Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 1 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter January 2018 Volume 14, Issue 1
Checkpoint Charlie decorated for the season in a blanket of snow. This photo was posted in December on the Berlin Brats FB page. By New Year’s Eve, it was clear it appealed to us Brats: 2,246 people had viewed it, with 158 likes and 19 shares. Top right: Crowds gathered in front of Brandenburg Gate to celebrate the start of the new year. Bottom right photo: The Gate reflected in a puddle during a re- hearsal prior to the New Year’s Eve party.
Photo from http://www.globalo.com/join-freedom- hub-change-world/ Photo by Ralf Hirschberger/dpa via AP 2 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 3 December Brat Rediscovered: 250 Missing feet of the Berlin Wall gathering in Denver by Fergus O’Sullivan topped with smooth pipe gave it a de- was actually built up from the remain- Citylab, January 25, 2018 ceptively humdrum, unprepossessing ing walls of some tenements bombed Karrie (Kotcher) Wymer appearance. out during the Second World War, ‘86 organized a seasonal get- This week the Berlin media unveiled While it wasn’t as fearsome-looking Bormann believes; their cellars filled in together for Berlin Brats in a sensational discovery: a largely intact at its reputation suggests, it was still with rubble to prevent access to anyone 80 meter (262 feet) section of the close the Colorado area at Den- Berlin Wall that everyone assumed to im- ver’s Christkindl Market. had been demolished. Battered but preg- Originally, Christkindl still standing, this section of the Wall nable Markts were utilitarian, a remains in its original location in the once simple means for people quiet northern Berlin suburb of Schön- fully holz. It had actually been rediscovered com- to buy food and seasonal by local historian Christian Bormann plete. essentials such as blankets, as far back as 1999—but he’s kept it a What firewood, and anything secret since then. Bormann only chose made needed to endure the winter. to bring it to public notice this week it nigh Eventually, people started (via his personal blog and contact with impos- selling ornaments, toys, and local officials) after growing concerned sible to that its dilapidated condition placed it scale other items that, while not in peril of collapse. was vital for survival, made for a That such a remnant could go un- not its merrier atmosphere, includ- noticed even in a backwater seems in- height, but the so-called “Death Strip” seeking to tunnel under the Wall. The ing Glühwein and Bier. credible. This was once one of Europe’s alongside it, a broad, heavily guarded early Berlin Wall’s combination of Obviously, Berlin Brats most heavily, lethally monitored fron- fringe where a barbed wire-topped wire and concrete with such relatively tiers, and one of the most infamous fence enclosed an area of raked sand makeshift arrangements was largely know how to be merry objects in the world. How did it ever and anti-tank obstacles called “Czech replaced by concrete only from 1965 wherever they gather! fade into obscurity? The answers reveal hedgehogs.” With the death strip onward, while the Wall took on its final some fascinating details about the Ber- removed, the Berlin Wall itself looks appearance as a chain of concrete slabs lin Wall’s history and functioning. relatively unassuming, its construction between 1975 and 1980. It certainly helps that this newly from prefabricated panels mirroring A few pieces of the original 1961 discovered section is in such a hidden- numerous other structures built during Wall persisted, however, in just a away location. Wedged in scrubby, the years of the German Democratic few locations where they were still unbuilt suburban land between a Republic. deemed solid enough not to pose a cemetery and the tracks of the S-Bahn This is especially true of the newly security risk. The rediscovered sec- railway, it’s in a place few people need rediscovered section—because it tion at Schönholz is one of these early to visit. And in its most basic form, the doesn’t even look like the rest of the remnants. It passed under the radar as Berlin Wall wasn’t exactly eye-catching Wall. It’s an unusual remnant from the just another random piece of shabby as a structure—it certainly wasn’t very very first years of the Wall’s existence. concrete wall—because, now that the tall. Its surprisingly modest height When the barrier was first strung barbed wire has disappeared from the ranged between 11 and 13 feet, while around West Berlin during the night V-shaped brackets capping the wall, its construction out of concrete slabs and early morning of August 12 and that’s exactly what it looks like. 13, it was Visitors hunting down the remnant a hastily in search of Cold War shivers may thus installed be disappointed. At the same time, cordon there’s a clear poignancy to the dis- of barbed covery. Once this masonry barrier was wire a lethally-charged fault line running fences, between two global power blocs, the augment- political equivalent of tectonic plates. ed with Now that this remaining section of the concrete a Wall looks like any other rundown, un- Top photo, left side of table front to back: Shawn Bingham ‘86, Hilton ‘Marcus’ Huff ‘89, few days remarkable slice of urban blight, that and Leroy Garrison ‘86. Right side of table, front to back: Eunice (Fitzsimmon) Huff later. The not-too-distant past when it formed a ‘89, April (Munger) Bingham ‘87, Karrie (Kotcher) Wymer ‘86, and Devon Ferguson redis- heavily-guarded frontier seems ghostly, ‘87. Bottom photo, L to R: Mary Ann (Cunha) Glover ‘76, Lydia (Gadarian) Orlando covered unreal. ‘76 (attending all the way from Minnesota!), and Darla (Tabor) Hung ‘88. section Photos by Christian Bormann 4 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 5 Hung up for good:
Remote German forest depot where thousands of phone boxes go to die...and one could be yours for just £250 by Dan Bloom ‘Telephone booths awaken in workers were finding their environ- Daily Mail/UK many people fond memories,’ said ment so distracting that it helped to Ready to downsize? Berlin’s coolest clubbing experience awaits Its wares splayed in dazzlingly Deutsche Telekom employee Betina have four metal and glass walls built Forget mega-clubs and head in- dry ice, strobe lights, obligatory built-in camera that takes pictures pink neat rows, this is the remote Kückels-Viehl - revealing one buyer up around them. forest depot where thousands of even met his wife next to one stead to Berlin’s tiniest discos - con- mirror ball and a choice of tunes. and records videos of your unfor- phone booths go to die. of the booths. verted phone booths complete with Created by enterprising com- gettable night. The one-and-a-half acre site, She said: ‘A prospective pany Teledisko, the dimunitive buried deep in the woods near the buyer had volunteered for discos are currently installed in town of Michendorf, is Germany’s example, because he had met two locations: Club Katerblau, only mass phone box graveyard of his wife 35 years ago against which hosts a version accessi- its kind. Nowadays it has few yellow a yellow phone booth and he ble during opening hours, and boxes, which are the oldest types, wanted to surprise her with a Raw Gelände, where a glitzy and is full mainly of newer pink c opy.’ gold booth welcomes partygo- phone booths which have had to ‘Often, they also serve as ers day and night. be discarded through lack of use by a shelter for technical equip- The coin-operated entry Deutsche Telekom. ment or be placed in muse- ensures that no one but you Although some will be stored ums,’ she said - but several for reuse when other booths in have been bought by artists. and your chosen friends can prominent places break, they are Some people have put them access the bright yellow party being sold to the public for as little in their gardens to be used booth. Inside, Teledisko has as 300 Euros (£250) each. The as miniature greenhouses. all the trimmings of a proper ‘vintage’ yellow boxes command a Others have turned them nightclub – a smoke machine, higher price of 450 Euros (£370). into boutique shower rooms. stroboscope, light effects, There is a catch, however - buy- More still have become movie a disco ball, dry ice, and a ers must find a way to lug the 300lb props, tiny recording studios, touchscreen that lets you select (135kg) monsters home themselves. beach shelters, and even a and play your favorite music. Since the sale began the phone soundproof room to make The cramped interiors might booths have found some quirky phone calls - from mobiles. prevent you from taking selfies, uses, Deutsche Telekom spokes- It may sound surprising, but the booth comes with a man Georg von Wagner told Der but the firm said many office Taggespiegel. The sale began at the end of 2014, and is likely to go on for some time as phone booths gradually REQUEST TO ALL ARMY BRATS vanish from public life. Once the only way for children to tell par- From the “National Museum of the U.S. Army” ents they were alive or for jobseek- currently being constructed in the D.C. area. (Ft. Belvoir, VA). ers to apply for work, the metal boxes have been in terminal decline A special request has been made to us! worldwide since the dawn of mo- They would like Berlin Brat “Growing up Army” stories bile phones. In 2003, there were still more for the museum. than 100,000 across Germany - They want photos, videos, and Brats to take their survey here: but in many areas they have been gradually eliminated or replaced https://goo.gl/forms/Ujbi5Q8eGrsopzbT2 with cheaper, easier-to-run wall- They are also creating a documentary film for Growing Up Army that mounted models. By 2014, there will include video interviews with real Army families. Instructions to were only around 40,000 left. Those sold already have been create and upload a video: turned into greenhouses, recording http://thenmusa.org/gua-video-instructions/ studios, showers, miniature librar- ies, movie props and beach shelters. 6 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 7 CONNECTIONS Did you know? There’s a ‘Brat tree’ on the Mall in D.C. Together During “Grand Reunion ’96” (an all schools event) in N’awlins held in Washington, DC, Brats planted a tree (left photo) at the Vietnam Wall. This past fall, in Sep- Chris Marvin ‘89, Mike Haddock ‘89, tember 2017, Patricia Hein, Stuttgart ’75, returned to the Vietnam Memorial and took a picture of what she Chris Haddock ‘85, Michael “Smurf” believes to be the tree as it looks today (foreground, James ‘87, Ken Magee ‘88, and Mike below photo). Photos from Patricia Hein. Flores ‘88 at the NOLA reunion in June 2017.
Brat Get-TogetherSBerlin bear on the loose Honorary Brat, drinking everyone’s Bier. A Photo from Mary Ann (Cunha) Glover ‘76. Sister City n from Jim Branson ‘64 c h o r a g 26 October 2017 e Michael James ‘87 and Katie (Singleton) Pe- kkonen ‘87 at a West Berlin eatery in Anchor- Los Angeles’ sister city is Berlin age, AK. 8 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 9 The Ernst-Reuter-Platz Caper: Freedom, friends, and fountain foam in Berlin during the Cuban Missile Crisis by Kent Kay ‘64 hated us but always came back the first in line for the interroga- having our picture taken. All in a the line. When Mike’s last name both exhaustive and scientific. Tests Thomas A. Roberts High School, for more. Two of our key players tion and began by speaking to the night’s work. was introduced to the festivities, were made on the performance of Berlin, Germany, during the Cuban were neither American nor TAR police in perfect “GI” English and In any Sector it was an asset to liberation was inevitable. In all our various foaming liquids. One of Missile Crisis .... students. Include native Berliners, then switching to perfect “Berliner” have the son of military police ride nefarious exploits, we never came our crew was a bagger at the PX y father and I moved Mike and Dieter, who had learned German. Always a show-stopper, shotgun. When trouble came our across an MP with the fortitude to and “acquired” a case of dishwash- from Hong Kong to Ber- to speak English with a distinctive our two German nationals were way, we always put the big Pol- arrest the Commander’s son or his ing liquid. Logistics were planned lin in the early sixties. “GI” Southern drawl. Mike owned inevitably suspected of being Cold ish kid at the end of the line for friends. Ditto the Brits. Ditto the for two drivers and four reasonably FinishingM touches on the Wall were an old yellow Opal convertible and War spooks which meant that all of dramatic effect. The MPs would French. In theory, West Berlin was sober assistants. The stage was set. in progress with a little razor wire was our guide to the German side us, including the three in the trunk, examine our identification, suffer policed by Americans, Germans, At the fountain, each co-conspir- here and a pure white “killing zone” of Berlin. The brothers knew where were liberated and released back our lame excuses, attempt to under- British, and French. In practice, ator was responsible for the inser- there. While West Berlin put on a to find a quality beer or six on a to the streets of Berlin. We spent stand our two “wild card” German none of them found a way to police tion and disposal of two bottles of brave face as the bastion of the free Saturday night. Our invitations to the rest of that evening driving nationals (speaking German of our particular group of lunatics. detergent. Stealth was achieved by world, for all intents and purposes the party were printed in English, laps around a “roundabout” circle course), and work their way down What an opportunity. parking the vehicles at a “stand off” we were prisoners surrounded French, German, and Russian. o grasp the genius of location. We split up and staggered by a heavily fortified wall. I was We had a terrific collection the great Ernst-Reuter- our activities so that no group con- an American civilian dependent of vehicles, including Jerry’s Platz caper, you must nection could be made if one of and had little choice but to attend flame red MG sports car, Tim’s Background notes harkenT back to the height of us were identified in the inevitable Thomas A. Roberts High School. war-era Mercedes “staff car” the Cold War. Where else could television footage. The deed was In Hong Kong, I wore a King complete with plastic dice Thomas A Roberts High School and the beach. I arrived in Berlin about the time you park with your girlfriend done but nothing happened. We George V blazer and tie to school. shifter, and my historic WW AYA (American Youth Association) the East Germans finished the Wall. I had and make out to the chatter of waited, and waited, and finally, to TAR was a tad less formal. The Brits II-era VW sedan. Include Tim’s Because there was a Cold War on, moved from Hong Kong to Berlin with machine-gun fire in the night? kill some time, we repaired to a lo- beat me with a cane when I went vintage Horex 400 cc motor- the kids from TAR enjoyed the use of a my father and observed in short order that During the Cuban Missile cal bar for a beer. American teenager on them, but I cycle with knobby tires and “clubhouse” complete with dragon lady we were human shields long before it was crisis, American tanks rattled bject terror greeted us back did manage to get a fine education. straight pipes that would guar- supervisor (later arrested on site for steal- fashionable. Our school existed to show by on high alert and Russian at the fountain. Ernst- I knew that study was not destined antee him a military escort out ing AYA funds), the requisite pool table, a the flag and we knew it. MIG fighters buzzed TAR low Reuter-Platz appeared to to distract me in Berlin. of East Berlin. enough to see the red stars on beA much larger with the addition of record player, dance floor, and an upright Like any American high school, we I was greeted at TAR by my new hatever powers of the wings. For future refer- our “head of beer,” which stood six American principal with warnings judgment we did piano. We were, after all, living on an “is- fielded football, basketball, and soc- ence, if you are close enough feet tall, growing before our eyes. A advanced on a list of “undesir- possess withered land of democracy” where a cold Löwen- cer teams. We competed in the military to a Russian MIG to see the crowd was gathering and behaved able” individuals to be avoided at underW the pressures and stress brau cost a dime in the PX commissary command “C” league. Road games put red stars on the wings, you are in a most “un-German” fashion. all costs. I departed his office and of the Cold War. Our multifari- and the AYA clubhouse was kind of cool. us on a duty train for the night through too close. Suffice it to say there Berliners were going nuts covering immediately sought out the colorful ous international police en- Stars like Leslie Gore and Jerry Lee East Germany to play our vaunted foes in was abundant gnashing of teeth themselves with foam and jumping people on his list. And what a group counters were simply cultural Lewis showed up “USO”-style to entertain backwater towns like Bremerhaven (great and wringing of hands within into the fountain. The giant head of it was. Imagine a confluence of bad misunderstandings. Clearly, the faithful. Jerry Lee had his teen niece/ Navy chow), Bad Kreutznach, Bitburg, and the military community. Berlin beer proved irresistible. Berliners judgment in a cast of characters the authorities did not “get” bride in tow, which kept us talking for Karlsruhe. We lost to them all. Outside was on the front lines of a crisis were parking their cars in the street made for mischief. We had a soft- the American teenager. A good weeks. On the dull side, writers like John of Johnny Booth, our diminutive Korean unfolding a world away, and and diving into the Ernst-Reuter- spoken “leader” in the form of one joke, a well-crafted prank, and Cheever would pop in for a reading or wrestling star, the Berlin Bears were losers my peer group needed to blow Platz fountain. fully grown, big, bad-ass 20-year- a measure of mischief were some Senator would stop by for a photo- in all sports. off some steam. Remember, the Everybody but the authorities old sophomore. No kidding, Gary our birthright. One evening op with us living the American dream To improve international relations, Russians made us do it. got the joke. Although not part of looked like a man and enforced the we were stopped by the Ger- Our plan was simple and our agenda, we did make the eve- values enjoyed by men. Childlike man Police with ten intoxicated surrounded by hostile Communists. we also played soccer matches with the elegant. We intended to create ning news (East & West), the cover antics or bad manners invited a TAR guys in Mike’s tiny Opal JFK, on his famous “Ich bin ein Berlin- French and the Brits up in Hitler’s Olym- a beer stein “head” of foam on of every morning newspaper, and beat down, and heaven help the fool (include three in the trunk). We er” tour, greeted us on a military review- pic stadium in the British Sector. Kids our the Ernst-Reuter-Platz fountain an AP release for the international that messed with us. piled out of the car like drunk- ing stand set up in the middle of Clay Al- own age beat us so badly that we were put within view of the Brandenburg community. My father busted me in Include in our group one gifted en circus clowns and prepared lee near the school. Good stuff. We knew up against their middle school teams who Gate. East and West would the morning when the giant head of “farm boy” from the South who for our traditional “catch and these “privileges” were bestowed because were half our size but still beat the crap enjoy, as one, a giant simulated beer appeared on the front page of could down a liter of beer in under release” act. Even the most we would be the first to go if things went out of us. Cold comfort, but the grown-up head of beer. A brilliant appli- his morning Berliner Zeitung. Hold- three seconds. We would repair to intoxicated among us could see south with the Russians…something like a version of the Army Berlin Bears stank up cation of American ingenuity, ing up the paper he said, “this stinks the British NAAFI Club on a Friday that the authorities were a tad Cuban missile crisis, for example. the joint just like us baby Bears. Blame it but given the tense interna- of you and your mutant friends.” night and wager Bob’s skills against upset, but we understood that Thomas A Roberts High School on the Russians. tional situation in Berlin this Ouch. Of course I confessed. We any non-com at the bar. Bob would the poor Germans were not Our namesake, Thomas A. Roberts, Most of my friends were military de- was one high-risk caper. Failure all did. What were our parents go- inhale the beer, slam the stein on equipped to process this kind of was the first marine to die on Normandy Continued on page 10 or discovery were out of the ing to do? Pay for the repairs to the the bar and yell “sueeeey.” The Brits behavior. Mike and Dieter were question, thus was our planning fountain? 10 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 11
Background notes, con’t from page 9 pendents of sergeants, spooks, the commander of the Mike and Dieter took us to amazing places in Ber- NATO air corridor, the head MP, etc. I was one of a lin. They knew that one could squeeze into an opening handful of civilian dependents at TAR. My father was on an obscure hillside of rubble and be inside Hitler’s in Berlin to represent the interests of Pan American bunker. We explored for miles the city of concrete that New Year’s day breakfast with Berliner Airlines. We were part of a subgroup of Pan American had been built under Berlin by the Nazi fellas. Berlin- Kindl glass mimosas at the Magee house. Airlines employees and dependents, pilots kid mostly, ers had long ago removed any WWII artifacts but, all all dads, no moms. Go figure. Include in our group a told, we spent some amazing weekends in this bunker. brother and sister with American Opera star parents Mike also knew his way around the vast system of air Happy New Year! from Ken Magee ‘88 who sang principle roles for the Deutsches Opera. We conditioning ducts that ran under Templehof airport. went about the business of being American teenagers We found access tunnels to all the fire stations, the in a dream space, answering to no one in particular. As tarmac, and other points of interest. It was no accident civilian dependents, we were functionally invincible, that we were never arrested doing these stupid stunts. had an amazing time, and never saw the inside of a po- Drinking was out of the question for our high-risk lice station. The German authorities had no idea what exploits. We planned every caper, we went in sober; to do with us. machine-gun fire in the night focuses the attention. To illustrate the point, my friend Tim lived with We took our exploits seriously. his dad on a tree-lined lane in Dahlem that boasted Mike and Dieter showed us the soft spots in the an old-world charm complete with gas lights. Follow- Wall. Huge sections of Berlin are heavily forested. ing a particularly demanding evening at the beerhall, The American sector included a major portion of the Tim and I discovered that if one shook a gas-light Grünewald forest and lake. This was a great place to lamp with sufficient vigor, said lamp would go out. park or explore the dreaded “no man’s land” so em- American ingenuity at its finest found us turning this blematic of the Wall experience. While we occasionally Colorado Brat Club up and running little German street into darkness one lamp at a time. heard machine-gun fire in the night, that did not deter Some poor German must have made a complaint our drunken forays into the killing zone. If you wanted because one early morning as we staggered down the to steal a sign that said “YOU ARE NOW LEAVING lane shaking the gaslights off we were met by a Berlin THE AMERICAN SECTOR,” in three languages, you City Police car with the back door open awaiting our had to know your way in and out. We got good at these arrival. things; it is the American way. Tim did not speak German, and as I had recently The night Kennedy was shot, Berlin did not adopt relocated from Hong Kong, my second language was the young and handsome President; it fell in love with Cantonese. We did understand that “Aussweiss” meant him. He brought the entire clan to Berlin, which meant ID and Tim had no ID whatsoever which is a crime a lot to us. He told us he was a Berliner and meant it. I in Germany. I was packing a learner’s driving permit was necking under a grand piano with a light-Colonel’s from the State of Arizona. Don’t ask how a guy from daughter when the phone rang. It was a German judge Hong acquired such a thing but the poor German in tears telling me that the President had been shot. I policemen went pale and spoke in hushed tones for a said bull shit and hung up the phone. As I explained spell. The Komandante turned to me and said in pass- the call to her, bells started to ring outside. On the Right photo: Chris w/his father’s 1952 Berlin letter able English, “My daughter goes to Arizona State Uni- street, every church bell in Berlin was keening for jacket and wearing our 2006 Homecoming Re- versity. You know where is Tempe? ” Thus, we bonded the great one’s passing. Every window of every house union logo’d polo shirt; he attended the Reunion with the German police and enjoyed another “catch burned a candle. We wept and lit a candle of our own. with his mom, a Berliner. and release” success. Brat Chris Kyrios (Karlsruhe ’75), whose father was the first principal of Berlin American High School and chose our school colors after his alma mater Harvard (crimson & white), has started the Colorado Brat Club. (Many Berlin Brats already know him….as he has attended and worked several of our regionals and attended our 2006 Reunion in Berlin, with his mother, a Berliner!). The Club is Facebook based – a public group with 550 members. They hold regular events for Brats in the Denver and Colorado Springs area. Their last event was attending the Denver Chriskindl Market. Attendance has been growing from 30 upwards to a 100. Several Berlin Brats already regularly attend. Visit their page and ask to join! 12 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 13 across his chest like a shield, eyes fixed prize as a teenager Berlin’s ‘newspaper poet’ walks in a long line of eccentrics to the ground — and, in his lyrical in East Germany, voice, began reciting. After a sale, he but he dropped out by Sally McGrane Prussian society, headed quickly to Zollpackhof, a riv- of a poetry club out New York Times, The Saturday Profile and became an erside beer garden with a view of the of boredom and https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/06/ important part German chancellery. moved on to other world/europe/berlin-holger-bleck.html of Jewish intel- The first tables ignored him, as he things. October 6, 2017 lectual life.” urged, “Pay 250 cents! If not for the Trained to oper- As the moon hovered in an elec- In Mr. paper, then for the talent!” ate an offset printing tric blue sky, Holger Bleck found a Bleck — whose By the fourth table, though, under press, he became so bench in a park tucked away in Berlin’s recent rhymes a grand old chestnut tree, Mr. Bleck nervous before his elegant government district. Hunch- include “Kiss hit his stride: the guests beamed up at qualifying test that ing a little, the 44-year-old newspaper kiss, smoochy him, throwing their heads back with he failed. Later, hav- Mr. Bleck picking up his stack of newspapers earlier in the day. Sell- seller started his nightly rounds as he smoochy, how laughter. One drinker protested he was ing passed the test, ing Die Welt is now his only job. always does, leafing quickly through embarrassing! no longer capable of reading the paper. he found the work said. “Sometimes I worry that I have one of the next morning’s editions of It’s Scaramucci,” “You’ll be sober in the morning!” unbearably dull. “If you’re creative, it’s nothing saved, and think I should get a different job, not just live from reciting Die Welt, the paper he hawks. Holger Bleck, who sells newspapers by composing and reciting rhyming which works countered Mr. Bleck. A quarter of an really monotonous,” he said. He looked at the front-page story versions of the news, at the Ständige Vertretung bar in Berlin. in German as hour later he had sold 16 papers and Mr. Bleck began by selling news- poems for people at night.” — which might be about the German All photos by Gordon Welters for The New York Times. well as English was off, walking briskly through the papers part time. His first night on As the night stretched on, the poet found his flow. In low-lit dining rooms elections, natural disasters, American on his brow. “I start to think, ‘Maybe — Mr. Meyer- darkened government district toward the job, he sold only 20. “The guy and at sidewalk tables, the responses politics or, like tonight, the retirement this is going to be the night people Sickendiek sees an heir to the Jewish more lively streets. I was working for said, ‘That won’t grew warmer and warmer. “It touches of Vladimir Klitschko, the Ukrainian realize I’m not so great. That tonight, humorists of that time. (One of those At the upscale wine bar and restau- do!’” Then Mr. Bleck remembered the the heart,” said Sabine Dozel, visiting boxer — and began to try out a few everything ends.’” in the 19th century, Julius Stettenheim, rant Lutter & Wegner, the manager, Christmas poems he had to recite as a from Hamburg, as she bought a paper rhymes. So far, in the 20 years Mr. Bleck has had a routine in which he pretended to Sasha-Michael Gruel, smiled at Mr. child before he could receive his pres- from Mr. Bleck at the French restau- “No longer does the boxer linger,” been working as the German capital’s be reporting from the front during the Bleck as he came in. “Anyone who ents. “I decided to make a poem, out rant Entrecôte. murmured Mr. Bleck. “Was there a unofficial newspaper poet, that night Russian-Turkish War while wearing a comes to Berlin, or lives here, they of desperation,” he said. It worked, and “He should be the press speaker for stiffness in his fingers?” has yet to come. In spite of the digita- bathrobe and drinking a beer.) recognize he belongs to traditional his unusual career began. the White House,” said Christian Som- Next, he added cheeky rhyming lization of newspapers and Mr. Bleck’s “Berlin loves these kinds of people,” Berlin,” Mr. Gruel said. It was only in 2008 that Mr. Bleck mer, a movie industry lobbyist who lines about the scandals of the day, own struggles with attention deficit Mr. Meyer-Sickendiek added. “People While it is not entirely clear that discovered he had ADHD. “I thought was sitting nearby. from German diesel emissions to (hyperactivity) disorder, he has man- who don’t behave as you’re expected everyone who buys a paper from Mr. maybe I had it,” he said. “I’m chaotic, Outside Borchardt, where the cre- tainted Dutch eggs, and after checking aged to carve out a niche — and earn a t o.” Bleck ever reads it, Ulf Poschardt, edi- sometimes I have a hard time send- ative class drinks champagne, a woman the arts section, considered a mini- modest living — reciting rhyming ver- Mr. Bleck has a lengthy list of long- tor in chief of Die Welt, is happy that ing in my bills on time. I know that I in silver high heels asked Mr. Bleck paean to a cultural phenomenon like sions of the news and selling printed time fans. In one evening, those pro- Mr. Bleck now sells his exclusively. “I dumbfound people.” if he had another job. “No,” he said. “the killer new ‘Blade Runner.’” papers, night by night, table by table, fessing admiration included multiple was always fas- “That’s why I can really blossom here.” Fifteen minutes later, poems memo- in some of the city’s fanciest establish- waitresses; the deputy editor in chief of cinated by him,” At the end of the night, Mr. Bleck rized, Mr. Bleck set off on foot for the ments. the giant national tabloid Bild, Florian said Mr. Pos- rested at the bar in the back of an Ital- restaurant Paris Moskau, his first stop Along the way, Mr. Bleck has be- von Heintze; and a former German chardt, who said ian eatery that has a standing order of the night. “I get stage fright every come a kind of cultural fixture, joining defense minister, Volker Rühe. “I’ve he always buys for one copy of Die Welt. He admitted time,” he said, beads of sweat forming a tradition of beloved oddball Berlin known him for 20 years and I hope a copy from the he often feels he has not accomplished characters that dates he does this for another 20,” Mr. Rühe poet when he enough, that his fear of larger, cabaret to the 19th century. said. sees him, but theater-style audiences can be debili- Back then, Jewish Nevertheless, Mr. Bleck still faces a has never told tating. Still, he said, he is happy with Berliners imported nightly challenge of winning over the Mr. Bleck that what he does. Parisian-style cafe vast majority of his public, the tour- he actually runs Setting down his Coke, Mr. Bleck and cabaret cul- ists and local people who have never the newspaper. picked up one of the few unsold ture to their city, heard of him. “At first, I always stutter “We all know papers. “Studies show it’s much easier said Burkhard and stumble,” he said. “My self-confi- the future is Mr. Bleck counting up the receipts from a night’s work. to concentrate on the printed word, Meyer-Sickendiek, dence vacillates a lot, from day to day. digital,” he that you can pay a lot more attention a literature profes- Sometimes people think I’m homeless, said. “ But people like him show all Ultimately, he decided against tak- without things flashing at you all the sor at Berlin’s Free selling this ‘street sheet.’” the romanticism of old journalism. ing medication, reasoning that he was time,” Mr. Bleck said. “In our world, University. “It was a On this particular night, Paris Mos- He makes this effort we put into our happy with his current life, working everything is too fast, it’s all rushing by funny way of engag- kau was almost empty. Mr. Bleck got newspaper really poetic.” three hours a day, five days a week, us. But a newspaper, it’s something you ing with bourgeois into position next to a table — papers Poetry initially played only a small and living in a small, unrenovated Mr. Bleck at the restaurant Il Punto. He has become a cultural can hold on to.” fixture in Berlin. role in Mr. Bleck’s life. He won a poetry apartment. “I’m getting older,” he 14 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 15 “Senior teenagers” honored at Overseas Brat Gathering
Three “senior teenagers” were featured in the were among Saturday program at this past year’s Overseas Brat the first Brats Gathering in September 2017. to attend The senior teenagers present were Dave Klinger school in T ‘47 (Frankfurt HS/Germany), Joan (McCarter) Germany fol- Adrian ‘49 (Nurnberg HS/Germany), and our very lowing World h own Marianna (Lieurance) Mounsey ‘50 (Thomas War II. r A. Roberts/Berlin, attended 1946-1948). All three o w back p h Left photo: Marianna Lieurance as a fresh- man in Berlin, spring 1947. Right photo: o Marianna (Lieurance) Mounsey ‘50 at the Berlin Brats Reunion in New Orleans, June t 2017, 50 years later. o s View these new items on our history page on the BB website
IN HISTORY 1990 22 June 1990 Decommissioning of Checkpoint Charlie Checkpoint Charlie is lifted and removed. Now located at the Allied Museum (aka Outpost Theatre). A replica of the 1961 1st Guard House now stands on the site. Top photo: Forty-two years ago; the ‘75-‘76 JV cheerleaders (L to R): Laura (Colangelo) Morris ‘79, Gertrude Nix ‘78, Tam- YOU TUBE VIDEO OF THE DECOMMISSIONING my Key ‘78, Linda Brininger ‘77, Shana (Keller) Scott ‘77, and In History 1942-43 (top) Deneece (Browne) Squires ‘78. Photograph by Robert Boubo ‘76. Bottom left photo: Dean Boyd ‘62 and Patricia The Story of AFN (Burwell) Boyd ‘63 in the back-yard of #5 Thanner Phad, Ber- lin. Sweet memories; still married all these years later. Bot- tom right photo: Mary Ann (Cunha) Glover ‘76 in front of the iconic Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche in Berlin. 16 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 17 U2 surprises U2 riders in the berlin U-Bahn
Did You Know?
The Edge (left) and Bono of the US band U2 on the U2 line. Photo by Stefan Henseke Dec 6, 2017. Underground station Olympias- tise the Irish new album, “Songs of Experience.” tadion, track 1. Departure according to timetable: The record company of the band had invited fans A protest outside the DDR parliament on 7 November 1989 calling for the Wall to come 12.30 pm. But the U2 direction Pankow stops. in the BVG special train, for selfies, autographs, down. It did so two days later, sparked by Mr. Schabowski’s comment. The minutes pass. Typical BVG, one would like to and a few questions to the stars. At 1:15 pm the think. Nope. Not today. This time the passengers time has come: with 45 minutes’ delay, U2 takes Dependents of foreign service personnel sta- sas in an orderly manner just for visits. His comments did not wait for the train, but the train waited for off amidst the jubilation of over 100 fans. tioned at the U.S. Embassy in East Berlin in the were widely broadcast by the media and caused a rush two important passengers: Bono and The Edge, The highlight of the tour: the stop at the 1940s through the 1990s went to school in West on the Wall by East German citizens trying to reach the the two Irish rock stars. The one from U2. Deutsche Oper underground station, and an Berlin• at American schools located there: TAR, BAHS, west side of the city. So, instead of orderly visas for vis- So there is a premiere: U2 in the U2. To adver- improvised unplugged concert on the platform. and JFK. Even when the Wall went up in 1961, depen- its and phased opportunities, tens of thousands made a 15 minutes, three songs, dents daily crossed the Wall to go to school and return bid to leave the Soviet bloc on 9 November 1989, and including the classic ‘home’ to East Berlin. the comments were attributed with causing the rapid “Sunday, Bloody Sun- The fall of the Wall was an accident. An East fall of the Wall on the very same day. day.” A subway train, German Politburo Communist official, Günther After the fall of the Wall in 1989 and the re- direction Pankow, ar- Schabowski, was asked by a journalist about unification of Germany in 1990, Russian forces rives, stops - Bono grins current• travel rules on 8 November 1989. In response, remained in East Germany until 1994. And as and sings the hit “One” he said, “We have decided today to implement a regu- it was,• Germany ended up having to pay to get the Rus- through the open doors. lation that allows every citizen of the German Demo- sians to leave. Amazed looks of the cratic Republic to leave East Germany through any of While he was Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs passengers. Is that about the border crossings.” The answer stunned journalists, of Staff in 1992, General Colin Powell asked his Bono? The doors close, who asked when this new change would come into ef- Soviet counterpart why their forces couldn’t the train leaves - and fect. “According to my information, immediately, with- depart• earlier. The Russian general explained that their the concert is over. out delay,” said Mr. Schabowski. Officials had actually students were still in school. The last Soviet forces did planned to phase in the new changes beginning the depart East Germany when their students completed following day, and citizens were meant to apply for vi- their school year in August 1994. Secret live gig in the U2 on Wednesday noon. 18 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 19
Newly designed: The Allied Museum is rebuilding its exhibits at Clayallee, despite future move by Franz Michael Rohm five-man team are already working featured in the theater. Outside in translated from Berliner Morgenpost on the plans for the new location. the courtyard stands the museum’s June 14, 2017 “We expect to significantly increase eye-catcher: a four-engine British When visitors enter the foyer of the attractiveness of the new prem- Hastings propeller engine plane. the former “Outpost” theater, where ises and the central location.” The With machines of this type and US soldiers watched films in Eng- goal of the museum director in the legendary Douglas C-54 of the lish until 1994, they now face life- Tempelhof is to double the number Americans, the Western powers size figures of Berliners. The shots of visitors. The museum will con- supplied Berlin with air support show scenes from the invasion of tinue to be free for visitors. during the Soviet Berlin blockade the Allies, which were made in July A challenging, exciting task in the late 1940s for over a year. 1945. “We plan to change this situ- Kostka has worked as a cura- That is why the Volksmund called ation in the future,” says Bernd von tor for the Allied Museum since it the aircraft “Rosinenbomber.” Kostka, who has been the Director- was opened in September 1994 by Everything here are originals General of the Allied Museum since The “Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association” (i.e., Band have volunteered to give a concert at the Airlift Chancellor Helmut Kohl. “It was a “The Hastings is one of four April last year. “Multiperspectivity” very exciting and challenging task,” more originals of this type world- BUSMVA) is holding its Reunion this summer, August Celebration. Details are still being worked on. Any of is his concept, by which the perma- said the 54-year-old history scholar wide,” says Kostka proudly. This nent exhibition in the “Outpost” is 5-11th, 2018, in Berlin. They are planning a Memorial our parents that wish to join BUSMVA and this Re- and political scientist. “The Western is, by the way, a real key feature of to represent the ideas of both sides, powers handed over thousands of the Allied Museum: “Everything Service and Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the union should visit their website at: www.berlinveterans. the soldiers and the Berliners. “We objects to the museum during their that visitors see here are originals.” Airlift as part of their week-long reunion activities. com. think of speech bubbles and audio withdrawal in 1994. In addition to Also the blue-gray car of the French recordings, which concern fears, for Several former members of the 298th U.S. Army this, we had numerous everyday military train and the façade of example before werewolf partisans, items, photographs, letters, docu- the first guardhouse at Checkpoint on the one hand, or, on the other ments, and the permanent exhibi- Charlie, erected shortly after the hand, the women’s fears of what the tion through veterans’ associations building of the wall on Friedrich- foreign soldiers could do to them,” HILL AIR FORCE BASE, UT, UNITED STATES of the Allies and donations from straße. Likewise, the last, much says Kostka. the Berlin population.” more modern and functional 07.18.2017 Despite some 70,000 visitors The number of items in the col- checkpoint at Checkpoint Charlie, Video by Burke Baker last year, Kostka is concerned that lection grew over time to around which was raised on June 22, 1990, people believe the museum at Clay- Air Force Public Affairs Agency, OL-H (Hill) 150,000. It was only recently that in the presence of the two-plus-four allee is already closed, especially they were able to acquire some foreign ministers, is also original. Berliners. “We will certainly be 220,000 photos from private owner- In the open air are further relics staying here at the Dahlem location Rapidly moving military personnel, equipment, and sup- ship for “a really favorable amount,” of the Cold War in Berlin: a border for about four years,” he estimates, according to Kostka. Best of all: guard tower and three masonry plies have played a huge role in the history of warfare. The despite the museum’s projected the majority of the black and white segments. “They come from Pots- U.S. Air Force has demonstrated for more than 70 years that move to Tempelhof. That is why photographs had already been digi- damer Platz,” says Kostka. Muralist he works closely with the Steglitz- tized by the owner. Thierry Noir, however, first painted it excels in rapid global mobility efforts. The Berlin Airlift, a Zehlendorf district and other muse- The permanent exhibition, the typical, colorful pictures in herculean humanitarian airlift effort, broke the Soviet Union’s ums in the south-west of Berlin. A “How enemies became friends,” is Dahlem. joint flyer was published in which blockade of West Berlin and shattered previous airlift records, all the museums of the district are breaking the airlift barrier. presented. He wants to show with these museum improvements that The same hard work and determination by those Airmen “We continue to operate actively in continue today as Mobility Airmen are in 23 countries and 77 Dahlem.” locations around the world. They continue to enable global ac- It is expected that the rental con- tracts for Hangar 7 in Tempelhof cess for our allies and joint operations though 24 hours-a-day, will be signed in the summer, and seven-days-a-week operations with a mobility aircraft taking off every 2.8 minutes somewhere around the globe. the Allied Museum will be moved later. Still, there are refugees on the This video is part of a series of 10 videos for the Air Force’s 70th Anniversary. The theme for the series is airport grounds, and the hall must “Breaking Barriers Since 1947” with each video highlighting a significant milestone in Air Force History. be renovated and rebuilt. “We know https://www.dvidshub.net/video/538726/breaking-barriers-airlift-barrier (Video 1: Berlin Airlift) how long things can take in Berlin,” explains the native Rhineland- Berlin Airlift: June ’48 – Sept ’49 Palatinate. Nevertheless, he and his 20 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 21 Aldi plans for the United States Lee Angel ‘64 as Santa at by Debra Kelly@_ellasaturday still keep regular busi- local VA hospital in Califor- http://www.mashed.com/79564/untold- ness hours, but they’re truth-aldi/sl/ closed on Sunday. nia, December 2017. All photos by Getty Images As the company In 2017, Aldi announced they were spread across the globe, planning on becoming a major com- Aldi became known petitor in the US grocery store market. for their low prices and At the time the announcement came, bare-bones set-up. That’s they had around 1,600 stores across the no coincidence, and country, and their game plan included according to the Inde- raising that to 2,500 and investing a pendent’s profile on Karl mind-blowing $3.4 billion into current Albrecht, that economic and future American endeavors. The outlook started in the push into the American market cer- years around World War tainly isn’t anything new; the German II. known as the “Aldi equator” — and company had first gained a foothold in Both brothers served with Germa- Theo took the north while Karl took their home country before spreading ny’s Wehrmacht during the war. Theo the south. You can tell the difference across Europe, and there’s a fascinating fought in Africa with Erwin Rommel, by looking at the logo: Nord’s logo is history behind this up-and-coming US while Karl was sent to — and wounded a basic blue and white, Sud’s logo is chain. on — the Russian front. When they orange and blue. It’s the southern Aldi BAHS alum releases first album of gospel music Mom-and-Pop beginnings returned home, it was to a post-war that’s a bit fancier, and when it came Excerpted from article by Katie Hansen, jdnews.com try to gospel -- the album is a reflection of that,” his Aldi’s is a multi-billion dollar, global Germany that clearly had no use for all time to expand to the rest of the world, Everything changed the day Chris Moore ‘90 friend Jay Parker said of Wherever I Go. company, but it started with a single the fancy — and expensive — extras those countries were divided up, too. wrecked his truck. Strapped into a gurney and driven His one-man team and home studio hasn’t lim- grocery store in Essen, Germany. It that grocery stores typically came with. Stores in areas like the UK, Ireland, to a hospital half an hour away, the musician said he ited his sound. Moore, who sings and plays multiple was called the Karl Albrecht Spiritou- That even went as far as “extras” like and Australia are all Aldi Sud, while had a conversation with God on the road. instruments, includes a little bit of everything in his sen and Lebensmittel shop, was run by shelves for merchandise, and the earli- you’re shopping at Aldi Nord if you go After that moment, he dropped out of the rock and songs, including acoustic and electric guitars (six- and Karl Albrecht and his wife, and opened est Aldi stores didn’t even have those. into France or Poland. its doors in 1913. Opening a gro- The Albrecht brothers developed their There’s only one country where Aldi roll band he was playing in — something he had been 12-string), bass, drums, keyboard, mandolin, banjo, Nord and Aldi Sud share pieces of the doing for close to 20 years — and started pursuing and a tiny bit of fiddle, which he is teaching himself cery store wasn’t the elder Albrecht’s spartan business plan based on what first career choice, and it was only they knew post-war shoppers wanted: grocery store pie, and that’s in the US. ministry. to play. He also plays piano, ukelele, dulcimer, zither, a good product, full stocks, and afford- You wouldn’t know it, though, and Moore, a single father of a harmonicas, and hand after emphysema brought his work in the mines to a halt that he opened able prices. that’s because Aldi Sud — with its blue 17-year-old daughter, Marissa, percussion. the store. Their sons, Theo and Karl, Two Aldis ... and Trader Joe’s and orange logo — does business as also released his first album Moore began his worked at the store as well, and took Today, there are actually two dif- Aldi, and Aldi Nord goes by another thereafter. singing career at the age it over in 1945. They’re the ones that ferent companies: Aldi Nord and Aldi name: Trader Joe’s. What? Shocking, Wherever I Go, released by of 4 as he traveled with took the company global, but it’s been Sud, or North and South. In the 1960s, we know! But take a closer look. Tate Music Group on May 20, his family’s gospel group a rocky road. Theo and Karl Albrecht couldn’t agree Quality testing 2014, is a gospel album with The Hollands. In spite of the numerous growing on whether or not they were going Since Aldi built their reputation on rock, folk, and country influ- He was up on stage pains the company has been through, to allow their stores to sell cigarettes. affordability, it’s easy to associate that ences —also known as Christian before he hit 5, his par- that original location is still open. They They came up with a pretty shocking with a cheap product. But they take rock or Christian contemporary. ents immediately recog- solu- the idea of quality very seriously, and Wherever I Go has 10 original nizing his “impeccable tion, and in 2013 they invited The Telegraph into songs written, performed, and knack for harmony,” he instead of their headquarters. It was a big deal — produced by Moore in his in- said. At age 5, he learned compro- it was the first time an “outsider” was home studio. to play the drums. mising, allowed through the very expensive doors. Moore plays all the instru- When his mom re- they di- vided the Aldi has an entire team that works ments on his tracks except for married, Moore’s fam- in their test kitchens, and they ad- a few drum tracks, and sings ily moved to Germany company Chris Moore in his home studio. in half. here to some strict policies. Product all the harmonies, individually Photo by John Althouse/The where his stepfather, a There’s purchasers join the test kitchen twice recording each part and then lay- Daily News. Chris’s BAHS senior military policeman, was a line a day, sample about 180 meals every ering them on top of one another photo. stationed. While in high that runs week, and try each product 30 times for the complete sound. school in Berlin, Moore across before it even makes it to Aldi’s shelves. “Because [Moore’s original music is] stylistically sang in the choir, which Ger- They’re not done yet — they re-test true to who he is — he’s a mixture from blues to coun- traveled all across Europe. many — Continued on page 22 2222 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter 23 on the results of a massive field study sumerist), they confirmed they were no times the price, and it was all done in Aldi plans, con’t from page 21 showing insecticides and pesticides longer selling items with partially hy- a blind taste test. And in 2015, Aldi’s had a huge negative impact on bee drogenated oils, artificial and synthetic Highland Black 8 Year Old Whiskey every product at least once a year, and the cashier picks something up, it’s in Cost-saving measures populations, which have been declin- coloring, or added MSG. According took home some top honors at the every time one of their competitors the perfect position to be scanned. One of the first things you might ing for years. That makes Aldi’s move to CEO Jason Hart, about 90 percent International Spirits Challenge, where launches a similar product, theirs goes Go to any other grocery store, and notice when you’re looking at the to ban all products created with the of the products sold at Aldi are their they also won awards for their 5 Year back to the test kitchen. In the test you’ll see people sitting at the check- shelves in Aldi is that the product is help of bee-harming pesticides that own brand, so that gives them some Old Whiskey and their Clarke’s Ken- kitchen, cost isn’t taken into consid- outs, others stocking shelves, and still in boxes. That’s not employees be- much more landmark. serious control over the ingredients in tucky Bourbon Whisky. That rounded eration at all —something might be others at designated counters. Aldi ing lazy, it’s exactly the opposite. Frugal Aldi’s announcement came in 2016 the food they sell. And, if you haven’t out a big year for Aldi in the British cheap, but they still insist that it be is different, and according to their Bites got a peek behind the curtain, so (via Greenpeace), and officially went noticed a difference yet, you won’t. market, where they took home 25 good, too. Once a product meets the recruitment guidelines, there are only to speak, and got to visit Aldi’s Illinois into effect on January 1. Any suppli- They didn’t make the announcement medals in the Grocer Food and Drink approval of the test kitchen, it then four different positions they fill at offices. According to them, product ers who wanted to keep selling their until after they’d already done it. Own Label Awards. The competition has to measure up to the standards of is shipped in boxes that aren’t just each store. There’s the store manager products to the grocery chain needed Major awards compared the products of grocery Aldi’s managing directors… and then, designed to be functional, but they’re a and assistant store manager, which are to phase out any and all pesticide-con- Picking up some of Aldi’s brands stores across the UK, and with both it’s finally offered to customers. part of what’s called the “invisible case” titles you’re used to hearing. But their taining chemicals that were harmful will save you money, but it turns out Aldi and their budget competitor Lidl How cheap are they? project. Instead of having employees other employees are the store assis- to bees. That requirement went above you’re not even compromising on the both doing better than the more ex- Aldi stakes their reputation not just spend time opening boxes and putting tant, who can be doing anything from and beyond the partial ban previously quality of the food you’re buying — pensive stores, they both considered it on quality, but on how much cheaper individual product on shelves, they working the cash register to restocking written into law by the EU. and they have the awards to prove it. a win for the idea of affordable, quality they are than their competitors. Andy open the box and put that on the shelf shelves, and then there’s the caretaker, Now more than ever, we’re aware of In 2017, Aldi’s Cotes de Provence products — something acknowledged Prescott from Clark.com went and did — saving hours and, in turn, wages. who helps “keep our store clean and the additives in our foods, and in 2015 Rose placed second in the Internation- by the British consumer rights group some serious leg work, wanting to find And it’s necessary for employees; ac- presentable.” Job descriptions on their Aldi announced they would no longer al Wine Challenge for rose wines, and Which?, who has voted Aldi their out if Aldi really was exactly what they cording to one ex-employee’s I AmA official site are frustratingly vague, and manufacture or sell products with that’s even more impressive consider- supermarket of the year for 2009, 2012, advertised: In this case, he had a flier Reddit, they were required to empty according to people who have worked questionable ingredients. ing it only costs around $10 a bottle. It 2013, and 2015. claim- an entire there, that’s on purpose. With the announcement (via Con- beat wines that regularly sell for three ing they pallet Aldi isn’t very forthcoming about were 42 worth things like staffing and business percent of goods practices, so most information is from cheaper in 30 former employees. According to re- than minutes. sponses on Indeed, staffing is kept to a their That’s no minimum with only eight to 10 people Brat’s book is a dream come true com- time at being employed at each store and only If you are about to turn fifty-five ing people find the perfect place to retire. petitors. all! two or three working any given shift. That’s Busi- This low level of staffing may be part of years old, there’s a good chance you’re She answers the questions you have been no small ness In- the reason they’re able to keep prices thinking about where to go and what pondering and brings up other details for potatoes, sider says so low. and he you’ll see Double Guarantee policy to do when you retire. Thousands of consideration. headed efficiency Sure, most places will offer a people just like you have already made In this book, get the answers to ques- to both packag- money-back guarantee, but Aldi offers Aldi ing else- even more than that. They call it their the leap, and many of them are enjoy- tions such as: Is an active adult commu- and Walmart, found both the national where, too. Things that aren’t boxed — Double Guarantee, and that means if ing life in active adult community. On nity right for me? What are the benefits name brands and the store brands of like produce — are wrapped in bundles you don’t like something, just return the exact same items, and compared and milk is shipped pre-racked, all to the unused portion and they’ll not the beach, in the mountains, in the des- of a large or a small community? Is it the prices. streamline the process from receiving only replace it, but they’ll give you Prescott looked at a range of to shelving to checkout. your money back, too. ert, wherever you easy to make From: Irene Hammond
Upcoming Events Contact Information Dallas area Early ‘60s Site GermanDeli.com- By invitation only Contact Jim Branson ‘64 hosted regional Berlin Brats Alumni Association [email protected] 27 January 2018 Jeri (Polansky) Glass ‘72, Director for an invite 11 am - 4 pm 41910 N. Crooked Stick Road Anthem, AZ 85086 American Overseas School Fort Worth, TX telephone: 623•764•1105 Historical Society Overseas Brats Gathering email: [email protected] Gayle Vaughn Wiles, President Aug 23-26, 2018 website: www.berlinbrats.org email: [email protected] Hosted by: Overseas Brats website: www.aoshs.org
Overseas Brats Next Reunion Find us on Facebook@ Joe Condrill, President “Berlin Brats Alumni Association” email: [email protected] we head “west” (the official fan page site) website: www.overseasbrats.com 2018 “Berlin American High School (BAHS)” location scouting year (an open group chat page) Communication Brat: Peter Stein ‘80 then the vote [email protected] 2020 follow us on Twitter REUNION! @BerlinBrats WebBrat: (location determined by vote) Carl Fenstermacher ‘73 [email protected] Newsletter Brat: Kimberly Keravuori ‘85