European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 10, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Sis photos by Michael Abrams a on most posts people say a a Vul be glad to get out of Here its just the sgt. 1 St class Peter Riopel a of Wiede Sehen bad Tolz by Randy Pruitt 1 staff writer after 46 years Many German communities would be glad to wave goodbye to the american military. They would be eager to make use of the vacant caverns to move families into the empty housing units and in some cases to rid themselves of that element of Drunken hell raising gis who refuse to respect German Laws and customs in bad Tolz though saying auf Wiede Sehen won t be easy. Over the years a special relationship has developed Between the residents of this bavarian spa town South of Munich and the men known As Green berets. Quot they be been Good neighbors Quot says bad Tolz mayor Albert Schaffenaker. If City officials had their Way Flint Cavern would remain the european Home of the . Special forces in Europe. Instead a ceremony will be held july 15 to Mark the closure of the Post that became Headquarters for Patton a 3rd army at the end of world War ii and Home to the special forces in november 1953. The 1st in 10th special forces group is moving to Panzer Cavern at Bobingen near Stuttgart. W Quot we were surprised about the move Quot Schaffenaker says. Quot we thought they would be Here for their 50th anniversary in 1995. Quot that Day will never come. Already the Post which fell into american hands on May 1, 1945, has taken on the appearance of a ghost town. Food still lines commissary shelves but customers Are rare. Just across the Street moving vans sit backed up to apartments in the american housing Complex. At one Point a City delegation met with the minister president of Bavaria who later told Gen. Crosbie e. Saint commander of the . Army in Europe about the Community s desire that the base be kept open. Officials even discussed sharing operating expenses with the United states the mayor says. Quot they the soldiers belong to the City Quot says police chief Werner Glatzel Poch who was 13 years old when the 36th inf div marched into the former is officer training school on May 1, 1945. He recalls the first time he visited the americans at the Post. A go was handing out Slicks of Candy to German children. During his eight years As chief of police Glatzel Poch says the americans had caused him no serious problems. Quot you had the same problems with the germans Quot he says. Twice a year area Farmers would meet with the Post commander to discuss training exercises on their land. Local property owners got along Well with the military he says. Glatzel Poch says he always received Good cooperation from military police. On occasion military aircraft were used to Fly injured civilians to hospitals. Goodwill was promoted in other ways. A German american Council met monthly and on thursdays policemen went to the Cavern to play sports with the americans or just to have a Beer. Quot for my men and me its regretful that the army s going but we can t Stop it Quot says the police chief. Quot it was great but Klaus Pelikan Lef City manager of bad Tolz and mayor Albert Schaffenaker were surprised to learn the troops would pull out so soon. Bad Tolz a picturesque town in Southern Germany has been Home to the special forces Tor 46 years. A they the soldiers belong to the City Quot says police chief Werner Glatzel Poch left. It s Over Quot a Glatzel Poch says he expects the emptying of the Post to have Little economic Impact on the Community. Most soldiers and military family members purchased essentials from the Post. The mayor says the German government has made no decision on what to do with the facilities and that worries him and other local leaders. Rumours Are circulating that residents of former East Germany and refugees from the East bloc May move into the housing units. Schaffenaker says townspeople Quot Aren t he fears their presence would do harm to the town s resort image. The transition from a picturesque Rural setting at the foot of the German Alps to a congested metropolitan area does t set Well with the men who will be affected either. Quot it s like moving a High Alpine platoon to Heidelberg or Frankfurt. It makes As much sense Quot says sgt. Maj. Horst Duchow. Quot this is perhaps the most Ideal setting for the special forces anywhere in Duchow was first assigned to bad Tolz in 1970. He stayed seven months before going to Vietnam. He returned in 1981, staying until 1984. He came Back again in november 1985. Quot we have set a historical precedent with the local German population Quot he said. Quot we re probably More assimilated in this environment than any other military Complex. There is a sincere Friendship and a sincere Bond that has developed Over the last 40 years Between us and the Duchow credits the unit s Public relations Success to the special forces efforts to blend in with the Community. When downtown most soldiers make an attempt to speak German. Many have German wives and speak the language fluently he says. Participation in cultural Exchange clubs is also encouraged. Quot you ask for a better Community. They gave us a reception when we came Back from Turkey and Iraq Quot says sgt. 1st class James Emrich. Leaving saddens him. Quot it wont be the same. We re used to having it All to ourselves. These quarters Are Beautiful compared to what we re moving a a in a heartbroken a says staff sgt. B. Paul Weddle As he sipped a Root Beer in a picnic area outside his apartment. Weddle has lived in bad Tolz 4v� years. Quot its hard to leave the area because the people like us Here. We pick up our garbage and Don t leave anything Weddle 31, Speaks warmly of How the local populace participated in guerrilla warfare training exercises. Soldiers would spend two weeks in the surrounding Countryside often hiding in Farmers barns and Sheds. A they the Farmers like to be involved. You become almost adopted Quot he says. Quot they even loaned us their nonetheless Weddle says there were some disadvantages at bad Tolz including a Small shooting Range a ban on automatic Rifle fire a 2vt>-Pound limit on explosives that can be discharged and an Airfield not suitable for Landing c-130s. The battalion recently drove to a in a heartbroken. Its hard to leave the area because the people like us -siaffsgi.b. Paul Weddle Nurnberg to be flown to Turkey where they aided kurdish refugees. Still the town and its Friendly people have come to mean borne to him. Quot part of our Job is to build says staff sgt. Chris Hartnett who has been stationed there for the past 2vz years. Quot our average age is 28, we Don t run through town and tear anything up we respect their a a we Are just stunned. You la be hard pressed to find a Soldier Happy about moving. A sgt. Jerry Green sgt. Rik Daugherty stands inside his vacant apartment a Broom in his hand and a Froyln on his face. He and his wife a Don t look Forward to moving to the Stuttgart area. Quot the environment up there seems colder toward the americans Quot he says that feeling however comes not Only from his encounter with germans Daugherty also detects jealousy surfacing from fellow soldiers. Quot they hear the word special and say they Don t see anything special about it a he says. A Quot we re going to miss the americans very much Quot says Anna rank owner of the Jage Wirt restaurant which is situated a Short distance from the Cavern. Quot they re All outstanding people. We be had no problems with on a Lazy sunny Day sgt. Jerry Green spec. Fred Bell and sgt. 1st class Peler Riopel enjoy a late lunch at a sidewalk cafe in the Center of town. Good natured banter abounds but the mood quickly changes when they re asked about leaving Quot Quot we Are just stunned Quot says Green. Quot you la be hard pressed to find a Soldier Happy about moving Quot Bell recalls the annual Spring and fall Community festivals sponsored by the Post. Quot it s hard to sit alone Al a test. People germans want to come up and talk to you about Quot on most posts people say i ii be glad to get out of Here Here it s just the opposite Quot says Riopel who describes bad Tolz As Quot the Florida of Germany Quot because it attracts Many vacationing germans. Quot if there s one Community that needs to be kept open it s this one Here nobody understands Quot Riopel says when it comes to skiing and mountaineering i raining Green berets May once again find themselves Back in bad Tolz Rio Pei though will soon return to fori Bragg n the raining Home Lor the unconventional warriors. Quot but the last memories i want Are right Here he says Page 14 the stars and stripes wednesday july 10, 1991 the stars and stripes Page 15
