Camp King and Memories Need a Home

Camp King in Oberursel

 1933 – 1993

 – Announcement –

Our Camp King historian, Manfred Kopp wrote:

I have been collecting material related to Camp King and its history, started an archive, given tours throughout the areal, answered many questions and kept in touch with anyone interested in the history since 2005.

Our first location for meetings and storing material was the “Treffpunkt Aktiv im Norden” (a church café), Im Rosengärtchen (an area adjacent to Camp King).

The current Kinderhaus in Camp King (address: Jean Sauer Weg 2) now offers a basement room to house the depot and the shared use of a community room on the first floor. This ensures the upkeep of the Camp King’s archives with the help of the Historical Society Oberursel.

Camp King archives at the Kinderhaus

Moving to this new facility also includes some special events listed for this month:

11 March 2013 (Monday) at  20:00 at Cityhall Oberursel, room E01.

 “Outside 7 – A house and its History”

Lecture and photo presentation by Manfred Kopp

Content:

Around 1921, the house “Außerhalb 7 “(a.k.a. the house by the forest) was built to serve as a residential building.

Then, in 1933, it became a university dorm for students of the University of Frankfurt.

In 1937, the house was reconstructed to serve as a community building for the school of agricultural settlers (Gausiederschule).

In 1939, the building became the commander’s post (Luftwaffe) for recording the prisoners coming through Oberursel.

In 1945, it became “House Florida” (history archives) for the US-Army.

In 1953, it was turned into “Haus 997” by the U.S. Intelligence.

Having had so many different uses and occupants, this house is a perfect time-line to illustrate the history 1933 – 1993

 

 

16. März 2013, Saturday, am “Kinderhaus”, Jean-Sauer Weg 2

 “Memories Need a Home”

 

11 Uhr: Major Brum’s welcome speech to the official opening of The Place to Remember (Erinnerungsort) in the basement of the Kinderhaus.

 12 Uhr: Lecture by Gerd Krämer on Memories Need a Home in the community room on the first floor.

 

13 – 16 Uhr Open House and Self-guided Tours through Camp King with:

*more information about the archives

*exhibition and historical background to Camp King

*flyers for self-guided tours around the area to points of interest such as the artist Thomas Kilpper’s work, memorial for Colonel Charles King, the Mountain Lodge (open doors), and Siedlerstraße.

 

 11. April 2013, Thursday, 19 Uhr, Community Room

 Browsing, Learning, and Networking

This invitation is for anyone who has contributed so far as well as newcomers. Please join us!

Organized by Manfred Kopp and Sylvia Struck

War Stories and Camp King Oberursel

Several years ago, a friend of mine introduced me to one of her British friends, Nicola, in front of the EDEKA supermarket, located on the former Camp King areal in Oberursel. Imagine my surprise when she stated she knew me from reading my blog.

The photo below shows Camp King before most of the reconstruction began. Notice, there is no shopping center yet and much of the townhouse building still had to take place.

Of the five military housing buildings, there are only two remaining – the two most outer ones. The three buildings in the center all had to go.

Anyway, Nicola used to live in the new Camp King residential area until last year and then went off to the U.S.A.

Camp King, with its rich history, is often talked about. A while back, Nicola sent me this BBC link, which her sister discovered while doing genealogy.

Her sister found out that her grandfather’s cousin, Squadron Leader H.D.H. (Douglas) Cooper, had been taken to Oberursel as a POW. This is not only the same town Nicola had just left, but her home used to be on the very same ground, Camp King, where her D. Cooper once had been interrogated.

Quoting:… From Hamburg, Cooper was taken to a reception centre for prisoners of war at Dulag Luft in Oberusel. He was soon moved on …

See full article on BBC.co.uk.WW2peopleswarstories.

I was reminded of this comprehensive website again, because our local Camp King historian, Mr. Kopp, and I had a brief meeting earlier today.

Another book, by an American author, is in the making and a couple of chapters will include the early years of American occupation at Camp King. More about this later.

 

Camp King in Oberursel

Inspired by some positive feedback I got from a stateside reader (in contrast to what my son says about this blog), I decided to take a little walk through the Camp King neighborhood on this beautiful Indian summer day.

Camp King Oberursel

The Officers' Club at Camp King Oberursel

Officers' Club a.k.a. Mountain Lodge in Oberursel

In June 2010, I had written a short post about Officers’ Club at Camp King finds Investor. Unfortunately, nothing has been done on the outside since then.

Basement window of the Officers' Club

Overgrown by weeds.

Overlooking the grounds of the former Camp King Oberursel

This photo was taken on the steps of the back entrance, looking down the hill side, towards Hohemarkstrasse (not in view).

Near the front entrance of the Officers' Club Oberursel

The area around the Officers’ Club shows some very modern apartment buildings and some one-family homes in the half-timbered style.

Nothing really much has changed since the Mountain Lodge/Officers’ Club got its new owner. And time is not on its side – another ten years without occupancy and then…?

A photo of the beautiful  Mountain Lodge in wintertime.

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