European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 3, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday september 3f 1995 the stars and stripes Page 3friedberg s burning love for Elvis Impersonator Ditlef Mankewitz sings the Elvis classic a hound dog dedicates Park where King served by Jon Connor staff writer Friedberg Germany a Elvis lives in Friedburg a Long live the King. And the saturday morning dedication of the Elvis Presley Platz and Park in the City a downtown got things Rock v rolling despite the rain. Among the festivities a billed As the Friedburg Rodeo and Elvis Presley cell bration a was a Parade led by the . Army that marched Down the Small City a main drag and onto Ray Barracks with about 110 soldiers from the 1st army div taking part. A this is the first time american gis have marched in Friedburg in 50 years a said 1st it. Torrence Smith 25, assigned to the area support team at Ray Barracks. Quot. A. / a practically lost in the commotion at the Platz crowded with locals and vendors was the 6-foot Presley plaque showing Elvis in his army dress uniform and a Brief history of the King written in Ger. Man. Quot a a \. Presley served at Ray Barracks from late 1958 to March 1960 with the 3rd army div. He lived in bad nauheim just a few Miles to the North although no one claimed to have spotted the real Presley two impersonators were on hand at the crowded Platz singing and Selling Elvis paraphernalia. Wooing the crowd on a roofed stage backed by a seven piece band was Ditlef Mankewitz of Aachen who wore a Black leather outfit and gave a great performance a despite his Brown hair and Lack of sideburns. Waiting patiently for his turn to perform was Jonny Winters of Cologne who along with Jacqueline Raphael also kept Busy Selling framed pictures of Elvis and other items approved by the Presley estate. Winters 42, is now the age that Presley was when be died aug. 16, 1977. The Platz dedication proved to be successful for vendors who were Selling everything from Elvis photographs videotapes and Bootleg compact discs of concerts to original 45s, to shirts and cof. A amps photos Kon goo go Elvis Impersonator Ditlef Mankewitz entertains the crowd saturday during the dedication of the Elvis Presley Platz and Park. Elvis Presley movie Buff Klaus Tober has the a it Heater to himself As he watches an Elvis movie in German on saturday. Fee mugs. _ food vendors supplied tacos Chili Beer and chocolate Chip cookies to a hungry crowd. One food Booth had written on it a Are you hungry tonight a it a a spoof on one of Presley shit songs a adding that it was using Only a a Elvis favorite Back on the a ranch a so to speak a at the Rodeo and festivities site at Ray Barracks a was Klaus Tober 51, of Fried Berg alone in the Elvis movie theater basically a ten watching a Black and White flick of the King in German. Asked whether he had any favourites Tober replied a a they re All As for his favorite Presley song its wooden a Well known Rodeo Ursa entrepreneur was greeting attendants and accepting the Damp weather / d you go Oiw in the rain to watch r or heart because part of it is Sung in German. While Presley was serving in Fried Berg Tober did not live there but he said it was his a fantasy to see him while driving through.�?�. With a Rodeo show scheduled to begin at mid afternoon Alan m. Jacob the pm Quot would you go Oil Rodeo he asked rhetorically. He quickly added a a Folly stopped the Rodeo once in 25 that was earlier this year in Augsburg because the Riding Arena was about a foot deep in mud. The Rodeo part of a carnival like setting offering food and other items continues through monday
