Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 1 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter April 2018 Volume 14, Issue 2

Why purple?

DoDEA “Purple Up! For Military Kids” event; “purple” in this case indicates that all branches of the military are supported; Air Force blue, Army green, Navy blue, Marine red, and Coast Guard blue all thought to combine together as a single color, purple. April is designated as the Month of the Military Child; a time to honor the sacrifices made by military families worldwide, with an emphasis on the experi- ence of the dependent children of military members serving at home and overseas. A 2015 military demographics report listed on Defense.gov counted nearly two million “total-force Berlin welcomes spring dependent children,” including more than 900,000 Army dependents, 400,000 Air Force dependents, nearly 300,000 Navy, and approximately 118,000 Marine dependents. According to a report by the Department of Defense, there are 700 military child development program facilities around the world, running approx- imately 155,000 child-care spaces, with another 3,000 family child care homes which provide in-home care. It’s estimated that military child development cen- ters welcome around 200,000 children daily. There are 300 youth and teen centers worldwide serving more than 645,000 youth through a variety of educa- tional and recreational programs. “Military brat” is not a negative, but rather connotes affection and respect. Children/teens of active-duty military personnel have a life- style of high mobility, as they follow their soldier-parent great distances to non-combat assignments during most of, or at least a significant portion, of their growing up years. It can cause a complex ‘mixed’ cultural identity, due to the resulting exposure to numerous national or regional cultures while growing up. 2 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 3 5 February 2018 The has now been down as long as it was up: 10,316 days by Briggs Burton the insidious West. Let them come to Berlin. at Dissident “The Wall will still be standing in 50 and even in 100 There are some who say that communism is the wave “Nobody has the intention years,” croaked the SED’s near-octogenarian First Sec- of the future. of building a wall,” said retary in January 1989, “if the reasons Let them come to Berlin. in June of for it have not been removed by then.” And there are some who say, in Europe and elsewhere, 1961. Perhaps no speech better captured the visceral sym- we can work with the communists. Ulbricht was the Gener- bolic power of the Wall than the one made by President Let them come to Berlin. al Secretary of the Socialist John F. Kennedy on June 26th, 1963, before an audi- And there are even a few who say that it is true that Unity Party (SED) of Ger- ence of 450,000 Berliners: communism is an evil system, but it permits us to make many—the hardline Stalin- “There are many people in the world who really don’t economic progress. ist movement that ran understand, or say they don’t, what is the great issue Lass’ sie nach Berlin kommen—Let them come to communist East . between the free world and the communist world. Berlin!” By 1961, Ulbricht faced a dire problem: young people It has now been 10,316 days since the Wall fell. were desperately fleeing The anniversary was marked with a full front page picture in theBerliner Zeitung newspaper. the already-ossified East In an editorial, the paper said: Germany for the free and “These days are special days and this edition of theBerlin Zeitung is also special.” democratic . barracks loomed over it. Anti-vehicle trenches were People have been responding to the anniversary with their memories of the Wall, and what it represented: Ironically enough, West Germany had a tiny enclave carved out next to guard dog pens. Blinding search- Tony inside the heartland of the totalitarian East which these lights would knife through the stillness of the Berlin In the early ‘80s I lived in a flat overlooking the Wall. We enterprising youths could enter: . night. Along the entire Wall ran a belt of cleared, flat could see the East German guards from our window and The attraction was irresistible. Three and a half ground in which border guards would have easy shots frequently waved at them. Some waved back, others pointed million people—20 percent of ’s popu- at fleeing defectors—this was called the “death strip.” their guns at us. lation—fled to the West, especially educated profes- More than 140 people were killed crossing the Scots sionals, creating a serious brain drain. The SED dicta- Berlin Wall. The first casualty, Ida Siekmann, died of Me too, Tony, only waving without the gun-pointing. We lived torship called it —“desertion from the internal injuries after leaping from a window over the in Lindendstrasse in Kreuzberg, now part of Axel Springer republic.” And it had to be stopped. wall. Ingo Krüger drowned in the Spree River while Strasse. Went back for 1st time 2 years ago and the building And so, two months after Walter Ulbricht an- attempting to scuba dive his way to freedom. Winfried we lived in is still there. Ours was a kind of squat/disused nounced that no one had any intention of building a Freudenberg died after falling from a homemade hot fire station. The guards used to watch us with binoculars wall, the Berlin Wall went up. It stood for 10,316 days, air balloon. when we messed about at the windows and we used to watch between August 13th, 1961—“barbed wire Sunday”— Other people died when jumpy guards misidentified them back. I used to go through to the East on the Ubahn, and November 9th, 1989. Today marks the 10,317th them as possible escapees. Some people chose to com- Kochstrasse-Friedrichstrasse to buy whisky. Memory blanks day since its fall. mit suicide by walking toward the Wall and refusing to after that. TheAntifaschistischer Schutzwall, or “anti-fascist stop. Daniel protection rampart,” was billed to the East German When the Wall finally fell, the people of Berlin and I used to live right next to the former wall. My neighbor was people and the communist bloc as a way of keeping Germany were elated. Late into the night of Novem- an old lady who had lived there since forever. She watched devious imperialists and fascist spies out. ber 9th, 1989, West and East Berliners came together as the wall was built, and she watched as it was torn down. “We have sealed the cracks in the fabric of our laughing, celebrating, hugging, and weeping. David From the same flat! To top it off, the street where I lived house,” said Ulbricht, “and closed the holes through Hasselhoff famously sangLooking for Freedom from (Heidelberger Straße) is actually semi-famous for being one which the worst enemies of the German people could atop a concrete segment of the rapidly-crumbling for- of the sites where an escape tunnel was built. But, what most creep.” tification. texts don't mention is that the street is actually divided into But it was clear to the world that the new wall was The stark and brutal Wall cut like an scar through three parts; the outer sections in Treptow () and erected only to keep the people of East Germany in. the old city and, in the eyes of the world, became a the middle section in Neukölln (West Berlin). I moved to the The Wall began as barbed wire sections and con- symbol for the stifling totalitarianism of East Germany. middle section some time after the Wall fell. The reason this crete barriers; soon, as defectors found more and more The world cheered those who escaped across it and is important is because on the Eastern side, it wasn't really ways to go over, under, or through it, the Wall became mourned those who died at its foot. And through it all, possible to live right next to the wall, due to the death strip. like the barricades of a fortress. Guard towers and the stentorian strongmen at the head of the GDR stiffly insisted that the Wall was a necessary defense against But on the Western side it was possible. 4 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 5 Reunion 2012 promotion update Our 30th Stammtisch Jubilee from Herr Prigge and Charlie Since so many of us who attended the 2012 Bluem Reunion in D.C. witnessed our very own promo- How did we (Herr Prigge tion ceremony (at Saturday night’s banquet) of and Mr. Bluem) begin meeting Michelle Estes ’90 to LtCol by Berlin Brat two- monthly in March 1988? star General Rick Martin ’77 (pictured below). What really brought us to- We thought you’d like to know the latest….. gether then, since we had been Michelle just came out on the full Colonel’s colleagues for years? list this February. Currently stationed at RAF Did we team-teach together? Mildenhall, England, here’s Michelle getting the No! news: Had we planned a great big educational event together? No! So what really brought us to- gether that began our big 30th? Simply put, Herr Prigge need- ed a common sink with hot and Herr Prigge, Charlie Bluem, and Art Benson enjoying the summer sun during a Treffat cold running water because he Mich Kaffee café in 2017. entertained a lot as “host nation teacher.” Working with the Principal and DEH, our project was accomplished. When the job was professionally done by the plumbers, we celebrated “our achievement” by visiting the Freie (Free) University Café. That was our first Café Treff! From then on, with few excep- tions, we have been meeting monthly ever since. The exceptions occurred when Charlie was transferred to Lakenheath American High School; during that time, we met during the summer months and between Christmas and New Year’s. Considering vacations, schedule conflicts, sick time out, and, and, and….. we estimate we have visited more than 200 different cafés in Berlin! These represented many different nations and café specialities. For example, pictured here with Art Benson last summer, we were at Mich Kaffee…ThiTing it on a vegan sidewalk café. We have always avoided Schicki-Micki Cafes, however! By chance, we are spending our 30th in the Russian Café Pasternak…..but please don’t tell Special Counsel Robert Mueller, you hear? As long as there are current events, BAHS students, and colleagues’ families, day-in, day-out living, there will be something to talk about. So it is again 30 for us and still counting! So, Auf Wiedershehen for now, until we meet again. 6 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 7 When in Vegas – LOOK Did you know that in Germany large wheels FOR THE BERLIN WALL of cheese were used as measuring units? by Nicole Glass, Throughout history, cheese has ern Germany, referring to little boys Main Street Station (casino, brewery, and hotel) has a German Embassy always been an important resource. no taller than three stacked wheels treasure hunt of sorts…..200 N. Main St., Las Vegas. What do you call a tiny little kid The Greeks considered it a delicacy, of cheese. in German? A Dreikäsehoch! Liter- using it as a sacrifice for the Gods. However, this mildly humorous It features 17 unique artifacts, antiques, and art-

BRAT GET-TOGETHER ally translated, this colloquial Ger- The Romans considered it an im- reference was chosen as the third- works from all over the world……to include a por- man word means “three-cheeses- portant part of their diet, carrying most endangered beloved German tion of the Berlin Wall! tall,” but has little to do with cheese slabs of cheese with them as they word in 2007, and is slowly falling When you visit the hotel….stop at the concierge and instead defines a child (usually roamed through Europe. Cheese out of use in common language. desk – pick up the walking guide (i.e., treasure hunt a boy) that we quickly gained pop- But perhaps you can help bring map) to locate the 17 unique originals throughout would refer to in ularity across Eu- this 18th century word back into the hotel/casino such as street lamps from Brussels, English as a “tiny rope in the Middle conversation. Next time you see a chandelier from the Figaro Opera House in Paris, a t ot .” Ages, and people a tiny tot trying to engage in ac- stained glass window from Lillian Russell’s Pittsburgh A Dreikäse- soon knew what to tivities he is too small for, you can Mansion….and yes, a portion of the Berlin Wall in hoch usually expect when they remind him that’s he’s still only a the gentlemen’s restroom!!! Sorry, ladies. Actually, we refers to a curi- obtained a wheel, little Dreikäsehoch. were told men are allowed to escort the ladies in for a ous and intel- which were usually viewing and a picture! ligent child who about the same size Bet you didn’t know this. is too small to and weight, accord- Possibly the best kept secret in all of Las Vegas!!! do much, but ing to WDR. You’re welcome, Berlin Brats! tries to act like As a result, a “big shot.” If, cheese become a for example, an standard measur- ambitious five- ing device in homes year-old tells his across Europe. In parent that he French, the word Brats unite! wants to run in a caisse refers to marathon, the parent might re- both boxes and cheese, and both We were so happy to catch up with spond, “but you are a Dreikäsehoch” were used as measuring devices. Shawn Bingham (class of ‘86) over din- – thereby indicating that the child Similarly in Germany, large wheels ner!! is too little (only three cheeses tall!) of cheese were used as measuring L to R: Melvin Rodriguez ‘87, Angie (Coleman) to do so. units. Rodriguez ‘87, Shawn Bingham ‘86. But why does this colloquial Thus, the wordDreikäsehoch term refer to cheese, of all things? originated in 18th century North- 2018 Olympic closing The 68th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) games ceremony The renowned film Festival opened in February with a world premiere screening of “Isle of Dogs.” Over the uses the Brat course of the next few days, about 400 films were shown at the Festival, 24 of which competed for awards known as dandelion! Golden and Silver Bears. Adina Pintilie’s “Touch Me Not” Dandelions part of the closing ceremonies of the emerged with the film world’s nicest looking award: the Golden Bear for Best Film. Winter Olympics in Korea. The Berlinale is the world’s largest publicly attended film In memoriam for all the athletes that had passed. festival, selling around 300,000 tickets for its events each Dandelions represent seeds of a new beginning. year. Prominent celebrities and politicians attended the event. 8 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 9 Bitburg Barons visit American Overseas Schools History

Society (AOSHS) and our Berlin Wall section in Wichita And you thought the Germans didn’t have a sense of humor ...

We visited the Museum of World overseas since 1946, pieces of T Treasures on Monica’s (at AOSHS) history could be gone forever – recommendation to see the Berlin yearbooks, h Brats’ “Wall” and “Clarence”-- trophies, Bonn’s school mascot!!!! So glad we letter jackets, did!!! How special is that?! class pictures, r The Barons took their place in time capsules, DODEA Europe lore as Bitburg school flags, o High School closed its doors last and mascots. year … June 2017, after 60 years. As schools w The school opened in 1956. Last overseas close year, 154 students were enrolled, down, those back including 31 in the last graduating artifacts and class. Bitburg Air Base itself closed memorabilia in ’94. Students will now attend go away, too. P school in Spangdahlem. (The high AOSHS keeps school was one of the last buildings the memories alive. h on the annex to close as the Air If ever in Wichita, Kan- Force prepares by summer 2018 to sas….stop in and visit your Linda Bird. Her father was President. Can you say tight secu- o hand over the Bitburg housing area artifacts and our section of rity? In the background, Major General Franklin, US Com- to the German government. The the Berlin Wall! mander of Berlin, and a Pan Am plane. last families moved out in 2014, ac- AOSHS t cording to Air Force officials). 704 W. Douglas Avenue by Bob Bradley ’60 (‘55’-‘57) Wichita, KS 67203-6401 In 1966, I was issued an important military or- o Telephone: (316) 265-6837 der: date Linda Bird’s (daughter of President Lyn- Frankfurt alums also visit [email protected] don B. Johnson) traveling companion (no smart-ass s AOSHS this quarter remarks; it was a girl) when they visited Berlin. We took them to dinner, went bar-hopping, then A dozen or so Frankfurt Ameri- Linda Bird invited us to the Ambassador’s residence can High School alums (Classes where she played 45 rpm honkey-tonk records. She 1967 to 1971) visited AOSHS as was tall, about 6’, VERY nice, not affected. My date part of a three- day mini-reunion. was the opposite, a pain. Linda Bird later dated No word on whether they visited George Hamilton (the actor), but went on to marry the Berlin Wall while there. Charles Robb. But, they did attend an “Ameri- The Ambassador was located in Bonn, but had ca” concert in Salina, KS, on St Pat- a Berlin residence also. Berlin had been walled rick’s Day. You will remember that “America” is made up of London Top left: The Berlin Wall section that the Berlin since 1960. I lived in Berlin in the mid-’50s when Central High School Brats! Brats bought in 2005. Top right: Bitburg Barons my dad was stationed there, rode my bike to East Eve (Carey) Christich ‘73, Gerry Christich ‘73, and Berlin pre-Wall. Then I joined the military and was Monica of AOSHS. Center: Frankfurt alums and stationed in Berlin when I got this order. AOSHS – The American I wasn’t good-looking or tall enough to be Linda welcome banner at AOSHS. Above left: AOSHS’ Sylvester Stallone in Berlin circa 1988, from Mike Fried- Overseas School Historical street frontage in Wichita. Above: Frankfurt alums Bird’s date. They got a 6’3” MP lieutenant who Society browsing the yearbooks at AOSHS. Left: America, looked like he stepped off the cover of G.Q. maga- rich. the rock band formed in England in 1970 by Dew- zine. For more than four million ey Bunnell, Dan Peek, and Gerry Beckley. The trio As a note, Bob went on to marry TAR teacher Americans who were educated met as sons of US Air Force personnel stationed in Dorthea Jacobitti (’66-’68). London, where they began performing live. 10 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 11 turned out that one of the women attempts to set up Bitcoin co-work- exciting place in the world to be if on the call - Anna Kurth - was just ing spaces, first in Kreuzberg and you’re interested in blockchain or Why Berlin remains the Bitcoin capital of Europe in 2018 about to start her own meet-up then in . I scored a discounted cryptocurrency simply because it’s group for women in Bitcoin [in desk for the summer after building the one place where people are still by Tanzeel Akhtar; [email protected] Georg Garlichs, CFO of ESMT therefore cannot be controlled by Berlin],” says Lewis. a website for the original co-work- passionate about decentralization 23 January 2018 explains that Bitcoin is a decentral- any state or company as one reason. Networking is key in the crypto ing space,” says Lewis. as an idea, rather than as a get-rich- When it comes to spending the ized virtual peer-to-peer currency “There’s no political decisions in scene and Berlin’s tech scene has a She compares London and the quick vehicle,” says Lewis. digital currency Bitcoin, it seems and can now be used for all pay- there. The algorithm is transparent strong, vibrant community. De- Berlin tech scene. “Although I’d Berlin offers technology and Berliners have been on trend longer ments to ESMT. The institution to everybody,” says Göttsch. velopers, anarchists, libertarians, been to plenty of London meet-ups, than the rest of Europe. also accepts Ethereum, Litecoin Göttsch explains the second reason cypherpunks and would-be en- most were quite business-focused. philosophy The German capital was first and Dash - all cryptocurrencies - as is that nobody can control Bitcoin trepreneurs have all been rubbing Level 39 at Canary Wharf was a fre- There are a number of things dubbed the “Bitcoin Capital of a form of payment. “Similar to an payments. “First it is pseudo- shoulders at bars in Berlin where quent meet-up venue, and many of Berlin can offer those who have a Europe” by the Guardian in 2013 SMS, the digital currency enables anonymous, it’s hard to track user you can pay with Bitcoin and where the people at the social events were thirst for life and fulfilment. “It’s a and since then a number of other worldwide money transfers within data. Second is you don’t need a everyone is open to talking about either preoccupied with their start- place where you can talk deep into businesses have been keen to accept a few minutes without involving a bank that charges random fees. It crypto. ups or else figuring out how block- the night about technology and cryptocurrency as a form of pay- bank. ESMT is an innovative and [Bitcoin] is international and can be “Lovely Anna welcomed me not chain could work in the context philosophy and ideas, and where ment. future-oriented business school,” transferred to local money in every just into her group but also intro- of their banking jobs. In contrast, you can feel that everything is pos- Nowadays people can country you are in.” duced me to other Berlin Bitcoiners the grass-roots approach of Berlin’s sible. The era of cheap Bitcoin beer buy an apartment, book Leuchtstoff Kaffeebar and my new life in Germany start- crypto-enthusiasts was a breath of and minuscule transaction fees may holidays, eat and drink in a also accepts Ether as a form ed. I took a contract extension for fresh air,” says Lewis. have disappeared, but the original number of trendy bars and of payment. Do many cus- six months, falling in love with the Lewis says she now spends three punk energy lives on. Creativity even pay for further educa- tomers use the Bitcoin and city and its vibrant crypto under- to six months in Berlin every year and original ideas will fuel the next tion using the controversial Ether payment services? ground,” says Lewis. and is considering a permanent phase of crypto’s evolution… Ber- cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Göttsch says: “It was more “The energy carried through to move to the German capital. “I lin’s startups have a huge advantage There are a number of in 2012. Now with the high daytimes and there were a couple of think Berlin is probably the most in this respect,” says Lewis. appealing factors which fees it’s not that common make Bitcoin an attrac- any m ore .” tive form of payment. One ‘Most exciting place of them is the blockchain technology behind the in world for crypto- TAR – TIME CAPSULE! cryptocurrency. This means enthusiasts’ Bitcoin is managed by its In recent years, Ber- Buried – May 25, 1994 network and not by one lin’s tech startup scene has central authority. says Garlichs. been attracting ever more interna- To be “unearthed in 2019” Be warned - Bitcoin investing is Garlichs explains that ESMT is tional talent. Rhian Lewis, a British not for the faint-hearted! This year keen to remain on trend in educa- software engineer and co-founder We have been contacted by the Special Bitcoin price has been falling as tion and explains in 2018 there of the cryptocurrency portfolio Events Curator at the Allied Museum in Ber- concerns grow that governments are a number of courses available tracker countmycrypto.com is lin to assist in locating those involved in the will crack down on the industry. to those who want to learn more based between Berlin and the UK. TAR time capsule burial. Currently Bitcoin is trading at about trends such as Blockchain, She explains how her love affair So far we have located: $10,600 after hitting almost $20,000 Bitcoin, Ethereum and Initial Coin with the Berlin Bitcoin scene first Edward Bass – 6th grader pictured in the in December. Offerings (ICOs) which have been started in 2014. Lewis decided to Berlin Observer article helping to bury the ESMT encourages Block- in the news lately. take on a six-week contract in Ber- capsule. Why have Berlin based busi- lin in early 2014, not knowing what Don Reed - 6th grade teacher/choral who chain education and accepts to expect. wrote TAR’s school song and is included in Bitcoin payments nesses been keen to intro- “I’d never even visited [Berlin] the capsule. (FAC ’64-’92) One of the first universities in duce Bitcoin payments? before but I knew there was a lively Diana Dial Reynolds - PTA President from 1994 Germany to accept Bitcoin as a Niels Göttsch is the owner of tech community. I’d been involved Carolyn James – School Nurse means of payment is the European Leuchtstoff Kaffeebar in Berlin in Bitcoin and alts [alternative cryp- Ynez Olshausen – School Principal School of Management and Tech- which introduced Bitcoin payments tocurrencies] for about a year, and ….and a couple other students that were there for the burial! nology (ESMT). The ESMT Berlin in 2012 and has been fascinated was part of an online community The plan is to have a ceremony – next May to unearth! Maybe this EMBA is ranked highly in the by cryptocurrencies for a very of crypto women. I mentioned on would be a good time to plan a Berlin mini-reunion? Attend the world for career progress and first long time. Why? Göttsch explains one of our Google hangouts that ceremony? Plans have not been finalized but they are looking at May started accepting Bitcoin payments the idea of having a currency that I would be working there and it 24th, 2019. in December 2016. doesn’t need an authority and 12 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter THIS YEAR WE VOTE ON THE 2020 REUNION LOCATION

Our vote is usually in the fall…..but this year will be moved up to June. Only current members, i.e., dues-paid members, get to vote. So please make sure your annual dues are paid at this time! The membership form is on our website at: http://www.berlinbrats.org/members.htm. Scroll ½ down the page and download the form for mailing in OR use PayPal. Email confirmations are sent out. We rotate “west” in 2020.

We’re looking at/receiving proposals from Seattle, Portland & Eugene, OR, San Diego, and Salt Lake City. Proposals for the vote will be narrowed down to two locations, those best meeting our needs and requirements.

Upcoming Events Contact Information Fort Worth, TX Early ‘60s Site Overseas Brats Gathering By invitation only Contact Jim Branson ‘64 Aug 23-26, 2018 Berlin Brats Alumni Association [email protected] Hosted by: Overseas Brats Jeri (Polansky) Glass ‘72, Director for an invite 41910 N. Crooked Stick Road Anthem, AZ 85086 American Overseas School telephone: 623•764•1105 Historical Society Next Reunion email: [email protected] Gayle Vaughn Wiles, President we head “west” website: www.berlinbrats.org email: [email protected] website: www.aoshs.org 2018 location scouting year Overseas Brats then the vote Find us on Facebook@ Joe Condrill, President “Berlin Brats Alumni Association” email: [email protected] (the official fan page site) website: www.overseasbrats.com “Berlin American High School (BAHS)” (an open group chat page) Communication Brat: Peter Stein ‘80 [email protected] follow us on Twitter 2020 ​ @BerlinBrats WebBrat: REUNION! Carl Fenstermacher ‘73 (location determined by vote) [email protected] Newsletter Brat: Kimberly Keravuori ‘85