Most Popular Post on the Scrappy Genealogist

The most commented post on The Scrappy Genealogist is the one in which I write about traveling back to the place I first lived, Butzbach, Germany. My Dad was stationed there from 1965 through 1968. We lived on Texas Road in the American military housing complex, Roman Way. My memories of our time there are hazy, but when we visited, I felt a deep connection to the place where I spent my first years. Memories can be intellectual, but mine of Butzbach are physical and emotional. 

Ten years ago, on 30 April 2003, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that its operations at Schloss Kaserne and Roman Way in Butzbach would end in 2007.[1] Periodically I reread the comments from people who also lived and/or served there.  They are united in their fond memories and they miss this special place and time. I totally get it. And so feeling a bit melancholy today for a place and time now gone, I offer you these links:

Photos by Stimpyrama: This site's photographer takes beautiful photos of Lost Places. His photos of Roman Way are edited to create a gritty, emotional effect. 

YouTube user 3AD Roadking 1970 created three videos in 2007 of Roman Way:
Roman Way Village Housing Part 1
Roman Way Village Housing Part II
Roman Way Village Housing Part III

and one of Schloss Kaserne. 

Frankfurt American High School has two interior photos taken in Butzbach, one of pool tables and the other of a snack bar. 

Flickr user Setjet posted pictures taken in 2003 of Roman Way and surrounding US Army areas. 

Schloss Kaserne

This blog Forgotten Memories has more pictures of the neighborhood. 

This is a series of pictures of Schloss Kaserne. 

We visited Schloss Kaserne during our visit. My Dad worked in this building during his service in the 1960s. I know that some of the buildings were torn down, but this one was still there. 

Research on!

Jennifer Shoer aka Scrappy Gen

Reconnecting Relatives, LLC

Let's Remember!

[1] www.defense.gov U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release No. 290-03 April 30, 2003 http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=3797 accessed 4 April 2013

Traveling Back in Time - Next Stop Butzbach - United States Local Dispensary

My sister was thinking horror movie when she saw the dispensary where she was born. We were all feeling overwhelmed by the absolute lifelessness of the United States military housing area in Butzbach, where the dispensary is located. She, however, was able to take pictures of her birth place, unlike me. Just hours earlier I had been forbidden to take photos of my birthplace. 

This is the dispensary in November 2010:

Mary never made it to the 97th General Hospital. She was in too much of a hurry. My parents made it up the hill from their apartment to the dispensary just in time for her to make her grand entrance into the world. She and my mother were then taken by ambulance to the 97th General, but were kept separated because Mary was considered contaminated. 

The dispensary may be abandoned and lonely now, but it was certainly vital to the men, women and children who lived in the military housing. Perhaps one day it will be put to some productive use again. 

Scrappy Gen

Traveling Back in Time – Frankfurt, Germany – United States 97th General Hospital

Here at long last is our memorable adventure with the polizei (police) at the now defunct United States 97th General Hospital as remembered by my sister, Mary.

Disclaimer: No photos will appear in this story.

In Germany cars are smaller for several reasons; smaller people, smaller roads, expensive gas, but mostly to be able to maneuver quickly in and out of traffic at high speeds, regardless of pedestrian or oncoming traffic. Mom and Dad rented one of these cars into which the seven of us promptly stuffed ourselves. As we travelled up, up and around the curves and narrow pathways of the parking garage, I couldn’t help feeling I was on the Test Track ride at Epcot. Around the corner and increase speed to 20 MPH, around another corner and increase speed to 30 MPH and around another corner and increase speed to 40 MPH. When I saw a glimpse of daylight ahead, I worried for a second there was an oncoming truck. Suddenly we shot out into daylight and we were on the streets with the rest of the maniacs zipping around. I am pretty sure Dad enjoyed all that shifting into gear and taking the corners at what felt like warp speed. 
 
Why is it one always feels the need for a Xanax after the panic has set in and it is too late?

We were on our way, first to Frankfurt to see the 97th General Hospital where Jennifer was born. If we survived that, we would go to Butzbach to see where I was born. There were lots of wrong turns, lots of yelling and after I saw the beating Dad was taking from all of us, I was glad I was not driving. I could not imagine myself figuring out this new car in a foreign country; a car overloaded with people who primarily speak English in a country with all German signs. My only goal was to avoid all autobahns. Despite all these odds against him, Dad did a great job. I know this because I am alive to write about it.

We did get lost and went in circles, but thanks to Jennifer (Now who would have imagined she would be the one to find our way anywhere?), we finally found the hospital. There were no cars on the street as we circled the area. It looked so abandoned and sad.

Dad found a spot to park, which was not too hard since our car was the only one. After all, who would need to park near a building not in use? Here we all piled out onto the street (picture a circus car). Jen and I were the first to get to where the main entrance of the hospital used to be. There we saw signs for the United States Consulate. Of course, being the photographers that we both are, she pulled out her camera. Suddenly the door of the consulate flew open and a guard in a uniform yelled out to her Verboten! Verboten! with that right index finger tsking her in an abrupt and directive way. I yelled to her to put her camera down, he doesn’t want you taking pictures! Thankfully she had stopped and all I could think of was ‘whew that was close’.

At this point the rest of the gang is out of the car and Dad is approaching the man in the uniform. Come to find out he is an American living in Germany. Dad explained that Jennifer was born in this hospital and that is why we are there. He told us that we could not take pictures because “they” do not want us too, and if “they” see us take pictures “they” will come and either erase the pictures off of the card or take the camera away from us. We, of course, are all relieved that Jen had not taken any pictures. Shaking all of our heads in unison to ensure this man that we all understood, we asked if we could take a walk around the perimeter and he said that would be OK.

We were on our way down the street, skipping along in our minds, not realizing yet that “they” really did not want us there. Within moments here comes the Polizei slowing down, giving us the once over and then taking off quickly down the street. They drove down a bit and then did a quick u-turn. We all knew they were coming back for us.

Now why I was nervous, I do not know, because we were doing nothing wrong. However, when they pulled up to the curb, there we were again all shaking our heads in unison and saying whatever we think will make them go away. The Polizei advised us that “they” had called them and “they” wanted to make sure we were told not to take any pictures. Otherwise “they” will come and confiscate your pictures or camera. I can tell you this, these Polizei were trying to look friendly. You know the smile that says they aren’t sure if we are up to something so they are playing nice to feel us out. We advised them we already knew because the guard at the consulate had told us. Dad asked these smiling Polizei if it is ok for us to walk down the street. Their response? Well, Germany is a free country and we can’t stop you (emphasis on the word stop) from walking down the street. There was a general feeling of fear in the air and I can tell you it was coming from us not from the Polizei. We decided as soon as they left we needed to get back to the car and make like a tree and leave.

We quickly returned to the clown car and climbed over each other as fast as we could to get in so we could get out of there. Dad was trying to figure out the parking brake and the rest of us were yelling just go, go, go. So we left the place of Jen’s birth, where we certainly did not procure any memorable pictures, but definitely experienced a memory none of us will ever forget. Jen left knowing her place of birth was still owned and run by the United States. It was not run down or even abandoned, but is now fully occupied as the consulate. As we drove away, we made a wrong turn and were forced to drive by on the other side of the consulate. Now, we thought, we must really look like we are up to something, all while trying to avoid those cameras so “they” don’t recognize us. Who were we kidding, "they" probably trailed us until we were out of sight.

Soon I was focused on our next venture. I was just hours away from seeing the place where I was born. I would find out that the place I have had pictured in my mind for so many years would be the exact opposite of the images I held. Who would have known at that moment that Jennifer was the lucky one. Even though her place of birth was heavily guarded it was still alive and still American. Next stop, Butzbach!

Mary, Sister of Scrappy Gen

Technorati Tags: Army,Frankfurt,Germany

Traveling Back in Time–Texas Road, Butzbach, Germany

Deserted. Desolate. Melancholic. All words that describe the atmosphere of the United States military housing on Texas Road in Butzbach, Germany. Forty-two years ago, the last time I was there it was a vibrant place filled with military service people and their families. Now it is empty and sad. I shared this picture with you as part of identifying the buildings you can see in the background.


Here are those same buildings on 25 November, 2010:


Our apartment is the balcony on the third floor at 17 Texas Road in Butzbach:


The balcony below is behind me in the old picture above.


These pictures should give you an idea of how empty it is here now. This is our apartment building:


and our street:



and looking directly up from our street:


and looking left:


and looking right:


Seeing our old home would have been overwhelmingly sad if I hadn’t shared the experience with my parents and my sister. I am so grateful I was able to visit Texas Road in Butzbach with them.

It turns out that we were not alone in our feelings. This huge empty United States housing area interconnects with civilian Butzbach residential areas. All of the citizens we spoke with reflected the loss they felt due to the departure of the Americans. The economy of Butzbach has suffered; stores and restaurants have closed. It will probably be years before Butzbach is able to economically rebuild what it has lost. The young adults say that it is very boring there now and the older people miss the loss of their friends and neighbors. There must be many United States service families who are missing Butzbach too. 

Thank you for coming along on my trip to the past.

You can read the other parts of this story here.

Scrappy Gen

Military Monday - Grandfather - Army Man

Bubba was a sailor man, but my Dad's father was a career army man. He entered my thoughts frequently in Germany. He was stationed there several times. The first time was just after World War II when my Dad was very young, not even yet school age. This is Stanley: 

He passed away when I was just four years old. I wish I had had a chance to get to know him, but he made sure of one important thing....he wanted to be the first man to give me roses. 

Yes, two dozen red and yellow roses brought to two year old me by my grandfather, the first man to give me roses. How sweet was he? 

Scrappy Gen