what november december. Everything went so fast unexpectedly fast. And i think even our big politicians Are completely overrun by  Collins the video store owner in Kitzinger also Hopes changes come slowly but realizes they probably wont Quot that line came Down overnight Quot he said about the fall of the Berlin Wall. Quot maybe its going to to sooner than we could All  Zumach each fifth person in the Street Here is an american Soldier. Here in Ansbach walking through the City i see 10 times As Many american soldiers As i be Ever seen in the states. 5 5 a amps Effie bather Ansbach Ansbach 25 Miles West of Nurnberg is Home for 38,000 germans and about 12,000 americans. Most of the soldiers Are members of the 1 St army div headquartered just across the Street from the old town Wall and near main shopping streets. American families live in 1,300 units of government housing and rent another 1,300 German Homes and apartments. The 800-year-old franconian City has been a major Garrison town for More than two centuries. Two Ansbach regiments fought for the British in the american revolution surrendering with Cornwallis at Yorktown. The City is the seat of government for the District of Middle Franconia and like Many government towns it does not have Large Well developed industries. The . Military providing jobs to More than 700 germans is the towns largest employer. Military officials estimate that americans spent $100 million in the civilian Community last  Schardt h we have ideas in the Back of our minds but nothing  if the americans leave 300 germans who now work for . Government earning about 13 million Marks will turn to the town for employment and Quot there is nothing for them. 5 5kitzingen Filo Kitzinger 10 Miles East of Wurzburg is Home to More than 20,000 germans and about 12,500 . Service members civilians and their families. The soldiers Are assigned to the 3rd inf div and several smaller units that occupy two caverns. They live in 713 units of government quarters in three different housing areas and almost 2,000 private Homes and apartments. Billing itself As Quot romantic Kitzinger Quot the town s Economy is anchored to tourism and service oriented businesses such As restaurants and shops. Farming vineyards a brewery and other Small businesses provide additional Revenue. City officials say the main industries Are several Auto parts manufacturing firms the largest of which employs about 1,200 people. Although these companies would suffer the least from a total troop pullout in Kitzinger both americans and germans agree that All firms would be affected in some Way. The stars and stripes a a Page 15