European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 8, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Marco Hensel a Security guard at the cart Schurz Cavern vehicle transportation facility worries about his Job prospects. Bye Bye Bremerhaven germans lament the . Departure from Carl Schurz Cavern by Ken Clauson Bremerhaven Bureau German employees Are reacting with sadness resignation and some anger to the closure next year of the . Army s Carl Schurz Cavern in Bremerhaven. As one of the largest employers in the City the army has occupied the port Side Post since 1945. It provides jobs to More than 1,200 local civilians. Quot i feel terrible. It makes me so sad Quot said Helga Kaiser who has worked there since 1957 with Breaks for marriage and children Quot i grew up with americans Here. It shocks me the Post is closing. If the americans leave Here Bremerhaven will be totally  Kaiser s Job in the Supply division of the 543rd area support group puts her in Contact with Many German firms that serve americans. She said the economic Impact of the american departure will be severe in a City with one of the highest unemployment rates in Western Germany. The greater Bremerhaven military Community said last year it spends about $90 million a year on local contracts leased housing and payroll for local National employees. That payroll alone exceeded $41 million. The $90 million does not include the Money spent by americans who live in the area. The military Community includes Lucius d. Clay Cavern in Karlstedt about 20 Miles South of Bremerhaven. That Post is to close by september. Kaiser said the relationship Between germans and americans in Bremerhaven has changed greatly since the 1950s and 60s. Then she said american military offices and facilities were spread throughout the City and All the american families lived in German neighbourhoods. In the 1970s, she said americans began congregating in their own housing areas perhaps As a response to the terrorist threat. The Retreat into the Quot american ghettos Quot reduced the daily Contact Between germans and americans and the once Strong Friendship dimmed somewhat she said. To most of the local National workforce the most immediate concern is the likelihood of finding new jobs particularly among those older than 40, the unemployment rate has hovered at about 14 percent for years yet disgruntled workers say the City had done Little to stimulate Industry and even less to help prepare for the . Draw Down. Karl Wilms the lord mayor of Bremerhaven prompted an outcry when he was quoted in a local newspaper and on television As saying the German workers Are not qualified for jobs off Post. One of the critics is Heinrich Peters 55, a supervisor for. The civilian Security guards at the Cavern. Quot it s Tough to get a new Job in Bremerhaven and the area around it Quot he said. Quot for older people Over 30 or 40, it s hard to find another Job. And the mayor says All the people working for the americans Are not ready yet and not qualified to get a Job off Post Quot Peters said with disgust. Helga Kaiser stands in front of the building where she s worked since 1957. Her father who died in world War a also worked in the building. Volter Heigenmooser a spokesman for the mayor said the comments were abbreviated and taken out of context. According to Heigenmooser the mayor actually said it is difficult to convert american Job standards and qualifications to German labor standards. He also said the mayor was merely being realistic when saying he could t imagine that All the employees would immediately find other work. Quot when the . Leaves Bremerhaven then Page 14 the stars and stripes a amps photos by Ken Clauson the vehicle processing Center is a familiar sight to Many americans in Europe. The army has not said How the processing of privately owned vehicles will be handled after the Cavern closes. Heinrich Peters a Security supervisor said it will be hard for workers Over 40 to find new jobs. The next Day we wont have new jobs for All the people but there Are very Good prospects on the longer Side Quot Heigenmooser said. Quot i think we must be a Little bit optimistic about what happens in  Quot in the last five or six years things have gotten better Quot he said. Quot five or six years ago we had unemployment of 18  the Cavern is Ideal for Industrial and expanded port development and that would bring new jobs to the City he said. And consultations with existing firms indicate that about half of the Laid off workers should quickly find new jobs he said Quot it s a problem if people Are Over 50, that s Clear but in this Case there Are possibilities for Early pensions. It s possible to hold the life standards for these people. I Don t know that people Over 40 Don t have chances. It s a question of what they have done or what they have Learned Quot age discrimination is illegal in Germany just As it is in the states but it still exists the Post employees said. Quot i be been working for the americans for 22 years but i Don t think i will find another Job Quot said Angelika Schultz 44. Quot they la Tell me i am too her Friend Ursula Mielke 36, handles laundry contracts for the Supply division. Quot we have qualifications Quot she said we have Good English and for office Obs we do have the  but she said the Only ways quote will find work is to first go Back to school Quot without some extra Schmo re there is nothing Quot she said. Peters said Many germans Are reluctant to leave their family and friends and the Region they grew up in but he encourages the younger workers to move to where the jobs Are. Quot Young people can go Down South or to the East where in a few years they will need a lot of people Quot he said. Quot what i Tell them is done to stay Here All the time with your  Marco Hensel 25, has worked for the americans in Bremerhaven for several years with a two year break when he lived in Michigan. Hensel a Security guard said the most frustrating aspects of the draw Down Are the Lack of information and the uncertainty about when the Pink slips will come Quot nobody knows what is next a he said. Quot there Are Many rumours going around and the people were really surprised when they said they Are going to close this Post. But anybody working for the americans should know by now that the americans Are improvising a lot. They May say something this week and change it the  army officials have said publicly that the Bremerhaven Cavern will close by december 1993 at the latest but possibly sooner. The americans Are Likely to continue to use the Bremerhaven port As Well As the one across the Weser River in no Denham and Security guards May be needed for those activities. Quot we re living in suspense Quot Hensel said. Quot people want to know where the line is drawn but we have nothing. We have no Clear answers from the . Government. Anybody working for the americans should know the americans Are improvising a lot. They May say something this week and change it the next a Security guard Mirco Hensel a Little background. The american Cavern in Bremerhaven was called the Bremerhaven terminal until May 1973 when it was renamed Carl Schurz Cavern honouring a 19th Century German Emigrant to America. Schurz arrived in the United states in 1852 and worked As a newspaper editor and owner and served in politics. He was appointed minister to Spain in 1861 and was Secretary of the Interior from 1877 to 1881. The Cavern covers 369 acres of land North of the City. In july 1991, 76 acres of open Fields were returned to the German government. From shortly after the War until the 1960s, nearly All service members and their families passed through Bremerhaven. It was the primary troop ship port. And until local delivery was initiated a few years ago service members had to travel to the port City to pick up or ship their cars to and from the Stales. No announcement has been made on where Pov processing and shipping will be done when the Post closes. Prior to commercial air travel Bremerhaven was the primary Point of embarkation for German emigrants headed for America. On the Edge of the Weser River near the ports a statue of a turn Mohe Century Emigrant family faces to the West. The town s main shopping Center is named the Columbus Center. Wednesday april 8, 1992 the stars and stripes Page 15