Kaiserslautern American
Page 6
April 22, 2022
TALK OF THE TOWN: City of Kaiserslautern by Gina Hutchins-Inman 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Many members of the Kaiserslautern Military Community have found temporary or even permanent homes in one of the many villages and towns surrounding Kaiserslautern or in the heart of the Palatinate Forest. Talk of the Town is a series highlighting the union communities within the County of Kaiserslautern, the City of Kaiserslautern and the Union Community of Winnweiler in neighboring Donnersberg County. The series aims to inform American service members and their families about the communities they’re joining during their time in the KMC. Each month we will feature a different community and provide facts about its history, heritage, and the local experiences it offers. Our next stop will lead us to the City of Kaiserslautern in the heart of the Palatinate Forest and the largest city in the Westpfalz Region (Western Palatinate). We invite you to discover interesting and maybe not so well known facts about your home away from home. Emperor’s Lauter The City of Kaiserslautern is divided into districts, such as Innenstadt, Grubentälchen/ Volkspark, Betzenberg,
Laemmchesberg/Uniwohnstadt, Baennjerrück/Karl-Pfaff-Siedlung, Kaiserslautern-West (including Vogelweh), Erzhuetten, Erfenbach, Einsiedlerhof, Morlautern, Erlenbach, Moelschbach, Dansenberg, Hohenecken and Siegelbach. Kaiserslautern means the “emperor’s Lauter”, derived from the Latin word “Lutra” for the stream that still flows underground in the downtown area today. The city has about 102,000 inhabitants and over 1,000 military families reside on Vogelweh housing.” People of 150 different nations make up a colorful and multinational society. Lord Mayor Dr. Klaus Weichel has been in office since 2007 and would like to extend a cordial welcome (see page 7). Spanish, Swedes, French, Croatians and Napoleon Kaiserslautern also looks upon a history of early settlements and international occupancy throughout the centuries. Earliest settlement traces date back to the 6th millennium B.C. Another prehistoric settlement, believed to be Celtic, has been traced to at least 800 B.C. During the Middle Ages Kaiserslautern became a royal residence when Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa erected a Kaiserpfalz. The Stiftskirche is the oldest church and was constructed in 12501350. King Rudolf von Habsburg chartered the town in 1276 and
St. Martin’s Church was built from 1300-1350, where a section of the original city wall can still be seen in its courtyard today. During the Thirty Year’s War (1618-1648) Spanish troops occupied the city until Swedish armies liberated the area. Later Croatian troops of the Austrian emperor seized the city and killed over 90 percent of the city’s 3,200 inhabitants. French troops then repeatedly invaded and occupied the area until it was restored as part of the Palatinate. In the 18th century French and Germans fought until the French eventually destroyed Barbarossa’s castle and the city towers. From 1793 until his defeat, Napoleon Bonaparte is said to have personally traveled the road, commonly referred to as “Kaiserstrasse” (B37/ Pariser/Mainzer Strasse), leading through Kaiserslautern from Einsiedlerhof towards Mainz. In 1815 it became part of a Bavarian province and remained so until French troops occupied it again after World War I. Studies, research and a technology hub Kaiserslautern has two universities, the Technical University and the Hochschule (University of Applied Sciences) with 20.000 students. It is also home to the Fraunhofer Experimental Software Engineering Institute, the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics, the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems
and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence. The Adam Opel automobile plant was established in 1966 and the world famous Pfaff Sewing machine company was founded in 1862. A red beard, a fish on a red flag and little red devils Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa partially resided in Kaiserslautern and erected a Kaiserpfalz (an emperor’s residence) from 1152 to 1160. The remains are still visible between the city hall and the main bus stop downtown. Barbarossa means “red beard” and the city is proud to use the title “Barbarossastadt” in his honor. During the Middle Ages Kaiserslautern was surrounded by numerous ponds with an abundance of fish. Legend has it that in 1497 a giant pike that had a ring with Greek insignia was caught in the “Kaiserwoog”. It is said that Emperor Friedrich II (grandson of Barbarossa) personally put this fish in the pond 267 years earlier. Thus, the fish was integrated into the red and white city flag and coat of arms. The players of the famous soccer team 1. FCK (Fussballclub Kaiserslautern) are often referred to as the Rote Teufel (red devils) due to their fierce battles winning the German premier league four times. Fritz Walter, an early heroic member of the team, was the team captain of the World Cup winning 1954 German National Team and
is one of Germany´s most legendary players in the history of the sport. Fountains, towers and colorful flowers The city has a wide spread pedestrian area and most of its attractions can be visited on foot. The Kaiserbrunnen (emperor’s fountain) at Mainzer Tor on the north-eastern end, depicts the city’s history with a myriad of bronze sculptures including Friedrich Barbarossa, Rudolf von Habsburg, a soccer ball, an automobile engine and even a boat full of dreams, along with other surprises. Just a two-minute walk away, you may want to visit the Theodor Zink Museum, which was originally an inn for travelers, and displays historic artefacts of the life and times in medieval Kaiserslautern as well as a model of the town. The walk will lead you through Steinstrasse, the hotspot for nightlife in the 1950’s and 60’s until it was finally declared offlimits for military personnel. In the meantime, many buildings have been renovated and re-opened for evening fun. The artistic fountain at St. Martin’s Platz is nowadays a highly frequented spot to enjoy a fresh beer or a glass of wine amid pubs, restaurants and bars in historic semi-timbered buildings. Crossing the street, your walk will lead you to Stiftskirche and historic Adler Apotheke (pharmacy). Taking a right, you
Japanischer Garten (Japanese Garden)
Stiftskirche (collegiate church) All photos courtesy of Stadt Kaiserslautern
