Saturday, May 11, 2013

Klein-Kanada Lahr years, 1967 - 1994


 
On Sunday, May 5th, the City of Lahr paid tribute to the Canadian Lahr years--1967 to 1994.  The Canadian Attache from the Canadian Embassy in Berlin, Colonel Tony Lovett, and Mr. David Ehinger, also from the Embassy, attended this special occasion.  It was held in the Stadt Lahr Villa Jamm at the Stadtpark.  Both gave short speeches.  Around 150 photos were showcased in two rooms, a huge amount of work and well done.  The exhibition was called "Lahr - Klein-Kanada am Oberrhein."


A tribute was paid to the Canadians and Canada by the Oberbürgermeister of Lahr, Dr. Wolfgang Müller.  Frau Gabriele Bohnert, the archivist of the museum, also spoke.

Below, from right to left:  Frau Bohnert, Mr. David Ehinger, Col. Tony Lovett, Dr. Müller and his wife, Elke Oberg.

      The Villa Jamm below with Ulrike and Colin Starr walking by 

 
The following pictures were all part of the montage of photos displayed in the two rooms of the museum.  They begin with the entrance of the Canadians to Lahr in 1967. 
 
(I would suggest that you click on each picture you wish to see in a larger format as some of them are difficult to decipher otherwise.) 
 
The March Past

 
 
 
The Canadians have arrived!
 





Above, several pictures of  the opening of Canada Haus in 1994


 
The montage at right has pictures of the new hospital; of Hans, the German chef, in the kitchen of the old hospital; of the CYC and of the Salvation Army premises
 

 
Packing up and the marching bands
 

 
 
 
Canada Haus held many events during its 18 years, as shown on some of the photos at left.  Jürgen Binder can be seen carving a turkey and Ingrid Puschmann saying, "I have now had enough, thank you."


Many people arrived and departed over the years from the CFB Lahr airfield, including special visitors from time to time.
 

 
 
 
Below, centre picture, top, shows Kevin Power on a Volksmarch
 


 
 
A garden party at the Black Forest Officer's Mess in the late 1960s or early 1970s.
 
 
Not just the military do the marching. This Army truck driver is being accompanied!
 
 
 
Not all was rosy!  From time to time protestors stood at the gates to the Kaserne or Airfield. 



 
A view of the exhibition rooms.  Juergen and Gitta Kull are shown in the centre.
 

Horst (Ernie) Grossek was a well-known ski instructor with the Canadian military in Germany.  He and his wife live in the Lahr area.  We ran into them at the museum. 
 
 
The trees and bushes were beautiful that day in the park.
 









  


This exhibit, we were told, will be heading to Belleville, Ontario at some point.
 
A Lahr reunion is being planned for early May 2014.  For information, please check the Der Kanadier Facebook page.









2 comments:

  1. Well, that took me back! We lived on Jammstrasse in an incredible old apartment with high ceilings and French doors between the public rooms. We inherited the French Army's maids' quarters which were great for visitors from Canada! I remember many lovely Canada Day garden parties at the Black Forest Mess, and many 'dine the ladies' as well. It was fun to enlarge the photos to see if I could recognise anyone. When we lived in Lahr there was a Tuesday coffee group of all the local dignitaries' wives and the military commanders' wives. I tried to go when I could, but was the only one, at the time, with little ones - and there was never, ever a thought that they would be invited too!

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  2. Love all the old pictures. My maiden name was Power....wonder if Kevin was related at all?? We lived in an apartment building with an orchard on one side and three "towers" (apartment buildings) on the other side. I got stuck in an elevator in my friends tower....elevators still freak me out to this day :)

    I will have to show my mom and dad these old pictures. I guarantee you they will know people. My husband lived in Baden-Sollingen in 1969...his mom would no doubt love this blog.

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