European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 30, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The Toten Maar is one of the Eilef s Many enter  the Story and photographs by Michael Abrams staff photographer exploring the Fil Al Massif is like taking a journey in a time machine. There Are Long extinct Volcano and ruins of the once mighty roman i Quot Empire. There Are medieval castles and fortified towns. This mountainous Region of West Germany boxed in by the Rivers Rhine Moselle anti rur owes much of its Eye catching landscape to some 200 volcanoes extinct now for More than 1 2,000 years. Eruptions and shifts in the Earth s crust threw up jagged peaks like i Lohe Ach the 2,457-toot Crest that is the Region s tallest from a Tower atop the Mountain visitors can enjoy a Panorama of peaks and valleys thick forests and open Fields. On a Clear Day the formication of Nii Burg Castle to the Southwest and the Olberta k ruin in the Northeast Are \ Isible. Deep c aves can he found in the country Side. Near Gerolstein is the Bui Henox h c ave w hich is As inhabited during the ice age. 1 Here Art also tin Millott gone t aves near Birresborn Kopp and other  Lor a Monument at an old roman Temple near Pesheh. Up clunkers at Hinte Weiler Ochenfels Essinger Zeroth and Koth Mullen born. The Maare or Crater lakes Are perhaps the Region s most distinctive feature. They were formed when gasses burst through the Earth s crust. Eruptions of lava eventually would build up a Cone but the Gas explosions created Only cinder Ringe craters. Over the years water collected in them to form almost perfectly circular lakes deep and still. The biggest Cluster of Crater lakes is along Highway 257 from Ulmen South to Manderscheid. The largest of the nine Crater lakes in that area is Pul Emaar near Gil Lenfeld it covers nearly 09 acres with a diameter of 2,215 feet and reach 243 feet in depth. Only the  see to the Northeast is bigger scattered throughout the Milel Are reminders that the area was ont e under roman Rule. At one time a 62-mile pipeline Lead through the i icel to Tarry water to the a roman City of Colonia Agrippina Eryb now Cologne 1 he remains of a a Man Aqueduct can be seen near the Village of ussem and another link of the pipeline can be bund near know Weingarten. Some other examples of roman life in the Eifel Are the Baths in Zupich a Lime Kiln near Igersheim and hidden in the Forest Between Nothen and Pesch a Temple Complex from the first Century. The remnants of medieval life Are More evident castles and walled cities dotting the Countryside. Among the Best known castles is the Kasselberg near the town of Pelm first mentioned in 1272. The Kasselberg wildlife Park a highlight of the 158-mile German game Road is a Sanctuary for 20 species of Birds of prey. Its 85 acres include enclosures Tor wolves wild horses and wild boar and Many Small predatory animals roam free. Other wildlife Parks in the area include a Deer and boar Reserve in Daun and a Bear Park at go Dort. Two other famous castles in the Region Are the Beautiful 13th-Century Berresheim now a museum North of Mayen one of the few castles in the area the never was destroyed in a War and the much resumed a a Mold the Zurburg the Castle that gives one of the world s most famous racetracks its name. The Surbur Gringhaus racing almost every weekend from May through september the person who w ants to 4 stripes Magazine August 30, 1990