The Americans in Germany: 1945 to the 1950s
German/English Newspaper Articles with English Translations :
“The German
American Dream”, by Rolf Toyka, Wiesbadener
Kurier,July 21, 2011
This year, the series of “sightseeing” walks carried out by
the Advisory Board for Urban Development, Architecture and Construction of the
state capital Wiesbaden/Hessen in cooperation with the Wiesbadener Kurier ( city newspaper) is dedicated to the subject “Americans in
Wiesbaden”. It is very important to us not only to focus on the historical
development and the current conditions, but especially to cast a view to the
city’s future (development).
(American) Soldiers in the City
A look back: In the 1950s many German cities had been
destroyed to a great extent, poverty and depression were prevalent and widespread.
In Wiesbaden, chosen in 1945 by the Americans to be the state (Hessen)’s
capital, many American soldiers live and work. Thus, many Wiesbadeners experience
a the “American Dream” close-up. For
example, Advisory board member Benita von Perbandt, then still a high school student
then, took care of the children of an American officer’s family and worked her
way up to waitress at the American-occupied Hotel Nassauer Hof Hotel. Even The
Chairperson of the Advisory Board, Hans-Peter Gresserand his band played music at
the American Eagle Club (the Kurhaus Casino).
The Americans demonstrate a contrast in living to the German
population’s situation in the city: the Americans enjoyed exotic seeming food, unusual cigarettes,
chewing gum, and beverages, and had (grill) parties. The (American) occupiers by
and by, change roles, from antagonists to role models ( for the Germans), not only
in respect to their consumer habits, but especially in respect to their life-style.
This becomes especially clear in the mid 1950s when the first American housing areas
were built among others by the Wiesbaden architect Herbert Rimpl. There were no
fences surrounding the backyards; a generous (park like) “green carpet” was created,
on which clusters of buildings were arranged. There were apartments that didn’t
have narrow entrance ways, but instead offered an open floor plan (generous combined
living- dining-areas like today already existed here). Generosity prevailed. Quite
a (new and) different world!
(photo)The occupied
“Kurhaus” 1950
Additionally Stars like Bill Ramsey and Elvis Presley performed
in Wiesbaden.
A New Model Needed!
And today? The Americans, of course, remain a normal part of
the Wiesbaden population, but they are not really an integrated part of the
city’s society. The relocation of the European Headquarters (of the US-Military
from Frankfurt) to the city of Wiesbaden offers manynew opportunities. A large
number of US officers and civilians as new citizens (with noticeably extended
postings) will be stationed in Wiesbaden. A new model (for living together) is urgently
needed.
There are two important issues here. First, when we speak of
integration, we often (only0 focus on people with migration backgrounds. Our
efforts, however, need to be also expanded to include these American limited-time
dwellers. For safety reasons, access to the military base/housing has to remain
restricted. That is why, it is of utmost importance to convince the American
military members and their families to connect with the Wiesbaden population.
Should there not be a House of German
American Friendship? With an “Eagle-Club”?
On a second note: a city development model seems to be in
order. And not just because of the American inhabitants. Housing in differing
price levels is scarce and becoming even
more so. The question is: Where can we - and preferably not just in the suburbs,
where a new infrastructure has yet to be developed – create new housing construction
projects? There is no missive for this in the coalition agreement.It is imperative
to act quickly on this matter.
In Frankfurt, there is a decision by the city parliament to
relocate the small-gardening community in the Niederrad neighborhood ( of course with compensation and new
gardening land to the owners), to create more apartment complexes near
downtown. The new Wiesbaden coalition
partners have positioned themselves on this issue, “they are determined to continue
protect the existing small-garden community.” There will be no more diminishing
of these existing areas. That does mean receiving an allotted area, but not
necessarily in the preferred location. So, why i.e. not utilize the
small-garden community “An den Nussbaeumen” between Konrad-Adenauer Ring and
Brentano Street for the construction of affordable housing for Americans and
Germans to avoid an escalation in the cost of rent? That would be a
contribution to socially responsible city planning! Maybe this would also allow some
small-gardening plots to remain within the housing development areas.
In short, it is important to set the path in a beneficial
direction, so we can continue to speak of the “German-American Dream” and more than ever, that the dream turns into a
close German-American friendship grows in the city of Wiesbaden.
( translation by Trey Horwitz)
“When the
“Amis” (Americans) came to town…”, by Jutta Schwiddessen, Wiesbadener Kurier, August 10, 2011
Wiesbaden. For a second time, after the (American) occupation in 1945, when they designated Wiesbaden as the seat of the (US)Military Government and as the capital of the German state of Hessen, the Americans gave another vote to Wiesbaden: As of the Fall 2012, the city will become Headquarters of the US Armed Forces in Europe and by this the administrative and Command and Control Center for all US-Army units in Europe. By the Fall of 2013 at the latest, all soldiers and civilian workers of the headquarters will be working, and many will also be living in Wiesbaden.
New Challenges
As in 1945 this development will present city building
challenges. The “series of “sightseeing” walks 2011 in cooperation with Advisory
Board for Urban Development, Architecture and Construction is focused on the
“Americans in Wiesbaden It is very important to us not only to focus on the
historical development and the current conditions, but especially to cast a
view to the city’s future (development).
But in order to best understand this development, one needs
to see it in context with historical references, Rolf Toyka, the manager of the
Department of Architecture and City planning for the state of Hessen emphasizes.
He, Professor Benita von Perbandt, Hans-Peter Gresser, Hildebert de la
Chevallerie, and Thomas Schwendler from the Council for City Planning comprise
the “sightseeing” walks 2011 team. .
The friendship that has grown between the Germans and
Americans over the past many years did not begin “friendly”. The 1945 beginnings
were marked by the confiscation (by the Americans) of villas, apartments,
hotels, administrative buildings, but also many of the city’s Cultural and recreational
institutions – creating an extreme housing shortage for Wiesbaden’s population.
The last confiscated apartments were finally returned to the owners in 1956.
In 1946, 3,331 Apartments in over 700 buildings had been
confiscated by the Occupying forces, by 1948 almost 6,000 had been confiscated.
And the method of the confiscators was – as Professor von Perbandt of the “sightseeing”
walks team researched, had been initially quite brutal: Within
24 hours the city was ordered to present a list of houses that then needed to
be immediately vacated (by its German inhabitants). “Immediately vacated”
meant: Within one hour the owners had to
leave their homes, were only allowed to
take with them “clothing, bedsheets, valuables, 1 plate, 1 knife, 1 fork, and 1
spoon per person, and food items”. And often, the victims reported “the
Americans waited, clock in hand, at
their doorstep.” The terrible war memories of the war were too close, for the
victors be able to show any compassion
or consideration.
By 1951, the American community (because as of 1946 the soldiers
stationed in Wiesbaden were given permission to bring their families to join
them) had grown to 16,000. At the time the
Americans troops occupied the city, the population of Wiesbaden was 123,000. A
year later it was 198,000. This was an increase of almost 40 percent. It was no
use that in Wiesbaden much less living space had been destroyed than in other
cities. There was not enough new construction to cover the housing needs.
Especially since in addition to the Americans refugees (from the Eastern
territories) , and foreign workers determined
to stay, and as of the 1950’s also the representatives of the new state
government positioned in Wiesbaden, and the employees of two federal agencies
located here, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (BKA) and the Federal Bureau
of Statistics had to be accommodated. Gated American housing areas were located
on Gustav-Freytag street and Lahn street where also the American school was located.
In the are of the Biebricher Hoehe Perbandt found in her research in the city
archive, 1,000 Americans lived in about 130 houses, that were secured with barbed
wire fences and Polish security guards. Another American housing area of the
city was on Nassau street. Villas on Bierstaedter street, Park street, Richard
Wagner, and Rossel street had been confiscated by the Americans, one had been
reserved for Eisenhower. Finally, Starting in the 50s and 60s, the American housing
areas in Bierstadter Hoehe and the housing community Hainerberg were built (to which
an extra article is dedicated).
A Golf course, founded at the beginning of the 20th
century, was in US-hand, just like the Kurhaus Casino and all the luxury hotels,
from the undistroyed Neroberghotel (Officer’s Club) with its public
swimming-pool(Opelbad), to the Palast-Hotel
(Military Command Headquarters), Rose (Hotel), and Schwarzer Bock (Hotel) to
the (Hotel) zum Goldenen Brunnen. As Perbandt observed: “Tourism and Spa
revenues ( the city’s main income source for many years) hadf thus also been blocked
( by the American occupation) .”
Enemies became Friends
Located in the Kurhaus Casino the legendary “Eagle Club”, was
run by the Red Cross, where internationally known Stars like Frank Sinatra, Bob
Hope, Bill Ramsey, and even Wiesbadener Jazz musician Rudi Breuker with his Sextet
performed on stage. Finally, in 1954, when the Wiesbaden Kurhaus Casino had
been fully returned to the Wiesbadeners, the (American)”Eagle Club” moved to
the so-called “White House” ( a historic villa) on Paulinen street. The
American troops parked their cars in the entrance hall of the main Railway
station, and (across from it) until the 1950s, the Reisinger Anlagen Park had
been used by the American occupying troops as a parking lot.
Not always Conflict-Free (Relations)
For (the first) one year the American-German relationship in
Wiesbaden was one of “victor-to-loser”,
in which friendly contact was discouraged (see booklets distributed in the US
military). Then relations became opportune and - finally, not least thanks to the goal of a democratic
(re)education of the Germans – American doors opened, and also the “American
way of life”, including Ice cream cakes and Jazz, all eventually found its way
into (the lifestyle) of Wiesbaden. Numerous charity and cultural events brought each side closer to the other. Many
personal friendships formed, and some US families, who lived in confiscated
apartments, “illegally” returned some of their property to the German owners.
The Berlin Airlift that had been initiated from Wiesbaden-Erbenheim to Berlin
strengthened the positive feelings especially towards one another.
However, living together in the city was not totally free
from conflicts. One of the main problems that lasted until the 1980s was the
lack of maintained discipline of US-troops tired of Europe, which led to repeated
altercations.
The theme of the next “sightseeing” walks 2011 article will
discuss how the presence of the Americans affected the architecture and the
development of Wiesbaden and how it will continue to do so in the future. This will include the now closed “American
Arms” Hotel on Frankfurter street, but also newly built housing.
"Culture
and News; 1945: Paper for Newspapers Rationed", by Manfred Gerber, Wiesbadener Kurier, (date missing, 2009?)
“Animal markets, but no meat,” the Wiesbadener Kurier newspaper titled its article on October 16,
1946. A year after the end of the war people, mostly woman caretakers, still
stood in hour-long lines for food essentials. Some began their wait at 5:00 am to
receive a fresh beef ration from the butcher. Additionally, the winter of
1946-47 was bitterly cold. As things were hoarded, the black market blossomed.
In May 1947, the supply crisis reached its peak: only 800 calories a day per
person (were allotted). In October 1949, a year after the currency reform, the
ration for bread, meat, and milk was raised.
People also stood in line at the museum. Here, the Americans
had established their famous “Central Collecting Point” and exhibited cultural
treasures that came from Berlin museums and had been hidden during the war. The
bust of Nefertiti, the (Egyptian) Queen of Pharaoh Echnaton was the (collection’s) internationally
acclaimed gem. Discovered in Egypt in 1912
the 3,300 year old bust is now the attraction at the Neues Museum in Berlin.
After 12 years of suppression by the Nazi regime, many Wiesbadeners were
culturally starved. They could again read books formerly burned and listen to
Jazz music that threatened them to be arrested for listening to “Negro music” before.
When Kurhaus Music director Otto Schmidtgen conducted “Rhapsody in Blue,” listeners
had tears in their eyes.
And hungry for “clean” unbiased media after 12 years of being
showered with Nazi propaganda, Wiesbadeners received this reporting as of October
2nd, 1945 by the Wiesbadener
Kurier. In the years following the war, the Kurier and the press house played a vital roll in the
“reeducation” of the city’s population, the education to Democratic thinking.
The most prominent Nazi criminals and their atrocities were presented in a
series (of articles), and the Nuremberg trials were reported on in great
detail.
The cooperation with the Americans was conducted almost
harmoniously. The Wiesbadener Kurier editors knew what was requested and what was
forbidden. The biggest problem was the printing paper shortage. The US-military
government rationed it and punished any overstepping. In 1947, the Kurier had to pay a “voluntary fine” of
9,000 Reichsmark ($3,600) for overstepping of the printed page contingent; the
money went equally to the Red Cross and to the Organization for the Victims of
the Nazi Regime.
The Americans also had an influence on the post-war “look” of the city’s streets. Chevrolets and
Buicks rolled along Wilhelm street and parked in front of the Kurhaus Casino
(Eagle Club), which the Americans had confiscated.
Lecture by Brigitte
Streich at the Main State Archive of Hessen on the Topic of the Post-War Era
WIESBADEN- The 60th anniversary of
Wiesbaden’s having been named the State Capital of Hessen is not yet over. “On
the Way to the State Capital-Wiesbaden 1945-52,” as the lecture is titled,
given by the Director of the City Archives, Brigitte Streich.
By Manfred Gerber
The war was over, as well as the fear in the air raid shelters.
But the misery and deprivation of the people initially increased. As the year 1946 ended, there was, as Brigitte Streich
puts it, a downright hunger crisis, which led to growing discontent. Even an Allied
commission had to admit, as it traveled around Germany that signs of starvation
(in the German population) were obvious. “Meat ration cards but no (available) meat” was the
headline of an article in “Der Kurier”
on October 19, 1946, which pointed out that at the city’s slaughterhouse only
72 cuts animals compared to the earlier 250 were being slaughtered. Only when
the Hoover-plan was implemented 5,000 of
Wiesbaden’s school children could be fed satisfactorily. Only in 1948, after
the currency reform, the crisis could be
overcome.
Brigitte Streich described the misery of those years in an
excellent example: of the18,000 elementary school age children, only 10,000
owned a single pair of shoes, 1,100 did not own any, had to share with another
child or had to walk barefoot, School superintendent Drebert reported in the
City Council meeting in December of 1946. Because, at the same time, there was
a shortage of heating materials many residents
of Wiesbaden suffered frostbite of fingers and toes. Only as of the first of March
1950 food ration cards were finally abolished.
Some 8,000 apartments had been destroyed in the air raids in
February (of 1945). And now the Americans had confiscated 46 hotels and 3000
private apartments. By the end of 1948, 10,000 apartments had been restored but
that did not change anything in the dramatic situation because the steady
influx of refugees continued. In July 1947, 12,000 refugees were recorded, in
1950 there were about 25,000. To encourage new housing construction, the new
mayor general, Hans H. Redlhammer (of the CSU, Christian German Union) founded
the Wiesbaden’s settlement cooperative. The same year the contruction of the new
housing development Kohlheck was begun.
By 1948, the minimum ration of rose to 1990 calories. In order to describe the
situation on the black market, Brigitte Streich quotes (the author and
historian) Walter Kempowski, who worked for the Americans at the time.
Kempowski traded Nescafe, which he stole
“…the result was that my standard of living increased. I could afford warm
underwear; and soon was able to afford an elegant beige pair of pants made of
worsted wool .”
“How can Wiesbaden sustain itself now?” the” Kurier” newspaper asked in February
1946. Still from its hot springs? Difficult. But then came (many) publishing
companies whose relocation from Leipzig to Wiesbaden had been demanded by the
Americans: Bechthold & Co, Limes, Brockhaus, Dietrich, Insel Publishing,
Breitkopf & Haertel, and Harassowitz. Some are still in Wiesbaden. With 16
publishing houses, Wiesbaden became Germany’s third largest publishing center,
after Munich, and Stuttgart.
The Pariser Hof in
Spiegelgasse was frequented by (famous) writers like Gottfried Benn und Alfred
Doeblin. The Arts and literary section of the newspaper predicted: “the destitute
city would advance to become the new intellectual center of greater Hessen.”
But the city showed no regard to book dealers who wanted to settle here and refused to issue business licenses. So,
the “Kurier” again went into action and warned: “State
capital or Pensionopolis? Prospering or Impoverishment and Demise? We Are at
the Crossroads, Wiesbaden, a Decision is Called for!”
The Jewish Community was refounded. Two Holocaust survivors,
Klara Guthmann, the widow of the attorney Berthold Guthmann, and the businessman
Jack Martner, led the revival of the Jewish community. Their president was Leon
Frimm of Lemberg. On December 22, 1946, on Hanukka, the Festival of Lights, the synagogue, which
had been destroyed in 1938, was re-consecrated on Friedrich street in a celebration.
The “Kurier” wrote: “the almost 300 members
of the congregation are proud to have renovated the first house of worship by
their our initiative.”
As of 1946, the Russian-Orthodox head of church for Berlin
and Germany, Archbishop Philotheus’ was stationed in Wiesbaden and presided
over 3,000 members in this new state
capital. Here, still, many “displaced persons,” former prisoners of war, and
forced laborers still resided.
Finally, the film Industry. Brigitte Streich vividly described
Wiesbaden’s then important role as
“Hollywood on the Kochbrunnen (the city’s main hot spring).” In 1952, (well-known
German actress) Lieselotte Pulver gave the start signal at a soap-box race on
Stresemann Ring.
(translation by Trey Horwitz)
The Kurhaus Casino was only open to Americans, Wiesbadener Kurier, August 15, 2005
In the summer of 1945 a number of the city’s Recreation facilities had been confiscated by US troops
WIESBADEN - Wiesbaden
had become famous as a Health Recreation Destination in the era of the German Kaiser.
After World War II, very little of its former glory remained. Slowly the Health
Recreation operations were revived.
By Holger Mueller
“The city’s receational district was in a terrible state,” Wiesbaden
resident Gretl-Baumgart-Buttersack , 26 year old at that time, recalls. The Spa
facilities had been greatly damaged by allied bombardments. Along with the Kurhaus Casino, the fountain colonnades
(on either side), the convention center, the Kaiser-Friedrich public Indoor swimming-pool,
and the Rheumatism clinic had been hit by bombs. A number of hotels had been destroyed,
only 55 had survived the war.
In 1936, there had been 153 (resort hotels), “Very often the
only the outer walls remained. It looked like (antique) ruins. Especially the loss of the
Hotel Four Seasons was devastating ,”
Gretl explains. The buildings of this hotel along Burg street which led through
the “spa district” were only rubble. “You stood gazing at this and asked yourself,
how had this once looked?” There was little health tourism in the summer of
1945. But there were already quite a few inquiries sent to the city’s Health
tourism agency..
What had remained undestroyed, had been confiscated by the
Americans: In addition to the many houses and 33 hotels, also the city’s Kurhaus Casino. The small Casino hall (kleiner Saal) served dining hall and entertainment
venue. The Schuetzenhof and the Opel
outdoor swimming pool admitted only Americans. “That , of course, was awful
(for us Germans). Our Kurhaus Casino
, our
Neroberg (recreation facilities) – we were no longer welcome.”
The damage (to the city) and way the US troops treated the
recreational facilities shocked the native residents of Wiesbaden. But there
was no time for regrets for the young woman. She and her mother took care of up to 20 refugees who had lost their homes in bombings,
giving them shelter in her parents’ home. “We did no time to think of recreation. We
were all glad to have a roof over our heads.”
But the Spa and Recreation administration tried to revive the
city’s main source of income quickly again. The city administration arranged a
lottery with a wood house as main prize, in order to support the restoration of
the recreation industry .
Beginning in August, small lecture evenings were offered, chamber
music was performed and the orchestra revived. On August 21st, the city’s
orchestra and the Theater Orchestra performed a symphony concert together at
the Catholic community center: The program was a violin concerto by Beethoven. In
addition, the Apollo theater, the Rheumatism
clinic, the Market church, and the Luther church were used as locations for
cultural events. On August 1st the Kaiser-Friedrich reopened despite some
damage. The thermal pools, the Inhalation baths and under-water massage
facilities were could be used.
But health tourism in the city still did not pick up. Too
much had impacted the population all at once. “We had no time for recreational
activities, we were happy to have a roof over our heads.” One specific lecture evening
Gretl Baumgart-Buttersack’s vividly recalls even today, “there were at the most
25 people present, but it was the start to something new, of which we thought :
thank God, we will attend this event”.
The now 86-year-old, a long-time member of the Spa and
recreation Association, fondly recalls the city’s prewar recreational life that
completely disappeared with the onset of war. “What I experienced as a young girl: strolling along Wilhelmstrasse,
the many Recreation tourists were there, a peaceful life with society
activities. That was all gone. The recreational district was no longer what it
used to be.”
What Is Important is that Something Is on Stage Again
-The Theater in 1945 consisted of Improv, especially in the Sets/Alternative Venue at the Kolping House , By Christina Deicke, Wiesbadener Kurier , (date)
Wiesbaden- Already in the August after the (end of WWII) war,
the Wiesbaden theater once again started up. For the audiences, it allowed for
an escape from stressful daily life. The actors in the plays did not just study
their roles, but also worked with improvisation.
“The first time a show was put on, it only consisted of what
had still been in the repertoire (of the former season), what was most
important was that something was (being played at all) on stage.” Wiesbadener
Heinrich Blum remembers that even during the war, he had had visions for the
future. After the war, the 16-Year-old found his passion for attending the
theater. Shows were performed again as of August 1945. The Wiesbadener
population strived to quickly get a theater program on its feet. The new
Theater Director Carl Hagemann participated in it with relentless energy.
Hagemann would have been theater
Director in the 20s if it had not been for the (interruption of his
career through the)war and had easily received a license from the Americans (in
1945).
For the new theater season, a new dedicated building needed
to be found. The Residence Theater in Luise street had been burned down and
“the big house” had been damaged heavily
from in a bomb attack. Additionally, the Americans had confiscated it and had started
their own cultural programs solely admitting their own troops.
An alternative venue was found in the Kolping House, the
Catholic social club in Dotzheimer street. In the auditorium, there was room
for an audience of about 600. The acting ensemble-most of whom had been actors
and musicians in the theater previously, performed in plays and operas,
beginning again in August. “Ballet was still not possible there,” the
experienced theatergoer, Blum, explains, “after 2 jumps the dancers would have fallen
off the narrow stage.”
Not only was this theater venue lacking in size compared to others, but there were
notable limits in the costumes and requisites (props), as the Americans used these
in the “big house.” Blum remembers that on Mainzer street there was a venue
that was often ravished. “As the crowd cleared out, every nail and wooden board
would somehow be out-of-place. The actors also improvised their costumes, “if
it was not already historical enough, now the actors needed to wear their own
clothes.” The passionate theatergoer recalls.
Despite the provisional circumstances, the public still
clapped enthusiastically for the first performances of “robbing the Sabine
woman” and “Madame Butterfly.” The plays were mostly sold out, even if it was
arguably because of the affordable admission fee. “If I remember correctly, the
most expensive seats costed around 5-6 Reich marks ($2) Blum says. But it was
not low enough for some, so they stayed home: “On Monday morning the pre-sale
began. One needed to be early to the sale, or they would not get a ticket,”
Blum portrays. In a time that everyone would pay with Marks or reference slips,
you only needed to have the small amount of money required to get a theater
card. This coupled with the close living arrangements to the theater made it an
immensely popular place. Of course, the people would be starved from culture,
until the Wiesbaden theater in 1947 was returned. In the meantime, the Ensemble
played on the small stage in the Kolping house. In 1946, the artists gasped at
the opening of another theater house on Maueritius street.
Today the Kolping house is again the headquarters of the
Kolping community. The intendant Carl Hagemann kept the Theater open only until
October 1945, after that, it was closed for undisclosed reasons and remains
that way today. He died soon after in December.
The unique phase when the theater prices were low, in the
summer of 1945, 0is today characterized by the historian Holger Stunz as:
“quite different to the elite theaters before the war. This was a place where
people from different social classes found themselves coming together for
something they could all enjoy.
VIEWS OF THE CITY - Dance School is now in
Dotzheim/New Owner Promises stabil Prices.
By Karsten Gerber
WIESBADEN. In 1897 one of the most renowned dance schools in Wiesbaden was opened. And right on time on the 115th anniversary of the school announces another major Milestone. The Bier Dance School is leaving its old location on Paulinen Street. An Institution is moving on. An institution where once successful couples like the 8-time “German Dance Masters” Otto and Inge Teipel practiced their first steps, where the first dance instruction films in Germany were filmed in 1937, where countless residents of Wiesbaden danced their first Walz.
The new owner, Angelika
Nadj, is moving the school to Summer street 7/7A in the suburb Dotzheim. There
they will partner with the Honey4Dance
Academy.
“The rent in the old Wiesbaden
building was simply becoming exorbitant,” the owner explains the merge. A move
for financial reasons that could cost the established dance school customers.
Customers who did not want to trade the dance school with its 1970s flair of
muted lighting and dark parquet floors for a school focused on a very young
clientele over a car repair shop near a youth correctional facility. Customers who
appreciated the location in the traditional Villa neighborhood, where they felt
many important events had been held in the past.
Those responsible for
the move are aware of it: “of course, many questions will be asked as to why we
moved. We are also expecting that not all of our customers will come with us,”
says Torsten Fischer, the previous owner, who now works in the arrangement
continues to work as one of the dance teachers. “Kirchgasse and plenty of parking
- such a situation no longer exists.”
There is plenty of parking
on Summer street. Fischer is sure this is one point for the move, “many
customers were late because of their long search for parking spot downtown.” At
the new location, spacious changing rooms, lockers, and showers are all
immediately available.
From when Fischer took
over the dance school in 2010, “we are looking to be more attractive, we are
giving the dance school a youthful makeover and getting rid of all of the old dust
.” The merger with a dance school that promotes its image as “most popular Hip
Hop dance school of Wiesbaden “
is another step in the
right direction for Fischer: “the closure is the perfect story.”
The founding family,
though, is less than pleased. Barbara Seidel-Bier, the youngest daughter of
Egon Bier Barbara Seidel-Bier, and the school’s
owner from 1983 until 2010, felt terrible when she heard the news of the move
from Paulinen Street, “it hurts me very
much”. The entire Bier family is very shaken by this. “My father would be
rolling in his grave is he heard about this.”
Angelika Nadj sees no problem in ballroom dance paired with Hip Hop: “This mix will provide for an exciting challenge. The young and the older clients will be united here.” From children’s dances to youth courses, from Hip Hop to community dance to Zumba and Club Agilando, there is something for everyone. “The prices for lessons will also remain stable,” Nadj promises.
All customers of the
Bier Dance School and Honey4Dance Academy, including newcomers are invited to
the reopening on January 15, at 11:00, along with a champagne reception. Guests
are encouraged to visit the school’s new location. “It is worth it to have a
debut for our show dance group and our Hip Hoppers,” Nadj says.
Teaching worldwide.
The Bier dance school has
a successful past to look back at. The founder’s (Julius Bier’s) son, Egon, was
one of its most popular teachers, and imported dances like the Boogie Woogie,
the Cha Cha Cha, and the Tap dance to Germany. He personally studied all these
dances with Fred Astaire. Egon and his son Udo presented these dances to crowds
at the World convention in Washington DC and Atlantic City between 1950 and
1967. Already in 1962 Egon Bier spoke of the school teaching 25,000 students. Five
years later that number had risen to 30,000.
Additionally: The name of the dance school is not hard to guess. The new dance school Bier&Honey4Dance Academy is well on its way. And we wonder: would Julius and Egon Bier have dreamed of this?
(translated by Trey Horwitz)
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