German Veterans

[Neil Albaugh]

“Zum Hanauer Tor” was my favorite place in Babenhausen to while away off-duty hours in 1962. This was a quiet neighborhood gasthaus which was within walking distance from our Kaserne and where the clientele were mostly locals. Other bars in town catered to American GIs but they were loud and had little attraction for me.

 

There was a group of older German men who frequently gathered there in the Zum Hanauer Tor in the evening. I discovered that they were veterans of the Afrika Korps from WW II. I struck up a conversation with my fractured German and a few spoke some English.

 

They were an interesting group and accepted me as just another soldier- no rancor or bitterness. It was a unique experience.