European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 18, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Coburg the Royal connection German towns a amps map a statue of Prince Albert towers Over baskets of Flowers for Sale in Coburg s marketplace. Story and photos by Effie Bathen Nurnberg Bureau the people of Coburg a town sitting in the gentle Hills of Northern Bavaria Are proud of their past and their present. The history of the City the former capital of the duchy of Coburg can be traced Back to the time of Charlemagne making it nearly 1,000 years old. But the Story that the people of Coburg speak of with the most Pride is about one of the City s native sons who came to marry the Queen of England. In 1840 Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg Gotha married his Cousin yes from the Coburg line too Queen Victoria of great Britain. A As a matter of fact the duchy s Royalty had Long been Bent on creative matchmaking. Coburg kith and Kin have filled nearly All the Royal houses in Europe including Greece Spain Portugal Italy Romania and Russia. At least one travel guide describes the Royal family As a Quot kind of Royal family stud  that is Why a statue of Britain s Prince Albert a proudly dressed in the garb of the Royal order of the Garter a stands in the Middle of the local marketplace. It is also the reason that the duchy maintained its prestige for so Many centuries and secured for the City elaborate collections of baroque Rococo and Renaissance Art and buildings that Many other German cities missed. Through the years Coburg just a 10-minute drive from the Borders of the former East German state fell under the control of various Powers. Fortunately for the City and its approximately 47,000 residents said longtime resident Gerhard Hartan control of the duchy went to the free state of Bavaria in about 1920. Therefore years later it Quot came to be free Quot while the people living a Short distance to the East ended up behind the Iron curtain. In contrast to the life on the other Side of the former Border Quot the living Here is easy Quot said Hartan who enjoys giving Tours in his spare time. Coburg s marketplace is a Good place to Start a Day s stripes Magazine october 18, 1990