European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 3, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes Friday june 3,1994music, merriment sign off at Lahr by Joseph Owen Heidelberg Bureau Lahr Germany a the Canadian radio broadcasters had milked the 1993 april fools prank for All it was Worth. Armed with Tongue in Cheek interviews of local officials the Canadian forces networks affiliate radio station in Lahr reported that a German station Sud West Funk had bought the network. The phony plan included changing the broadcast format to 24 hours of classical music with news broadcasts in English once a week. Then a Man called during disc jockey Craig Robertson a program. He said he was the Budwe stunk president and he wanted an explanation of the puzzling buyout report. With the tables turned Robertson a civilian briefly became what his employers pay him not to be speechless. A a on tuesday night he lost his voice again but for a different reason. Can really was dosing Down. At 11 50 ., As the station and its French language counterpart in a neighbouring studio were 10 minutes from extinction Robertson a 27-Ycar-Oid Toronto native choked Back on air tears As he realized that the end was approaching. A a it a been a great learning experience. What a great first Job a he said  by a cadre of friends and colleagues Robertson presided Oyer a final loosely structured three hour show that in the studio at least almost had he air of a College graduation party. In the other studio Raymond Desmarteau conducted a dignified yet relaxed last Outing mixing live interviews of past and current employees with music that was Only �?o95 percent Canadian because the French do some Beautiful things  bilingual network also shut off its television signals at Midnight tuesday. Local television programming ceased feb. 28, but the network carried signals of the american forces network and Frances to 5 in the intervening three months. Cutting to service was the easy part of technician Michel Paquett a final duties. He just flipped some switches. Earlier in the week he had been throwing Large old wooden cabinets out of upper Story windows. They  fit through the Interior doors which had been installed later than the cabinets. The network had 21 employees on sunday but some have left already network director Jean Choquette said. Most technical equipment is bound for Canada the rest will be  nato radio station in Brun sum Netherlands that carried the can signal will pick up a satellite program from Canada broadcast it and also transmit it to Casucau Belgium where canadians serve at the supreme Headquarters Allied Powers  Lahr s demise 41 years of live Canadian military broadcasting in Europe ended. Bryan Adams. Crash test dummies. Bare naked ladies. The tragically hip. Gordon Lightfoot. Tom Cochrane. Robertson played the tunes of one Canadian act after another tuesday night. Champagne flowed. An american listener in Heidelberg called to offer Condo Lenics. Weeping and laughing announcer Sandra Lum miss hugged. A colleague Attila Micsko. Everyone yelled a snowball a into the microphones using a cold War code word meant to trigger a military Alert. Choquette spoke briefly. A you have a Bunch of people  have really put their heart out for you people and i Hope you know that a he told the audience. Army col. Les Corbett commander of soon to close Canadian forces base Lahr praised the staff for its work in the final months. Quot this is part of what we the last canadians in Lahr were sent Here to do and god bless us we be done it Well Quot he said. Robertson played Anne Murray a Snowbird. Micsko a recorded voice provided the final station identification. The Canadian Anthem roared through the console. Then everyone shouted a final word. Quot goodbye a it was Only 11 58 ., but that did no to matter anymore. A amps Joseph Owen broadcasters from left Terry Hill Craig Robertson Sandra Lummiss and Jean Choquette gather in the control room on the fast night of broadcasting for Canadian forces from  paper put to bed for Good by Joseph Owen Heidelberg Bureau Lahr Germany a what a Black and White and red All Over Well the Canadian forces bilingual weekly newspaper in Europe Der Kanadier appeared in those colors a until september when the forces cancelled its commercial printing contract. After that it was just a Black and White reduced format 16-Page photocopied journal. Now it has no colors at All. The last two editorial staff members editor Brenda Van Vliet and writer Trisha Cornforth cranked out a final edition May 26. This week they began packing equipment and cleaning out their downtown Lahr office. Both women spoke wistfully of the newspapers end after nearly 1,200 editions since its debut on july 2,1970. A i would have stayed Here As Long As i could As Long As they would Nave had me a said Van Vliet 43,  leaves for Ottawa after june 30, the last Day of work for her and advertising manager Ulrike Starr. Of the French and English language paper she said Quot it was an excellent Way to inform the Community to Pat them on the Back for their  Cornforth 48, a briton  has worked for the paper since 1978, plans to stay in Lahr. Her worst Job experience was hearing the news a few years ago that Canadas two bases in Germany would dose. Quot it was like having a carpet pulled from under your feet a she said. Her memorable duties included sky diving and meeting prominent Canadian and German political leaders including two Canadian prime ministers she said. But daily Contact with readers was More satisfying. Quot what a so Nice is to be Able to go places and everybody knows  you Are a to be accepted As an observer and a participant a she said. Quot we be won Many prizes As the Best Canadian forces newspaper Ana i suppose that a very satisfying a Van Vliet said when asked about the High Points of her 12 years at Quot Der a a As the paper was known. Der Kanadier founded in the year the forces established their european Headquarters in Lahr started life As a merger of three smaller papers. At its Peak during the persian Gulf War circulation was 9,300. Circulation reached its peacetime circulation Peak of 9,000 in the late 1980s. Cornforth said the staff included More than 12 paid workers and additional volunteers before the paper turned to computerized desktop publishing in 1990. Van Vliet Cornforth and Starr were Der Kanadier a Only paid staff from the beginning of this year. The paper was canadians link to Home and to Germany. Each Issue included a digest of Canadian and German news events. Canadian troops in the 1 persian Gulf War received it As did others involved in . Peacekeeping missions in the Balkans. The two women produced 1,300 copies of the final edition a Large press run inspired by numerous requests for that Issue. The Supply ran out in fact so Van Vliet and Cornforth produced 100 More. Then they ran out of paper. It was Over. The final edition carried words of Praise from Lahrs lord mayor Werner Dietz and Canadian forces base Lahr commander col. Les Corbett. A compilation of the newspapers editions will be preserved at Canada Haus a nonprofit cultural institution scheduled to open july 1 in the offices the newspaper now occupies Billy Joel offers id card holders free concert june 12 Nurnberg Germany a amps id card holders in Europe can hear the piano Man in concert for free june 12. Recording superstar Billy Joel  is in the midst of a european concert tour is scheduled to perform at Soldier Eikel near Nurnberg Tor soldiers family members and defense department civilians. The tentative starting time of the concert is 4  Gates open Between 2  And 2 30  A we have a Long standing relationship with Billy a said Dave Mitchell the usos director of entertainment. A a it a routine for him to offer us a tour Date for military audiences whenever he goes out on a regular  concertgoers should bring Lawn chairs and blankets said Ann Bergstrom of the . Army Europe s Community and fam ily support division. Food and beverages will be on Sale at the stadium. A your id card is your ticket a she said. Joel is donating the performance arranged by the Dod armed forces professional entertainment office in Washington d.c., she said. Pentagon officials have been negotiating with Joel a representatives for the performance. Quot he is doing this out of the goodness of his heart a Bergstrom said. The military and two yet to be named commercial sponsors will pick up the Tab for incidental expenses Bergstrom said. Soldier Field is about a 30-minute drive from . Darby Cavern in Furth Germany. From autobahn a3, get off at the Numberger Krouti and take autobahn a3 toward Munich for about six Miles to the Fischbach exit. Turn right onto Regensburg or Strasse then turn left on to Kalb Strasse and continue to the stadium