European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 18, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Eric Poszich has his own Well stocked cellar which includes this old scotch whisky As Well As the re approaches wine with great gusto a amps photos by l Emmett Lewis Anita coach staff writer Erich Poszich gives perhaps the Best translation for that virtually untranslatable German word . He says it Means simply Quot i m having a Heck of a Good time. A. A a a a. Poszich should know he. Lives and breathes a. A. A a Quot and he s made it his Mission to share it wit i others. A. A / a. A / a Poszich is belter known to americans in Germany As wine expert Eric the red for More than 20 years he has been teaching americans All about German wine and about the that goes along with drinking it. He takes them on bus Tours through some of a a Germany s most famous wine regions and on cruises up the Rhine River past picturesque win making villages and Lush vineyards he leads them through cobble stoned alleyways into Dank and Musty wine cellars a where he shows them the proper Way to drink the Golden liquid a and to typical German Cas Hauser a where he shows them the proper Way to enjoy it. For those who Don t go the extra mile Poszich holds w Ine tasting sessions at club and unit functions. Quot i just want to get americans to make their current chome in Germany More a Cutlich by getting off the base and seeing the area where they live Quot Poszich says Quot so Many of them slay in their Little ghettos and never get out and enjoy the a Quot enjoy Quot is a keyword for Poszich it s his philosophy on c consuming wine a. Quot in Germany we have a saying you drink Beer but you enjoy wine Quot he says. Quot it s my Job to Stop gis from taking a bottle at a wine fest and Chugg plugging it straight Down the Hatch. I try to show them that with just a Small amount of wine you can still have a Good a a part of Poszich s Success As a tour guide is his. Entertaining style. Chatty and outgoing Quick to laugh and burst into song the 57-year-old Wiesbaden native intersperses dry facts about wine and. Win making with jokes and humorous anecdotes often speaking in a. Singsong voice or ending sentences with exclamation a Marks. A Fie Points out sights along his Tours with an almost. Childlike enthusiasm exclaiming with equal amazement Over an example of gothic architecture As Over a Cherry Roe in Bloom. He has also been known to suddenly bark. Madly into the bus microphone Quot just saying i to the dog -. On the c d a a / even when not on the Job Poszich is Happy go Lucky. Recently at his Home a a gout ichor Row House in Elt Vilie a win making town along the Rhine River a he Sang loudly As he brewed Coffee for some visitors. Quot i m Justa Happy person Quot Poszich says Quot every. Morning when i Wake up i go to the Mirror look at myself and say Good morning dear boy. In t it Nice that you re still alive i m Happy that god let me Wake up another Day h Poszich s Home is a virtual shrine to his achievements. The Walls Are covered with framed letters of appreciation from wives dubs and German american Friendship organizations plaques presented to him by military units and squadrons throughout Germany articles written about him in unit newspapers some dating Back to the 60s, and a Stew of Fasching medallions he has received a from his Quot other Job Quot As president of a carnival society an Amateur Cook Poszich keeps his Kitchen stocked with Homegrown herbs mushrooms picked from the surrounding Woods and homemade Rose Cherry and Caraway seed liqueurs. In his basement he has a mini wine cellar with More than 300 bottles. Among them Are a hawaiian wine Maui Blanc a garlic wine from Gilroy calif., America s garlic capital and a bottle wine from 1943. Poszich s association with americans in Germany began in 1956, when at age 21, he took Over a. Barbershop Concession in Wiesbaden within 10 years he had four barbershops in the area. By that time he had become the vip Barber at the general Van Steuben hotel in Wiesbaden trimming the locks of visiting military and civilian dignitaries. A a in 1963 Poszich was introduced to John f. Kennedy in his capacity As the hotel s standby Barber. He says it was the president who gave him the nickname Eric the red because of his Reddish Blond began studying wine Inge Early 70s. In 1973 he received his certificate As wine expert from the German wine Institute. His knowledge of wine soon became known among his Barbershop clients and he began taking groups of americans on. Wine tasting Tours the son of a polish Man arid a bavarian woman Poszich says his Affinity for alcohol came , bavarian Beer and Rhine wine Are in. My blood Quot he quips. Quot i have a wonderful cocktail in my . A a -. Z a. Poszich s sense of humor helped him overcome a personal tragedy. His wife Adele had contracted Lou Gehrig s disease a nerve disorder and was confined to a wheelchair. Poszich took care of her night and Day until she died four years ago after 33 years of Marc Jage. Quot my humor kept her alive longer and it gave me the strength to take care of her for so Poszich a Grandfather of three gave up his Barbershop concessions when his wife died. He has since devoted his doing Volunteer work in his Community and teaching americans about wine. And living be Kutlich. That of course Means enjoying wine. A Quot a a a a Quot every Day have one two or even three glasses of wine Quot he advises. Quot but not too Poszich can arrange group wine tasting Tours by bus or boat. He is also available for wine tasting sessions at banquets Squadron or promotion parties a or club functions. He can be reached weekday mornings by calling 06123-3304 in Germany. You can also Check with your local travel Tolice for tour information 10 stripes Magazine apr/7 18, 1991
