European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A browser looks through a pile of of shiny faucets nozzles tubing and other unidentifiable stuff. Somewhere there might be just what he needs. The moving the Flea Market in Frankfurt Germany has been the source of controversy As Well As fascinating oddities since it began in 1972. When the Market started on the main River a on the Side now referred to As the museum River Bank it was intended to be for amateurs people who wanted to clean out their allies and cellars and make a Little Money. Soon however the professionals moved in with their Racks of secondhand clothes and real and fake Antiques. Flea Market Sites became so coveted that merchants and amateurs began arriving earlier and earlier so that the original saturday morning environment turned into a late Friday night scene. Trucks would pull up around Midnight to Reserve spots local residents began raising Cain with City officials Over the noise and the fact that the City had t provided adequate sanitary stations for the All night participants. In 1982, the newly elected Christian democratic Union government put a Stop to the bickering by moving the Flea Market into the walled courtyard of the nearby slaughterhouse a also on the Bank of the River. Critics did t like the solution. They said the new place had no atmosphere and resembled a prison Yard or a concentration Camp. Many merchants refused to go into the courtyard and began hawking their wares along the Riverside in the neighbouring town of Offenbach. Some of them have been there Ever since. A protest movement called Quot Back to the River Quot was formed but it was not Able to change the minds of City officials. It did however grab the attention of the political opposition. The slogan became part of the election Campaign of the social democrats and Creen parties which won the next City election and ousted the Raphe Nalia. Incumbents. In 1990, the ruling coalition from the two parties made Good on its Promise to move the Flea Market bar k to tin River. There it flourishes attracting some 700 men Hants and thousands of i urious shoppers every weekend. De Reavis staff writer March 28, 1991 stripes Magazine