European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 5, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Two German i v ers Quot to Quot i a bewitching Young Fishers and old by Louis d. Pierce staff writer the Lorelei Cliff a overflowing with legend a rises steeply above the Rhine River near St. Coar Hausen Germany. The Rock inspired this Story a Beautiful Blond Maiden Lorelei used to sit on top and lure passing sailors with her feminine charms and singing. The men who gazed up at Lorelei often were shipwrecked in the perilous Rocky water. At Low water it is possible to see the dangerous reefs of the Quot seven  legend has it that seven virgins were turned into rocks because they were so hard hearted. And some say that at the foot of the Lorelei Cliff you can hear a sevenfold Echo. The Best known adaptation of the legend is Friedrich Sitcher s 1838 tune die Loreley set to the poem of that name by Heinrich Heine a making it the world s first Quot Rock Quot song. Loreley is the German spelling of the Cliff the poem first appeared in Heine s Buch der lieder published in 1827 i wonder Why i am so weary what s making me so depressed it must be the tale old and dreary that s keeping my mind quite obsessed. J. St Goar Hauson tourist Board. A Nicole Schlaadt left was Quot frat Ilein Loreley Quot from 1989 to 1991. A View of the Loretti Cliff right. The air is Cool night is sinking. And quietly s flowing the Rhein the tops of the mountains Are blinking in purple red Sun setting Shine. There s sitting High up in the Light a Maiden so Beautiful fair her jewels Are glistening Bright she Combs her Gold shimmering hair. Her comb is of most precious Gold she s combing and singing so Sweet bewitching Young Fishers and old their hearts Start to quiver and beat. There s a Man in his boat on the River he cannot but listen and stare a longing is making him shiver Lookout the Rock s ledge of beware i fear there s a crash the boat is sinking the Man will be swallowed and gone and that with melodious singing the Loreley will have done. The plateau above the Lorelei is now used As an Amphitheater accommodating about 10,000 spectators for folklore events and open air festivals during summer. Every two years the Vermehr Verein Loreley Burgen Strasse tourist association in St. Coar Hausen selects a Quot Fraulein  the Winner represents the area at regional events. A recent Winner is Nicole Schlaadt who hails from St. Coar Hausen and works for the tourist association. She was Quot Fraulein Loreley Quot from 1988 to 1991. The contest rules Are quite simple Schlaadt says. Quot you have to live in or around the area be articulate have Long Blond hair know about the area and speak two  contestants must be Between age 18-28. Quot they did t want to let me go Quot Schlaadt says explaining Why she held the title for three years. Quot there is no Money to be won we have our Normal Job and other responsibilities but this is a Way to meet people travel and keep the legend of the Lorelei  Schlaadt tells a different version of the Lorelei legend an Earl lived in nearby Castle Katz and fell in love with a Young girl from St. Coar Hausen. She was a peasant girl with Long Blond hair. The Earl promised to marry and take care of her but he married another woman and broke the peasant girl s heart. The girl turned bitter and wanted revenge a not just on him but on All men. She would sit on the Rock looking Down Over the River and sing to attract the v Boatmen that passed. Legend has it that they All drowned. Schlaadt does t think that All the men should have died. Quot we All can learn something from this Quot she says. Quot Don t go breaking Young girls hearts especially with Long Blond hair and living in St.  ride leads one of Rudesheim s Best attractions is its famous Germania Monument which was unveiled in 1883. Summertime visitors can ascend by Cable car to the Niederwald where Beautiful hiking trails Lead to a Hunting chalet and Germania. Visitors can also hike Bike difficult or drive to the chalet and Germania. The huge Monument with 200 life size figures around its Pedestal took six years to build. It commemorates the unification of Cerman states and the re establishment of the German Empire in 1871. The Cable car s departure Point is from the pedestrian zone in Obe Strasse. The two seater Cable cars Stop to allow easy boarding and exiting. They run from 9 30 . To 4 30 . Mondays through fridays and on weekends to about 6 ., depending on the weather. For further information Contact Rudes Heimer Selbah Gesellschaft Tal station Obe Strasse 65385 Rudesheim am Rhein Germany. The Telephone number is 06722-2402. When calling from outside Germany dial your International Access code followed by the country code 49 and drop the first Zero. A Louis d. Pierce a Cable car visitors to the Niederwald Densmal above rides him. A amps Kari Yoorga May 5, 1994 stripes Magazine 13