European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 10, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday april 10 2007 stars and stripes Page 19 h h h h i vision underground tour holds deeper understanding of Bamberg history by Mark Stclair stars and stripes the town of Bamberg Germany needed Money so the citizens dug and dug and dug for nearly 1000 years they used pick axes and shovels digging deep into the Hills around the City helping to fill the City coffers one Sandstone filled Backpack at a time the soft Rock they removed was used for building and in an abrasive cleaner for floors tables and fabrics before mod Ern detergent it helped pay for Many of the Beautiful buildings and unique treasures Bamberg has to offer it also explains Why the word Sand is found in the names of Many things in the City once the digging stopped in 1920 about to Vic Miles of tunnels wound under six of Bamberg seven Hills today about Miles of those tunnels called die kayak Omen by the locals Are open for guided Tours visitors can enter the tunnels through the Side of Stef Ansberg Hill armed with a flashlight hard hat and the willingness to get a Little dirty the curious can see chisel Marks More than four times older than the United states breathe air so healthy it could be used for an asthma rehabilitation Center and experience what the term pitch Black really Means in areas nearly 90 feet underground near the beginning of the tour Large machinery is on display much like the Type used in world War h then thou Sands of germans pulled 24hour shifts underground entering and exiting at Midnight and manufacturing spark plugs and other electrical parts for companies like Bosch nearby theres a Small Cross placed in remembrance of work ers killed when a bomb col lapsed a portion of the Runnels in 1945 Bamberg made it through the War relatively unscathed partially because the items being made were not used for weaponry during the War the tunnels were used As an air raid shelter and could hold 20000 people if a disaster occurred today More than 40000 could seek safety underground about Halfway through the tour a 350yearold Beer barrel serves As an example of the hundreds once stored there in the 16th Century there were 65 Active breweries in Bamberg and though there Are Only 10 today if s still the largest concentration of breweries in the world giant blocks of ice were hauled from the River in Winter and dropped through holes in the ceilings the tunnels had a constant 46degree temperature which meant the ice melted slowly enough to keep the Beer Cool through the Summers be fore modern refrigeration also near the midpoint of the tour is a Small Chapel where workers would Pray to St bar Bara the Patron Saint of miners one por Tion of the tour goes Down More than 60 Nar Row Brick Steps All the Way to River level on the Wall near the end of that Branch of tunnels is a carving saying gluckauf83 Good Luck in83 it was put there for Luck when repair work on portions of the Tun Nels began in 1983 Spray ing liquid Cement on the ceilings workers used reinforced steel and Iron to strengthen the tunnels the Walls and Arches Are checked regularly to see if they need further reinforcement the methods used to repair the photos by Mark and stripes while taking the tour under Bamberg youll go Down these stairs All the Way to River level built out of Brick instead of the usual Sand Stone the Entrance to the tunnels was made during world War i for the thousands of workers pulling 24hour shifts underground members of the Bamberg military Community squeeze through a Small opening while on a tour of the Sandstone tunnels underneath the City continuously dug for nearly 1000 years the tunnels Are 7 Miles Long and Are underneath six of Bamberg seven Hills tunnels Are now used when tunnels Are made near the end of the tour which is also near the beginning theres a Small area with tables and benches that can be rented from the City for private functions those who decide to do so should make sure none of the guests gets lost it gets pretty dark Down there Emai Mark Stclair acc Peter and stripes on the it directions the Entrance to the tunnels is about a 15minute drive from Warner Barracks from the main Gate turn left onto Berliner ring and then right onto b22 after crossing the River take the first exit if you see the exit for Altenburg youve gone too far and follow the priority Road turn right onto Stern wart Strasse the Tunnel Entrance unmarked is just Down the Hill from Heller brewery times Tours with the morale Wel fare and recreation Center on Warner usually leave at about pm and return at about 7 pm since All other Tours Are by appointment times will vary costs the my sponsored tour under Bamberg costs per person scheduling your own tour costs a Flat 80 euros for one to 25 people downtown Bamberg with dozens of great restaurants and cafes is a Short distance from the tour Entrance also one of Bamberg 10 Active breweries Heller lies just up the Street information for More on the tour under Bamberg Call the Warner bar Racks mar at 09513008659 or Dan 4698659 or Call Manfred Muller at 095149300 to sched ule your own tour take a Flash Light and Wear clothes and shoes that Are warm and can take mild abuse strollers would not be appropriate but there is no age restriction for children Mark Stclair