Bavarian Times Magazine - Edition 01 - March 2014

Edition #1 | March 2014

| www.bavarian-times.com

Bavariantimes News & Magazine for Grafenwoehr | Vilseck | Hohenfels | Garmisch

r fo fr ee

Welcome to USAG Bavaria with new Community Meet & Greet // Page 6 Spouses‘ club offers scholarships and welfare grants // Page 17

Driving pleasure for rent.

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| Index Page 5

Teens share deployment wisdom

Page 7 Seminar teaches spouses street smarts Page 12

Tax Centers now open for business

Page 20 Victim rights strengthened

by DoD change Page 23

Local singing group searches for new voices

Page 25 Coming soon: Practical parenting tips for families

Page 36

Full-speed into Spring

Page 38

BMW 4-series Gran Coupé: Two worlds on four wheels

Page 42

The Volvo V60 And S60 Polestar Bring RaceTested Innovation To Real-World Driving

Page 46

Deer and Sea Eagle on Grafenwoehr Training Area

Page 54

Ice Hockey World Championship Test Game for Team USA

Page 61 Commentary: Your four-day weekend guide to Dublin, Ireland

| Imprint

IMPRINT | Edition #01 | 03/2014, 1st Volume Publisher: Medienhaus DER NEUE TAG, DER NEUE TAG Oberpfälzischer Kurier Druck- und Verlagshaus GmbH, Weigelstraße 16, 92637 Weiden Internet: www.oberpfalznetz.de | www.bavarian-times.com E-Mail: editor@bavarian-times.com

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The Bavarian Times is an unofficial publication that provides coverage of U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria. All content is used by permission. Visit www.bavariannews.army.mil for news and events in USAG Bavaria.

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| Vilseck

Standing from left, Anthony Montanez, 17, Alexandros Stachoulas, 15, Morgan Swartzbaugh, 14, Cyle Smith, 14, and Janae Walters, 15, of the Vilseck High School deployment group present the deployment guide and coloring book they created to Vilseck Elementary School students, seated, and VES mental health professionals at the elementary school, Feb. 18.

Teens share deployment wisdom

“It was interesting to watch the dynamics of the group,” said Priser. “Some of them needed moral support, but most of them didn‘t. They had already been through deployment six or seven times.”

With their collective years of deployment, the students were in a better position to give advice than receive it, Priser realized.

Their experience could help younger military children facing their first or second deployment.

The high schoolers led the room of mental health professionals, and later, a group of fifth-graders with deployed parents, through the book, highlighting each section: Staying Connected, Sharing Feelings, How to Help the Parent at Home, and Reintegration.

As they read through the pages, the students elaborated on the suggestions with personal anecdotes.

To stay connected, Cyle Smith, 14, and his deployed dad read the same chapter of “The Hunger Games” every week and discussed it over FaceTime.

“For my second deployment,” added Joshua Fandrich, 16, “My dad sent me beanbags and that‘s all I slept on for a year.”

The group brainstormed what helped them and their families, and compiled the best ideas in coloring book for elementaryaged children.

They discussed turning to a counselor, a teacher, a friend, or even a pet, when sharing feelings about their families.

The goal of the book, explained Priser, is to guide younger children toward constructive ways of addressing the complex feelings and problems surrounding deployment.

Ultimately, Priser would like to put the coloring book online so parents, children and mental health professionals could use it as a tool in their deployment kits.

“What I wanted to do is come up with a positive way to deal with deployment,” he said.

So far, the counselors and school psychologists at VES see the book and the teens‘ insights as invaluable for the younger students.

On Feb. 18, the VHS deployment group sat down with counselors, school psychologists and Military Family and Life Consultants at Vilseck Elementary School to present their ideas and coloring book.

“I think this is a valuable thing so that our kids know that someone else has been through this,” said Glen Cella, Vilseck Elementary School psychologist.

The book is divided into four sections, each encompassing an aspect of deployment.

Addressing the teens, VES Principal Scott Finlay said, “What you share and the advice you give them speaks volumes.”

Under each section are suggestions made by the VHS teens, along with black and white drawings for the younger kids to color.

| by Chelsea Bissell, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs

5 | Bavarian Times

Photo Credit: Chelsea Bissell, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs

Vilseck, Germany. When Dr. Michael Priser, Vilseck High School psychologist, first met with his “deployment group,” six VES students of deployed parents, he found that most didn‘t need his help.

| Grafenwoehr

Those new to U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria now have an opportunity to quickly acquaint themselves with their new home.

Welcome to USAG Bavaria with new Community Meet & Greet

Add culture shock to the process of finding housing, a job and meeting new people and even the most seasoned Army family could use some guidance.

Photo Credit: Courtesy photo

Newcomers now have the opportunity to join U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria representatives along with various other community support agencies for the weekly Community Meet & Greet.

Beginning March 4, the Community Meet & Greet will be held every Tuesday in Tower Barracks‘ Building 244.

This weekly event brings new Soldiers and families together with community agencies. Soldiers and families can ask questions and talk with knowledgeable staff about transitioning and living in Germany in a relaxed atmosphere.

The organizations and agencies represented at the Community Meet & Greet will be: Logistical Readiness Center (Driver‘s Testing), Department of Public Works (Housing), Directorate of Emergency Services (Vehicle Registration), Red Cross, Family and MWR (CYSS, School & Outdoor Recreation) AAFES, Chaplain, Human Resources and Army Community Service (Welcome Packet and information on Cultural Adaptation) among others.

Attendees will receive informational briefs from selected organizations at 1:30 p.m. After the briefings, a guided tour of Building 244 will show attendees the Driver‘s Testing, Installation Access Office (IACS), ID card, Passport, Housing, SATO and ACS offices.

Newcomers are welcome to come at 1 p.m. to chat with various community representatives. For more information contact USAG Bavaria ACS at DSN 475-8371, Civ. 09641-83-8371 or DSN 4762650, Civ. 09662-83-2650. | by Andrea Adkins-Hutchins, U.S. Army Bavaria Army Community Service

Photo Credit: fotolia.de

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| Hohenfels

Linda Vu (right) inspects Jaclyn Martinez‘s knife blocking technique against instructor Shawn Fitzsimmons during the self-defense seminar in Hohenfels, Feb. 13.

Hohenfels, Germany. It‘s a scenario no woman wants to believe will happen to them, but according to the United Nations Regional Information Center, one in three women will be beaten or sexually abused in her lifetime.

At 5 feet tall and only 86 pounds, Vu‘s techniques use an attacker‘s size, strength and aggression against them. The moves were fast, simple and effective, capable of disarming or disabling an attacker, even when armed with a knife or a gun, in seconds.

Linda Vu wants to change that.

In association with Armed Forces Entertainment, Vu brought her dynamic self-defense seminars to installations around Europe this month, ending in Hohenfels Feb. 13. Joined by a team of specialists whose backgrounds include SWAT, mixed martial arts and close quarter combat, Vu provided interactive instructions for a variety of attack scenarios.

“This is practical, reality-based self-defense,” said Vu. “It‘s not like a sport martial art. I want to make sure the ladies have something they can use when they‘re out on the street.”

Vu began studying Wing Chun Kung Fu and close quarter combat seven years ago after surviving an attack herself.

“Learning martial arts has taken my confidence to a whole new level,” she said. “When I had the opportunity to teach other women, I took it. I don‘t want any woman to be in that situation.”

Breaking the participants into groups, Vu and her team demonstrated such scenarios as attacks from behind, choke holds, and knife attacks. Her techniques are a hybrid blend of various aspects of Kung Fu, Brazilian jiu jitsu, and close quarter combat.

“We‘ve tried to make it simplified using the best of all the techniques,” said Vu‘s husband and producer Don Barnhart.

“Hopefully this will inspire women to want to take a martial arts class, but this is something they can walk out and use today.”

0 7 | Bavarian Times

“I just want to give them something that‘s practical and easy to use in three or four steps,” Vu said. “I know if a technique works for me, it will work for any woman.”

“We don‘t want the women to fight,” added Barnhart. “We want them to create a scenario where they have three to five seconds to get away.”

Vu also demonstrated techniques for escaping should an attacker manage to get a woman pinned beneath him.

“Being on the ground is the most vulnerable position you can be in,” said Vu. “Even if you were making out and you decide

Photo Credit: Mark Iacampo, U.S. Army Garrison Hohenfels Public Affairs

Seminar teaches spouses street smarts

| Hohenfels

Photo Credit: Mark Iacampo, U.S. Army Garrison Hohenfels Public Affairs

Participants drill their new moves at Linda Vu‘s self-defense seminar in Hohenfels, Feb. 13.

this is as far as you want to go, and that person tries to cross a line -- he is no longer your friend, no longer your love interest -- you‘ve got to get him off you.”

Allison Moore attended the seminar with several friends who said they travel together a lot and wanted to feel safer while touring a foreign country.

Barnhart said it helps attendees realize the power of the techniques when they see the diminutive Vu tossing 200 pound men off of her.

“I feel like Supergirl,” Moore joked. “The best thing it taught me was to take a moment, breathe, and think about it. Don‘t just panic.”

“What we want to do is empower women,” he said. “Just that they know how to do this might give them more confidence, give them that explosive power mentally as well as physically so they know they don‘t have to be a victim.”

“I think it‘s a really good idea that they‘re offering this,” said Jaclyn Martinez. “And the instructors were very patient, easy to work with, helping you with your moves and correcting you so you can get out of the situation.”

“The outcome (of an attack) is not predetermined. You now have the power to change the outcome,” he added.

Sayoko Patterson, who trains and competes with the Hohenfels Brazilian jiu jitsu team, agreed.

The participants took the message to heart.

“The instructors were great, very good at breaking the moves down and teaching us the proper techniques,” she said.

Barnhart said one of the more difficult aspects of the seminars was in taking such a serious subject and keeping it lighthearted, refreshing and fun. But, judging from the excited laughter and smiling faces of the participants, his team pulled it off.

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“The response has been amazing,” said Vu. “It‘s an honor and a privilege to do this, especially with military spouses who may not get the chance to train like regular troops. The women seem to love it. I am thrilled to be here and so happy I have the opportunity to do this.” | by Mark Iacampo, U.S. Army Garrison Hohenfels Public Affairs

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| Grafenwoehr

Weiberfaching is no drag here in Germany. Men dress up as women to participate in the fun of “ladies‘ day.”

Weiberfasching: Where women are king Celebrated on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday, Weiberfasching (meaning women‘s carnival) marks the transition from the Fasching fest season into the Lenten season leading up to Easter -- and it‘s all about the ladies.

In some German cities, a ritual takeover of the town halls by local women has become a yearly tradition.

Weiberfasching in Vilseck, 8 p.m.-2 a.m. at the Burg Dagestein castle, Schlossgasse 6-10; Zehentkasten (tithe barn). Please park on Marktplatz and walk the short distance to the castle.

It‘s all about the girls today, but guys can participate, too (if they dress like women.) | by Molly Hayden, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs

Among other established customs, women cut off men?‘s ties, which are seen as a symbol of men‘s status.

The men then wear the stumps of their ties for the rest of the day to receive a “Buetzchen” (a peck on the cheek) as compensation.

The 12th in the Insider‘s Tips for Auslaender series, which focuses on ways to make the most of your tour in Bavaria.

Look for articles with this tag and if you have tips or suggestions, email bavariannews@gmail.com.

Photo Credit: Courtesy photo

Grafenwoehr, Germany. One day each year, women around Germany officially rule the roost during Weiberfasching.

It‘s an unofficial holiday, but the party often starts early. Many breweries, bars and clubs cater to the ladies, offer “women only” parties.

As such, men dress up as women to “sneak in” and join the fun, although the long beards and size 14 high heels usually give them away.

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Join in on the fun, Feb. 27 at the events listed below: Amberg Hexennacht (Witches Night), 5:30 - 11 p.m., on the Marktplatz. The “witches” (ladies from the Seidl-Schwandner Dance School) will perform a special dance for children beginning at 5:30 p.m. From 6 p.m. on, “D‘ Quertreiber” will rock the Marktplatz.

9 | Bavarian Times

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Rugged Terrain Obstacle Run to test limits, again Grafenwoehr, Germany. “I did it last year and failed miserably,” said Candice Gaeth, while taking a break from training at the Tower Barracks Physical Fitness Center, here, Feb. 4.

She was covered in sweat and still panting as she talked about the upcoming 2nd Annual Grafenwoehr Rugged Terrain Obstacle Run. “This year will be different. I‘m working on my endurance so I can last, so I can complete every obstacle.”

“I skipped a lot last year,” she said, adding an exhaustive sigh to emphasize her point.

Gaeth is smart to train, the run is tough and that‘s by design. Participants are presented with 13 obstacles including a mud crawl, rope, rock and wall climbs, pull-ups, sled pull, and balance beam, all while navigating 13 kilometers to reach the end of the run.

Located on the Grafenwoehr Training Area, the foundation of the course was designed by Integrated Training Area Management and Joint Multinational Training Command for military training purposes, with production beginning in 2010.

Following guidance from Soldier 360, a comprehensive multidisciplinary program that encompasses overall health and wellness, the course cultivates elements of physical training along with mental training and team-building, said Colleen Bergmanis, Grafenwoehr Training Area ITAM coordinator.

“We incorporated these three elements to allow leadership to assess where their guys are before they go downrange,” said Bergmanis.

The rugged and unpredictable terrain, said Bergmanis, allows Soldiers to focus on their situational awareness to deploy specific interoperability techniques needed in a combat zone.

U.S. and NATO forces have come from all over the world to use the course.

Likewise, participants will travel from garrisons across Europe to participate in the Rugged Terrain Obstacle Run. While both

Bavarian Times | 10

| Grafenwoehr

Participants of Jaimin William Harris‘ Tuesday night strength and conditioning class work on various obstacles at the Tower Barracks Physical Fitness Center.

Soldiers and spouses turn training upside down in an effort to prepare for the 2nd Annual Grafenwoehr Rugged Terrain Obstacle Run.

opportunities emphasis camaraderie, the latter is geared more toward fun.

“But I keep coming back for more,” she added, laughing through the pain.

“People like getting wet and muddy, they like the challenge,” said Serge Kearse, chief of sports and fitness operations for Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation. “It‘s challenging, but it‘s not a race. The main emphasis is to complete the course, and to work together in a team to encourage each other to finish, as well.”

After the intense 45–minute workout ended, Tammie Pech, assistant station manager at the American Red Cross in Grafenwoehr, lifted her pant legs to reveal knees colored in black and blue.

“This event goes beyond team-building; it‘s community building,” said Harris. “Spouses get a chance to experience what our Soldiers do and every participant supports each other.

We‘re all out there together until the very last person comes in.”

Harris is currently training civilians, spouses and Soldiers who intend to participate in the run. She motivates by putting them outside of their comfort zone.

“What we do in class isn‘t exactly what they‘ll see on the course, but if they can overcome certain challenges here, they‘ll be empowered to complete the challenges there,” she said.

The 2nd Annual Grafenwoehr Rugged Terrain Obstacle Run will take place Saturday, April 12, at the Tower Barracks Physical Fitness Center, Building 170. The deadline to sign-up is March 3.

For more information, visit www.grafenwoehr.armymwr.com and click on the Rugged Terrain icon, or inquire at the Tower Barracks and Rose Barracks physical fitness centers.

To prepare for the run with a group, or to participate in an intense workout, join Harris‘ WOD (Workout of the Day) class on Tuesdays, 4:45 p.m., or TotalFit, Wednesday, 9 a.m. Both classes focus on strength and conditioning and are taught at the Tower Barracks Fitness Center.

She trains hard and participants in her class wear their battle scars proudly.

Additionally, NATO or U.S. Army forces who would like to use the Rugged Terrain Trail for training purposes should contact Colleen Bergmanis at DSN 475-8165, CIV 09641-83-8165.

“My knees are shot, my shoulders hurt. I‘m achy, but in a good way,” said family member Dotie Williams, who is participating this year to scratch an item off her bucket list.

| by Molly Hayden, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs

11 | Bavarian Times

Photo Credit: Molly Hayden, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs

Jaimin Williams Harris, a strength and conditioning coach at the fitness center, shared Kearse‘s sentiment.

“It looks bad but it‘s totally worth it,” she said. “I‘m officially ready for the run.”

Photo Credit: Laura Reutinger, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs

Tax Centers now open for business Grafenwoehr, Germany. From left: Spc. Steven Boyer, 4-319rd Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne); Col. Adam Loveless, Joint Multinational Training Command chief of staff; Stephanie Shannon, Tower Barracks tax assistance coordinator; Capt. Brian Jones, JMTC tax officer in charge.; and Spc. Zeeshan George, 15th Engineer Battalion, 500th Engineer Company, ring in the opening of the Tower Barracks Tax Center, Jan. 31, with a ribbon cutting.

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USAG Bavaria‘s Tax Centers officially opened to the public Feb. 3. All Soldiers, family members, civilians and retirees are welcome to make an appointment to get their taxes done for free.

Round up your income documents and take advantage of this free service. Don‘t wait - This year‘s tax deadline is June 15. | by Laura Reutinger, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs

Tower Barracks Tax Center Bldg. 216, 1st Floor Legal Assistance: DSN 475-7114, CIV 09641-83-7114; Tax Center: DSN 475-9258, CIV 09641-83-9258

Rose Barracks Tax Center Bldg. 245, 1st Floor Legal Assistance: DSN 476-2289, CIV 09662-83-2289; Tax Center: DSN 476-2714, CIV 09662-83-2714.

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Bavarian Times | 12

| Travel

The region of Cappadocia is best seen from high above via a hot-air balloon.

Cruising Cappadocia: In the land of fairy chimneys

Filled with fairy chimneys, moonscapes, and cave dwellings of yesteryear, Cappadocia offers sights that resemble the set of Star Wars. It was actually rumored that one of the franchise films was filmed on location here, but it isn‘t true. (Although that doesn‘t stop a few locals from stretching that truth as a selling point).

Regardless, the region still has star power. Set on a high, dry plateau in the middle of Turkey, the scenery changes with the season, boasting hot, dry summers and views of snowy rock formation in the winter.

Sleeping in a cave hotel, exploring an underground city, navigating the honeycombed structures on horseback, and hiking through the tangled web of curvaceous landscape will make this fairytale world a reality for the venturesome traveler.

The sites: The best introduction to the region is viewing it from thousands 13 | Bavarian Times

of meters in the air. Hot air ballooning is big business in Cappadocia. Every morning, weather allowing, hundreds of colorful balloons take to the sky, offering pristine views of the landscape.

Numerous companies provide essentially the same service. Generally speaking, the more people they pack into the basket, the cheaper the price per person. The sights are the same, so if you don‘t mind snuggling up tightly with a few strangers, (and I do mean snuggling up tightly) you can easily save a few bucks.

As a World Heritage Site, the Goreme Open-Air Museum is also an essential stop on any itinerary. The assemblage of rock-cut churches, chapels and monasteries is less than a mile from the town center and offers an intimate look into former monastic communities.

Impressive frescoes, dating from the ninth to the 11th century, vibrantly dress the walls inside the complex.

Euphemistically named, the Love Valley is home to a cluster of 50-meter-high, phallic-shaped rock structures. The strange pinnacles are not so much an homage to male fertility but eroded volcanic ash, gifted by Mother Nature.

Photo Credit: Molly Hayden, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs

Goreme, Turkey. While countless years of erosion shaped the unique landscape of the Goreme Valley, for centuries, residents of the historic region of Cappadocia used the natural resource to create sustainable dwellings.

| Travel

A teahouse overlooking the Love Valley offers a peaceful break from a day of hiking.

The neighboring Red and Rose valleys combine, offering a more “PG” exposure of the landscape.

well, but is double the price and takes twice as long. Not to mention the bus is much more scenic.

They are the easiest to access and well-marked for hiking. Inundated with flowers, fruit trees and grapevines, trails lead through water-sculpted tunnels and rock-cut structures and across sharp ridges, which offers a bird‘s eye views of the surrounding farms.

Turkeytravelplanner.com is a good site to begin your search, with loads of information about navigating the transport systems, as well as sample itineraries to get you started.

Photo Credit: Molly Hayden, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs

Near the city of Nevsehir, less than an hour from Goreme, the Kaymakli underground city, eight stories deep, invites travelers to channel their inner Indiana Jones and explore the maze of low, narrow tunnels, wide storerooms, steep steps, deep holes and ventilation shafts.

Getting there: Flying into a major city like Istanbul or Ankara is the easiest way to enter the country. From there, travelers have numerous options. A flight from Istanbul to Kayseri Airport (the closest airport to the region) is about an hour and tends to run a few hundred dollars.

The neighboring town runs a very tight network, so hotels will generally arrange transport from the airport for a nominal fee.

For the budget traveler, a daily night bus runs to and fro for a mere fraction of the cost (usually less than $40). It is a 10- to 12-hour ride though, so remember, you get what you pay for. On the plus side, it delivers you right in the town center of Goreme.

Ankara, the country‘s capital, is a four and a half hour bus ride away and is super cheap at around $15. A train is available as

Visa information: Currently, visas can (and must be) purchased upon landing in Turkey. The cost is $20 or 15 euros. However, in April, the policy will change.

Beginning April 10, 2014, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs will no longer provide visas on arrival to foreign travelers. All foreigners must obtain their Turkish visas from Turkish missions abroad or from the e-visa application system, depending on eligibility.

Note: The e-visa system is only usable for travelers entering Turkey for tourism or commerce. For any other travel purpose the applicant must obtain a Turkish visa in advance from a Turkish diplomatic or consular post.

Information regarding Turkish e-visas and the application process can be found at: https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/.

General information on Turkish visas can be found at: http://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information-for-foreigners.en.mfa | by Molly Hayden, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs Bavarian Times | 14

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| Hohenfels

Hohenfels helps revive romance Hohenfels, Germany. As Valentine‘s Day gets into full swing, participants in Hohenfels Army Community Service‘s “Art of Romance” dance class may have a leg up on the rest of us.

“This is not about fixing problems,” said Priscilla Fleisher, Family Advocacy Program manager. “We have other classes for that.

This is more about helping couples become closer through nonverbal communication.

IKE US. CONNECT US. Conceived as a couple‘s communication class, the weekly course is designed to help improve intimacy through non-verbal communication.

“In dance, you have to work together as a team; you have to really be partners. You take two people and they have to learn to listen

Photo Credit: Mark Iacampo, USAG Hohenfels Public Affairs

Instructor Kamallata Jones gives some personal attention to Steven and Sonja Vass during the “Art of Romance” dance class at Hohenfels, recently.

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| Hohenfels

Participants practice their dance moves at Hohenfels‘ “Art of Romance” couples communication class, recently.

to each other without using words. That‘s a really important skill that not all couples have. It can really help people develop and enhance connection,” Fleisher said.

The approach seems to be working. Participation in the class has steadily increased since its debut in November and has surpassed ACS‘ other couple‘s communication groups.

“I enjoy having the opportunity to come in here and work on some skills and make a fool out of myself,” said participant Terry Giles.

The class is in the midst of its second session. The first six weeks were dedicated to waltz and salsa, while the current course is focused on swing and foxtrot.

“I‘ve studied jazz, tap, Bollywood, swing -- every form of dance is an art,” said instructor Kamallata Jones. “I love sharing that passion with people.”

Photo Credit: Mark Iacampo, USAG Hohenfels Public Affairs

Jones, in the words of her mother, “came into this world dancing.”

Born in Assam, India to a pair of professional dancers, Jones was already performing by age four, winning a national dance competition and appearing on a popular Indian television program.

Schooled in classical Indian dance, Jones later learned ball room dancing as an instructor at Arthur Murray Dance Studio in the States. Now, with 38 years of dance experience including 15 as an instructor, she brings her expertise to Hohenfels.

“We‘re lucky to have a very talented professional dance instructor who‘s able to share that in this format,” Fleisher said. “She‘s fun, she knows what she‘s doing, and she‘s patient with those of us have four left feet!”

New to the Hohenfels Military Community, Jones wanted to get involved and approached ACS to volunteer.

“This is a very close-knit community,” Jones said. “For me, it was very important to establish an identity for myself and not fall into that, ‚Oh, she‘s Lt. Col. Jones‘ wife.‘”

The idea of a couple‘s dance class had been kicking around for some time, and Jones was eager to take part.

“I feel very fortunate that I had the opportunity to be the one who got to get it going,” she said.

As a mother of a toddler herself, Jones is well aware how difficult it can be for couples to keep romance alive.

“In today‘s speeded-up environment, we forget how important it is for people to have that time together. You just don‘t have time.

So, any activity that gives couples a chance to spend some time together is important,” she said.

“We‘re trying to make it into sort of a date night,” said Jill Ann Hills. “Afterwards we go out to dinner. It gives us an excuse to be together and sometimes you don‘t have enough of those.”

Jones said she enjoys watching couples in class laughing, giggling and enjoying themselves.

“It‘s relaxing,” said Lt. Col. David Hills. “You just stop thinking about everything else, because you have to focus.”

In addition to the dancing itself, couples receive handouts and brief discussions on communication skills. Last session included such topics as active listening and using “I” phrases. This session focuses on the best-selling book, “The Five Love Languages,”

by Dr. Gary Chapman.

Jones is already planning the next class where she hopes to focus on Argentine Tango.

“Based on the response we‘re seeing now, this will be something we‘ll continue as long as we can,” Fleisher said. “Hopefully, what we‘re doing can increase partners‘ resilience, caring and fun with one another.”

| by Mark Iacampo, U.S. Army Garrison Hohenfels Public Affairs Bavarian Times | 16

| Grafenwoehr

Spouses‘ club offers scholarships and welfare grants

Hintz suggested community members “ask for the moon,” when filling out applications.

“Big or small, we will do whatever we can to help,” she said. “Our efforts have always been in support of this great community.”

Applications for scholarships can be found at http://www.bavariacsc.com.

Grafenwoehr, Germany. The deadline to apply for academic scholarships, as well as welfare grants, is quickly approaching.

Each year, the Bavaria Community Spouses‘ Club awards money to community members for educational purposes, as well as welfare grants for community organizations in need.

Deadlines for welfare grants are Feb. 14 and April 18. Educational scholarship applications are due Feb. 28, and vocational applications must be received by April 25. | by Molly Hayden, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs

Photo Credit: Molly Hayden, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs

The Bavaria Community Spouses' Club awards a generous amount of money each year to community members for education or charitable efforts. The deadlines to submit applications for this year's awards are approaching.

And each year, the BCSC grows more and more generous.

“We raise money through our on-post thrift stores and fundraisers,” said Cheryl Hintz, president of the club. “We have numerous volunteers who aid in our success, and all the money that goes to the club we turn around and give back to the community.”

Last year, the club awarded more than $100,000 in grants and scholarships to local community members.

While education scholarships are geared toward higher education, the welfare grants are open to any organization on post, including schools, FRGs, Boy Scouts, the Red Cross, and other charitable organization in need.

17 | Bavarian Times

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| Hohenfels

Katherine Gamble‘s focus is easily seen as she studies her target.

At Hohenfels, Gamble gives it her best shot Hohenfels, Germany. If Hohenfels Middle/High School had existed in the dystopian world of “The Hunger Games,” Katniss Everdeen may have faced some stiff competition from the HMHS Rifle team captain, Katherine Gamble.

Though hesitant at first, Gamble‘s parents encouraged her to give it a shot.

As the DODDS Europe Eastern Conference champion, Gamble averaged a 280 score going into the European Marksman Championships held Feb. 1. Her top score for the year was 287.

“They said, you can‘t really pass that up because of how good a coach he is,” she said.

“She was leading the way through the conference the whole time,” said Hohenfels coach Bob Cheney.

A complete novice, Gamble admits that when she began she didn‘t even realize she had to load a pellet into the rifle. But she said the foundational skills built over that summer have played an important role in her success.

Gamble‘s average leaped more than 10 points from last year.

In five conference matches, she took the overall top shooter three times.

“We went to practice the first day, and I shot a 279,” she remembered. “Sgt. Cheney and I kind of looked at each other like, ‚that‘s never happened before.‘ And it just kept happening.”

Photo Credit: Gwen Gamble, HES Teacher

grades, and can you do math well. Then he asked if he could teach me to shoot over the summer.”

While impressed with Gamble‘s improvement, Cheney said he wasn‘t surprised by it.

“She‘s more focused and well-balanced, and experience also ties in with that performance,” he said.

A junior at HMHS, 16-year-old Gamble was recruited in the eighth grade by former rifle coach Bruce Andrews.

“The coach asked me three really random questions,” Gamble recalled. “Do you play a musical instrument, do you have good

With her previous activities including ballet and piano lessons, Gamble said her friends and family in the States remain confused about her choice of sports.

“When they first heard I was shooting, they were like -- ‚wait, she‘s what?‘” Gamble laughed. “None of them understood it.

It‘s the most random thing for me to do.”

Gamble said she enjoys the solo aspect of the sport.

“I like that it‘s an individual sport and if I have a bad day, it doesn‘t affect anyone else, it‘s just me. And I don‘t have to rely on anyone else to do good,” she said.

Not that she had many bad days this year. Each conference match, medals are awarded to the high-scoring participant in each of the three shooting positions, as well as to the overall high-scorer of the match. In two years on the team, Gamble had yet to earn one.

Bavarian Times | 18

| Hohenfels

HMHS Tigers Rifle team captain Katherine Gamble takes aim during a DODDS Eastern Conference rifle match.

“I always wanted one,” Gamble said, “and at the first match (this season), I got two!”

“I can‘t stay quiet that long,” she joked.

“You can‘t think about anything,” said Gamble.

“That‘s more than any other shooter in the conference,” Cheney said, adding that of the 25 available medals, Hohenfels brought home 16.

“She puts everything to the side when she‘s on the firing line,” said Cheney. “In between -- well, OK -- but once she starts shooting, that‘s it. She wants to do her very best.”

The early victories fueled Gamble‘s motivation.

With plans to attend CMP (Civilian Marksmanship Program) Advanced Standing Air Rifle Camp in Anniston, Ala., this summer, Gamble‘s goal for next year is to shoot a perfect score in the prone position at a match.

“After the first two, it was like, well, I can‘t screw up now. I didn‘t want to let my coach down,” she said.

As part of her prematch ritual, Gamble destressed by painting her fingernails. They were pink when she won her first medals, so she continued the tradition throughout the season.

“I‘ve done it lots of times at practice, but never at match, except a postal match, and nobody got to see it,” she said.

Cheney has no doubt that Gamble will continue to improve.

“We would go on trips late at night to get a new shade of pink,” she laughed. “Then the other teams‘ coaches started noticing it, and they would bug me about it, and the other shooters started noticing it.”

“She has all the potential in the world,” he said. “Next year, I‘m almost positive she‘ll shoot in the 290‘s and that‘s really tough to conquer. Anybody would love to have her on their team, and I‘m thankful to have her on the Hohenfels team.”

Gamble enjoys a good relationship with her fellow competitors and their coaches alike, often laughing and joking with them between positions.

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| by Mark Iacampo, U.S. Army Garrison Hohenfels Public Affairs

Photo Credit: Gwen Gamble, HES Teacher

When she steps up to the firing line, though, it‘s all business.

Gamble went on to earn 10 medals over the course of the season.

www.bavarian-times.com

| Grafenwoehr

With more SHARP education available at Military Communities world-wide, officials say a victim is more likely to report incidents. Likewise, communities have instituted awareness campaigns, and tactics, such as to ensure trained personnel available 24/7 to answer questions. For more information on SHARP related topics go to http://www.sexualassault.army.mil/

Victim rights strengthened by DoD change

“In many ways our communities are able to do a more effective job at training than I‘ve seen at other communities, said Shalise Bates-Pratt, victim advocate and SHARP specialist in the Tower Barracks community at Grafenwoehr, Germany. “I think there is more action at military communities.”

With more than 10 years of experience in sexual assault and domestic violence advocacy, Bates-Pratt says there is more

work to be done, but additional resources, such as the newly appointed Special Victim Counsel, called SVC, and a greater emphasis on education through the Special Victim Prosecutor program, the SVP, are a great help.

“A SVC can help victims throughout the legal process. I can accompany a victim to any and all interviews and case proceedings. I protect their interest,” said Capt. Steven B. Suchomski, the chief of client services and the special victim counsel at Tower Barracks. “A victim is going through this very traumatic event and then they are going through this very complicated legal process.”

Congress and DoD mandated the SVC program to protect victims. Services are open to victims of sexual assault who are eligible for DoD legal assistance. There are three SVCs available locally. However, there should be at least one at each military installation, says Suchomski.

Bavarian Times | 20

Photo Credit: Andrea M. AdkinsHutchins (IMCOM)

Grafenwoehr, Germany. It‘s a common scenario, a young Soldier drinks with acquaintances in the barracks, but what could be a relaxing evening can easily become a crime scene. The sexual assault trends reveal military sexual assaults most often happen after midnight, involve alcohol, and the victims and perpetrators aren‘t strangers. However, the Army is implementing new measures to change attitudes and behaviors, while educating the force in hopes of preventing crimes.

| Grafenwoehr

Steele said the first step to educating Soldiers and leaders is to ensure all understand that a stranger-rape in a dark alley scenario is very rare in military communities.

“It‘s usually someone the victim knows or is acquainted with, more likely than not, a fellow Soldier in the same barracks or unit,” he said.

Since sexual assaults in military communities are often perpetrated by acquaintances in a normally safe environment, Steele says a victim is often further traumatized. “If the person who raped or sexually assaulted you is a friend or acquaintance, and a fellow Soldier, then a victim is rarely excited about sharing that traumatic experience with others.”

However, these day‘s victims are more likely to report incidents.

Communities Army-wide has instituted awareness campaigns, and tactics, such as help lines to ensure trained personnel available 24/7 to answer questions.

“Having the training available and the aggressiveness of the training is helpful in many ways. Everyone knows what SHARP is, in our community,” Bates- Pratt said. “Not everyone in other communities, including civilian communities, can even name the organizations or resources they can go to besides the police. Most people in our community know they can go to SHARP reps, the military police, the Chaplain. Awareness is definitely at a high right now.”

Additionally, the SVP provides highly trained and experienced prosecutors to litigate and manage cases of sexual assault, while also educating military leaders and the community-atlarge of myths surrounding sexual assault.

“When there is an allegation of sexual assault, there are often beliefs about how the victim should react,” said Lawrence Steele, the Grafenwoehr‘s SVP. “Part of the SVP‘s job is to help explain ‚atypical‘ victim behavior.”

Steele says he often uses an analogy based on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, to help leaders understand how sexual trauma affects victims.

“Ten years ago, Army leaders at all levels may not have fully understood how PTSD affected our Soldiers,” he said. “But leaders have come to understand that PTSD comes in many forms, at various times, and results from varied experiences.”

Steele says, just as there is no such thing as a ‚typical‘ PTSD behavior, there is no ‚typical‘ behavior or reaction for sexual trauma, “It‘s different for everyone,” he said.

21 | Bavarian Times

| by Denver Beaulieu Hains (USAREUR)

For more information on SHARP related topics go to

www.sexualassault.army.mil

| Garmisch

The Bayern Rangers blue and white teams pose together after the white team was named the victors of the 22nd annual military ice hockey championships at the Olympic Stadium in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Feb. 22.

Bayern Rangers clinch military hockey championships

Photo Credit: Frank Gunn

Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. In their fifth season representing the military community in the Grafenwoehr, Vilseck and Hohenfels area, the Bayern Rangers won the 22nd annual military ice hockey championships held at the Olympic Stadium, here, Feb. 22.

of the elimination bracket on Friday morning. In that game, Bayern Blue lost to the Geilenkirchen Flyers. While eliminated from tournament play, the Blue team players stayed on to cheer for their fellow Rangers playing on Bayern White.

This was the first year that the Rangers brought two teams to the three-day tournament. The Bayern White and Bayern Blue squads competed in a field of 14 military teams representing EUCOM communities in Germany, Holland, Belgium and Italy.

On the final day of play, Bayern White started their bracket with a convincing win over KMC 2. Bayern moved to the semifinal game against the Baden Bruins. Following a 7-1 win, the Bayern Rangers White team moved on to an all-Army championship game against Wiesbaden‘s first team.

On Feb. 20, the first day of competition, Bayern White tied the determined Kaiserslautern Military Community 2 team. They then beat the Geilenkirchen Flyers 4-2 in a fast-paced game.

After coming from behind to tie the game in regulation, the Rangers won in a wild, four-round shootout against the Wiesbaden Vikings.

White finished a long day of hockey undefeated going 2-0-1 by beating SHAPE 7-4. By remaining undefeated, the Bayern team won their pool and earned a bye in the first round of the tournament‘s elimination bracket.

The Rangers celebrated with their annual team dinner at the Werdenfelserhof to celebrate the championship weekend Bavarian style. Way to go, Bayern Rangers!

Bayern Blue had a tougher first day. They suffered losses against Wiesbaden and KMC teams to end their day 0-3. They had one more chance for Garmisch glory in the first round

| by Brad Huestis, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, 7th Army Joint Multinational Training Command

Bavarian Times | 22

| Grafenwoehr

The Encores line up before a recent performance.

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany. Performing events from baptisms to beer fests, a local singing group, aptly named The Encores, has been crooning tunes for more than 10 years. But their weekly practices are more than just a harmonious routine.

“Most importantly, we have fun,” said Ingrid Knodt, administrative support assistant at the Reserve Component Affairs Office, and self-appointed Encores liaison. “We all really enjoy singing.”

Knodt leaned in closer to share a secret: “And truthfully, not all of us can actually sing.”

While it helps if you can carry some sort of tune, there are no auditions to join the choral group and everyone is welcome.

Practices take place every Wednesday, either in the German Community Center in Grafenwoehr or the Pressath Music School, and the group masters traditional German folk songs peppered with classic English pop songs.

Knodt said joining the group is a great way to strengthen the German-American relationship.

23 | Bavarian Times

“Music is a common language,” she said. “Language barriers are not an issue.”

To join the group, or for more information, contact Ingrid Knodt at DSN 475-6349 or Civ. 0175-344-3266. | by Molly Hayden, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs

Photo Credit: Courtesy photo

Local singing group searches for new voices

| Eschenbach

Photo Credit: Courtesy photo

A calculated victory ESCHENBACH, Germany. From left: Netzaberg Middle School students Mackenzie Dillenbeck and Matthew Saenz, sixth grade; Whitney Bivins, seventh grade; Dr. Boakai Kpinkpin, NMS Math Counts coach; and David Worthington, eighth grade, are all smiles after winning the Bavaria Chapter Math Counts Competition in Ansbach, Feb. 5.

The team “out-computed” seven schools in the competition to take top honors.

Worthington received first place for the “Sprint” competition, where participants were tasked with answering 30 questions in 40 minutes. He also won first place in the Countdown Round, besting eight other students.

The team will move on to the next round of the Math Counts Competition in Wiesbaden next month. | by U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs

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Army Community Service Family Advocacy Program is taking the guesswork out of parenting with the Triple P -- Positive Parenting Program. For more information on the program, contact USAG Bavaria‘s ACS at 09662-83-2650.

Coming soon: Practical parenting tips for families VILSECK, Germany. When it comes to raising kids, everyone has an opinion. So how do you know what really works?

Army Community Service Family Advocacy Program is taking the guesswork out of parenting with the Triple P -- Positive Parenting Program.

Triple P is a simple, effective parenting tool which military families in USAG Bavaria, Grafenwoehr now have the opportunity to use.

Chosen as a pilot community, USAG Bavaria will be the first military community where parents have access to the Triple P Program.

Through online resources and a large provider network, families now have the opportunity to receive immediate help to manage big and small problems -- without a referral.

Problems like toddler tantrums or teenage rebellion, selfesteem issues, bedtime battles, disobedience, or aggression can all be helped through Triple P. Triple P offers two approaches for parents to get help online at www.triplep-usag.net or through a local provider.

Through online resources parents can research behavioral issues, watch helpful parenting videos, listen to podcasts, review testimonials and see how other parents are using the program, or search out a local provider.

Providers are equipped with a wide range of support tools including books and other materials. They are able to offer specialized seminars, and individual services -- all at no cost to parents in USAG Bavaria.

25 | Bavarian Times

Every location that conducts child-related business such as schools, health clinics and youth program locations will have a person certified in the levels of Triple P. These certified providers create a solid network of positive parenting for military families in the USAG Bavaria community.

Research shows that a united method of parenting across agencies and throughout the community leads to military family success. In addition to providing a larger framework of support, a community based approached leads to a higher degree of flexibility.

Flexibility is a key component of effective parenting techniques when dealing with the ever-changing stressors faced by the average military family.

“Triple P is the only research-based parenting program that provides the flexibility to adapt to the needs of families and to a variety of service settings,” said John C. Duby, M.D., director, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Akron Children‘s Hospital, Ohio.

Flexibility is also one of the attributes that makes Triple P so user friendly.

Parents are able determine the level of support obtained through Triple P. When parents register for seminars, they choose from a variety of topics and programs based on their personal family needs, which can include individual support.

Parents can then decide how to implement Triple P techniques and address the behavioral needs of children in realtime using information gained from Triple P resources.

Parents can access information about Triple P seminars, workshops, services and providers through the Triple P website under the Get Help link or call ACS at 09662-83-2650.

Editor‘s Note: Salem Whalen is the Information & Referral Intern at U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria‘s Army Community Service.

| by Salem Whalen, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Army Community Service

Photo Credit: Courtesy photo

–

| Vilseck

| Grafenwoehr

James P. Federline (left) was recognized for 45 years of service in the US Army by Commander Col. James E. Saenz (right).

At Christmas time, Federline, who is also the American GACC president, plays the role of Santa Claus to give presents to the children.

“Wiesbaden was nice until I came to Grafenwoehr”

Photo Credit: Renate Gradl

James P. Federline has been loyal to the US-Army for 45 years - Almost ten years in Grafenwoehr – DAGA-President and Santa Claus Grafenwoehr, Germany. He wants to complete 50. He has already been loyal to the US Army for 45 years. Recently, James P. Federline was recogniz3d for his service and received a certificate from Commander Col. James E. Saenz.

The American came to Grafenwoehr in June 2004 but he first came into contact with Germany in Hanau in s 1969.

“I went to the embassy in Bonn in 1986, taking care of government relations,” remembers Federline who is a native of Baltimore, Md. But he is no stranger to Wiesbaden either. “Wiesbaden was nice until I came to Grafenwoehr,” says Federline who takes care of former Soldiers here.

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But there is another very special task for Federline. He is the American president of the German-American Community Council (GACC). What are his comments regarding the turbulences surrounding the German-American Volksfest? - “It was just stopped for one year. It will continue - thank God!” From the revenue of the Volksfest, many food packages are distributed to people who do not have a lot of money available to them. It is also used to finance the St. Nicholas packages.

The “Christmas Tree Lighting,” at which Federline plays the role of Santa Claus, is another event at which he has become an institution. Federline a.k.a. Santa Claus was also able to look into many sparkling children’s eyes at the Grafenwoehr Advent Market and at the Christmas parties at the Old Forest House.

His family does not want to miss him either. “I’ve been married to my wife Anna for 35 years,” says the 65-year old.

His children Joseph, Marcus, Douglas and Sandy, his three grandchildren and his 90-year old father are very important to him. “I’m looking forward to seeing him and may others again,” says Federline who is taking time out for a four-week vacation and family reunion in the United States. | by Renate Gradl

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Bavarian Times | 26

Photo Credit: Gerald Morgenstern

Jump training at the drop zone The jump training of the Soldiers of the 91st Cavalry Regiment on Grafenwoehr Training Area was met with a lot of interest by the media and the partner city of Eschenbach. About 300 paratroopers of the 1st Squadron jumped at a height of approx. 1,150 feet from CH-47 “Chinook” helicopters into the drop zone. The unit, which is stationed in Grafenwoehr, belongs to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team has a partnership with the city of Eschenbach. The commander, Lt. Col. Kyle A. Reed and his liaison officer, Lt. David Frye, had invited Eschenbach‘ Mayor Peter Lehr to watch the safe landing of the Soldiers from his partner unit, following an overflight in a Chinook helicopter. | by Gerald Morgenstern

27 | Bavarian Times

| Grafenwoehr

Transfer of the battalion colors. Lt. Col Rob Fago (center) and Col. Jimmy Hall (left).

Photo Credit: Gerald Morgenstern

Signal unit changes division The 44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion (44th ESB) has been stationed in Grafenwoehr since August 2012. The battalion with its nearly 650 Soldiers and family members now was transferred from the 7th Signal Division located in Schweinfurt to the 2d Signal Division headquartered at Grafenwoehr.

During a festive ceremony, the commander of the 44th ESB, Lt. Col. Robert Fago passed the battalion’s colors from Col. Geoffry Mangeldorf to the commander of the 2d Division, Col. Jimmy Hall.

United States Army, the battalion went through a number of relocations and was deployed several times to include missions in Iraq, Rwanda and Afghanistan. In August 2012, it was relocated from Schweinfurt to Grafenwoehr. Immediately after the relocation, a strong partnership with the city of Pressath was established. Pressath’s third mayor, Werner Walberer as well as additional guests from the Joint Multinational Training Command and the US Army Garrison Bavaria attended the ceremony.

The speeches also addressed the history of the 44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion. Established in February 1944 in the

| by Gerald Morgenstern

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| Grafenwoehr

The one-day event, coined “Healthy Heart Hike” was presented by the Tower Barracks Medical Clinic to raise awareness on preventative health measures and overall heart health.

Lauren Bunch and Capt. Tara Lemons walk around the track at the Tower Barracks Physical Fitness Center during the “Healthy Heart Hike” event, Feb. 21.

Community walks to better health Grafenwoehr, Germany. The lunch hour was busier than usual at the Tower Barracks Physical Fitness Center, Feb. 21.

Static displays projecting health and wellness information lined the entrance. Community members laced up their tennis shoes and headed into the brisk air for a quick jaunt around the track.

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Russell stressed the importance of healthy life choices, focusing on eating habits and exercise. Knowing the symptoms of heart disease is equally as important.

“People with heart disease symptoms are becoming younger and younger. Age is not always a factor; a lot of times it‘s lifestyle,” she said. “But if you understand the risks and are aware of the symptoms, you have a greater chance to improve your health.”

Russell suggested stopping by the health clinic for more information.

“We have displays and fliers on every topic imaginable and we‘re always there to help.” | by Molly Hayden, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs

Photo Credit: Molly Hayden, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs

“February is Heart Awareness Month,” said Maj. Dionicia Russell, a public health nurse at the clinic. “With this event, we want the community to be made aware of things they can do to improve their health and also what puts them at a higher risk for heart disease.”

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A benefit for the eyes

The delicate skin of your eyelids needs special care in the summer

Photo Credit: djd/preval Dermatica

(djd/pt). When the temperature rises and the sun displays all its splendor, sensitive facial skin requires special treatment.

The high amount of UV-rays, the heat and the increased sweat production have a negative effect on the balance of the skin’s natural acid mantle. Moisturizing creams with sun protection factor of 15 or higher help the skin to stay healthy and beautiful throughout the summer.

The product is available as a practical roll-on. The balm is applied to the skin with the help of a nickel-free stainless steel ball that has a cooling and revitalizing effect. A soft massage with the roll-on from the root of the nose to the temples also stimulates the drainage flow, causing a quick reduction of the swelling, making the eye area look fresh and revitalized.

A combination of care and protection

Don’t neglect the sensitive eye area Blistering summer heat often irritates the sensitive skin of the eyelids. It starts to swell, itch, or feels tight. With the right eye treatment, such as Preval Lipolid (available in pharmacies), those irritations can be prevented. The balm prevents sensitive eyelids from itching due to sunshine, salt or chlorinated water.

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| Health

Most employees are especially stressed out while on business trips with their colleagues.

Dangerous Multitasking

If you respect your physical limits, can achieve more in the long run (djd/pt). Many people rush through their work day in a stressed and irritated way. Doing several things at once is becoming more and more common. Research shows that multitasking is nothing more than hectically going back and forth between several tasks. Rather than staying with one task, it is constantly being interrupted to seemingly do something else parallely causing the brain and soul to suffer from permanent stress.

Preventing fatigue “Our soul can only compensate short periods of stress, not permanent stress,” says Nadja Lins. The “Burn-out-Coach” from Linden near Gießen often meets people that go above and beyond their physical limits, while not taking enough breaks and periods of relaxation. “This causes us to become less resilient,” emphasizes the experienced management coach. To prevent fatigue, Lins appeals to everyone to take good care of himself. That means: Regularly check your basic personal needs, and make sure that they are being met.

Getting sufficient sleep and eating a balanced diet are just as important as moderate exercise in order to reduce stress.

Tips for a more relaxed work day can be found at www.basicaintensivkur.de Self-help tips People who are very busy every day, often do not want to admit that hey have reached their physical limits. “When our body sends us the first signals, we often dismiss them as ‚temporary‘ and work more to get the job done,” says Lins.

People affected by fatigue often have difficulties taking the time to understand what they perceive as “stressful” or “unbearable” in the respective situations. In such cases, the support of a business coach can be helpful: “With the help of a focused and inquiring conversation technique, the coach can help the person to better understand his or her situation and develop measures to improve it.”

31 | Bavarian Times

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ear, nose and throat medicine with their affiliated doctors. Patients also receive immediate care in the 24/7-emergency room. As a member of the “Trauma Network Eastern Bavaria,” we are optimally prepared to care for trauma patients.

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| Health

Typical cold symptoms usually start in the throat and mouth.

Deceiving sunshine Carelessness has consequences: Risk of catching a cold rises during the transitional season

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Dry mouth and throat To ensure that a scratchy throat does not turn into an inflammation, taking moisturizing and gelling medications such as “Cevitt Hals & Rachen” has proven of value. The lozenges, that are available in pharmacies, prevent a dry mouth and throat that make it easy for cold viruses to attack. A healthy mouth and throat are covered with a thin protective layer of mucilage and saliva, creating a natural barrier against viruses and germs. If the mucosa is dry, it loses its protective function and becomes more prone to attacks from viruses etc. Small cuts develop, irritations follow, leading to the well-known symptoms of having difficulties swallowing, redness, hoarseness, throat pain and the urge to cough.

Regenerating the mucosa The lozenges contains a combination of natriumhyaluronat, xanthan gum and carbomer. These ingredients have a high water-holding capacity and thus allow the absorption of a large amount of saliva so that a hydrogel develops when sucking on the lozenges. The amount equals several times the size of the lozenge and attached itself to the mucosa of the mouth and throat. Protected by that layer, it is able to regenerate. Symptoms such as the urge to cough, throat pains, difficulties swallowing and hoarseness are noticeably relieved.

Bavarian Times | 32

Photo Credit: djd/Cevitt

St. Anna Krankenhaus

Hospitals with a human touch

(djd/pt). People who wear light clothes and go outside during the transitional season are often in for a negative surprise. All of a sudden they catch a cold. First symptons are a scratchy throat. Half of the time, it is a virus infection, caused by cold viruses. Discomfort and redness of the mouth and throat can also be caused by irritating the respiratory tract smoking, or passively inhaling cigarette smoke, inhaling dust or chemicals, dry air, air conditioning, or overstressing of the vocal chords by long and loud talking.

| Health

Spring time is flirting time. Sneezing fits, a red nose and puffy eyes can be a real nuisance then. That is not the only reason why you should definitely treat hay fever.

Puffy rather than attractive

Women suffering from hay fever feel unattractive – but there is help

Don’t give in to suffering from hay fever Hay fever should be treated before it starts to continue looking attractive and feel good in a café, or at a summer party.

Apart from going through an allergen-desensitizing treatment, many medications are available. Often ant-histamines are being used. They inhibit the release or the effect of the messenger histamine that is released in large amounts during an allergic reaction and causes the annoying inflammations.

However, experience has shown that many patients are still not free of symptoms, according to Prof. Dr. med. André Michael Beer, chief of the naturopathy department of the Ruhr University in Bochum. Additionally, many patients fear the

classic side effects of fatigue and dryness of the mouth. Natural remedies can be an alternative. “The root essence from the astragalus membranaceus has proven to be a successful treatment of hay fever,” says Beer. “In Germany, it is an active ingredient of Allvent which is available at pharmacies and is used as a dietary supplement as part of the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis.” The herbal medicine reduces the patient’s responsiveness to pollen and can also be used prophylactically.

Conceal puffy eyes with make-up If the allergy has already taken effect, red and puffy eyes can be concealed with a few tricks: First, put two cold teaspoons out of the refrigerator on your eyes for several minutes. The lighten the lower eyelid with white or beige kohl. Only add a dark kohl line to the upper eye lid and accentuate only the upper eyelashes with waterproof mascara. Use eye shadow colors in mat grey or beige, and you will quickly look attractive again.

Photo Credit: djd/Allvent

(djd/pt). Spring and summer are actually the best seasons for flirting. The hormones are surging, the skin is slightly tanned and light clothes put the icing on the cake. Unfortunately, many women suffer from hay fever now, causing a read nose, sneezing fits, puffy eyes, and running mascara causing them to feel totally unattractive.

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| Cars & Traffic

For years, the P1 was tucked away in a shed, now it returns to the limelight.

P1-Exhibition: The return of the Porsche 918 Spyder ancestor

First Porsche on display at the Porsche Museum for the first time (dmd). Five years ago, in January 2009, the Porsche Museum opened its doors for the first time. To celebrate the anniversary, an extraordinary exhibits is now on display in the museum: the very first Porsche construction ever, the P1, rediscovered after 116 years. The vehicle was unveiled on January 31.

It must have been impressive back then in 1898. Vienna’s high society celebrated its own definition of Art Nouveau. The atmosphere was good and those who could, enjoyed themselves.

And in the midst of all that lust for life, appeared the EggerLohner-electric vehicle C.2 Phaeton, short P1, as one of the first registered cars on Austria’s streets.

Photo Credit: dmd/Porsche

Constructed by Ferdinand Porsche, the electric engine transfered the power of three HP to the wheels. Not bad, also resulting from the electric vehicle’s light weight of only 139 kilogram.

Capacity overload increased its power to 5 HP for a short time.

Controlled by a 12-step controller, the sporty vehicle raced through the glamorous world with a top speed of up to 35 kilometers per hour. The motor had a total coverage of up to 80 kilometers.

Naturally, the revolutionary vehicle was put on display at the international motor vehicle exhibition in Berlin in 1899. And celebrated its first victory on the race track: At the race for electric vehicles over a length of 40 kilometers with challenging hills, the P1 came in first with a winning margin of 18 minutes. Due to technical problems, more than half of its competitors did not reach the finish line at all.

Porsche AG’s chairman of the board unveiled the historic vehicle in the Porsche Museum on January 31.

35 | Bavarian Times

| Cars & Traffic

The ideal family car combines a lot of room with a lot of comfort and, most importantly, safety for the passengers.

Full-speed into Spring

Photo Credit: djd/Volkswagen AG

Preparing your car for the spring season (djd/pt). Spring is the right time to make the obligatory change from winter to summer tires, check the automotive engineering, and put some lasting effort into the looks and the long-term value of your vehicle. Or are you thinking about investing into a new car? HP fans are excited about the latest releases. Automakers have announced the release of about 120 new models for 2014. Many of them feature an electric drive in addition to the classic combustion engine. It took only a few years for hybrid models to become a standard model offered in all vehicle categories. Plugged into an electric outlet over night, distances of up to 50 kilometers can be driven without any fuel costs.

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Driving pleasure included What is good for your wallet, also reduces emissions and protects the environment. Depending on their driving style and the model, car buyers have a choice between different systems. Solutions such as the “Bosch boost recuperation system,” that is easy to install, can already lead to noticeable savings when used in sub-compact car. It stores excess brake energy in a battery and uses it during the next acceleration. That does not only save fuel, it also causes a strong air flow and more torque.

What do I do with the winter tires?

Changing from winter to summer tires is part of starting into spring. But where does the tire set go that isn‘t in use?

Many car owners out the tires into storage at their car repair shops. Alternatively, the winter tires can also be stored in the garage or in the basement, provided you follow the experts‘ tips. Tire experts like Rainer Binder of ReifenDirekt.de recommend storing tires upright. “It is also helpful to move the tires from time to time to avoid flat tires,” explains Binder.

Another possibility to store tires is hanging them on a tire stands. Storing the tires on top of each other, the most commonly seen method of storing tires, however, is not a good idea because the weight of three tires rests on the lowermost tire eventually causing imbalances and other problems.

Caring for the paint If you don’t feel like regularly going to get an expensive car wash, or spending time polishing your car by hand, take your

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Bavarian Times | 36

| Cars & Traffic

vehicle to a professional and invest in a permanent paint conservation. The Ditec paint conservation, for example, has proven itself for years in the cold temperatures of the Scandinavian countries and will save you time and money. It is applied by specially trained experts during a multi-stage process. The car is thoroughly cleaned and polished before the conservation is applied. During that process, dirt, tar rests and old coats of wax are completely and thoroughly removed, polishing machines restore a shiny surface. Afterwards, the pore filler seals the paint pores, followed by the last step, the application of a lasting, so-called top coat.

Start ecologically into Spring More HP and a more forceful acceleration: That is what most

A new family car?

The ideal family car combines a lot of room with a lot of comfort and, most importantly, safety for the passengers. One of the most important decision factors, however, when buying such a car is its financability with regard to the family budget.

Three-way-financing is especially advantageous. Products, such as the “AutoCredit” by the Volkswagen Bank, offer the buyer low monthly payments and a maximum flexibility concerning financing. At first, the buyer decides how high the down payment will be. At the end of the agreed upon term of the loan - between twelve and 54 months - he has three choices: pay the final installment and buy the vehicle, refinance the rest of the loan for a lower interest rate, or return the vehicle and select a new one.

Photo Credit: djd/Classic Motor Farm

If you don’t feel like regularly going to get an expensive car wash, or spending time polishing your car by hand, take your vehicle to a professional and invest in a permanent paint conservation.

drivers connect with the term “tuning”. However, optimizing the motor, for example, is not only interesting for drivers who want to get the last bit of performance out of their vehicle.

The so-called “eco-tuning” is becoming more and more popular. Its goals are to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, and save money at the same time. “With the help of an individual tuning kit, fuel consumption can be reduced by 20 percent while simultaneously increasing the performance by up to 35 percent,” says car expert Mathias Hühr of mehrleistung.com. The necessary additional control unit is easy to install and can easily be removed later, when selling the car, for example.

| Cars & Traffic

The latest BMW model is available starting at 35,750 Euro.

BMW 4-series Gran Coupé: Two worlds on four wheels The new premium middle-class model mixes dynamics and pragmatism

Photo Credit: dmd/BMW

(dmd). Until recently, most car buyers had to make a choice between the esthetics of a coupe, or following their inner voice telling them that while coupes are gorgeous but not really practical. That choice has now become a thing of the past with the availability of BMW 4-series Gran Coupé middle-class model.

And it cannot be denied: The third model of the new BMW 4-series has character. The long hood is the dominating feature in front of the passenger compartment that was moved to the back. The dynamic lines of the car’s design clearly state: I am sportive. The two additional doors perfectly match the design. The fact that the new model has the same dimensions as the two-door coupe built by the Bavarian car maker while featuring a trunk that was increased by 35 liters to a volume of 480 liters, increases it attractiveness.

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As far as the engines are concerned, the new premium coupes leaves nothing to be desired. Five engines are available.

The largest one is the in-line six-cylinder gas engine in the 435i-model with 225 kW/306 HP and an average mileage of 8.1 liters per 100 kilometers and a CO2 emission of 189 g/ km. The 428i- and 420i-models are powered by two 2-liter four-cylinder gas engines, featuring 180 kW/245 HP and 135 kW/184 HP (mileage: 6.6/ 6.4 liters per 100 km, CO2 emission 154/149 g/km) respectively. Diesel lovers have a choice between the 420d-model with 135 kW/184 HP and the 418dmodel with 105 kW/143 HP. The mileage is 4.5 and 4.9 liters per 100 kilometers and a CO2 emission of 124 and 119 g/ km respectively.

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| Cars & Traffic

Get a Grip No Matter What the Weather 2014 Buick Regal offers all-weather all-wheel-drive

Along with the technology, safety, and styling enhancements offered on the redesignedBuick Regal and Regal GS, is the newly available advanced all-wheel-drive.

Photo Credit: GM USA

While those in the Snowbelt, and perhaps many further south this winter, associate all-wheel-drive vehicles with wintery weather, the Regal’s on-demand automatic AWD system is designed to help provide better control in all weather and road conditions, including dry surfaces.

Using a system that can distribute power both front to rear and side to side, the Regal is able to shift torque to the wheels based on vehicle data and driver input. When trekking through snow and icy conditions better control is achieved through improved traction and stability with drive to all four wheels.

The same ideas are applied during spirited driving and even emergency maneuvers on dry or wet pavement. With the ability to transfer power to the rear, the Regal AWD is not depen-

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ding on the front wheels to do it all. This, combined with HiPer Strut front suspension, results in enhanced control from less torque steer and understeer when the driver needs traction the most, such as exiting a corner.

“With power going to all four wheels and the ability to transfer power to the wheel with the most grip, we’ve helped enable the driver to have maximum control on all surfaces,” said James Walter, Regal AWD engineer. “This system is constantly monitoring several inputs and anticipating action. It can be very beneficial in keeping the rear of the car balanced during an emergency maneuver.”

At launch in a straight line, the core of the AWD system splits the torque approximately 50/50 between the front and rear wheels. The system is constantly calculating and redistributing the torque. In the Regal GS, selecting the Sport or GS Interactive Drive Control modes heightens the AWD system sensitivity and shift up to 15 percent more torque to the rear wheels for improve traction and stability during performance driving.

An active Haldex module directs drive to the rear wheels. This system uses an electronic limited slip differential, or eLSD, which can rapidly shift torque between the two rear wheels to make the most of vehicle stability and cornering capability.

A more neutral balance, less torque steer and understeer for maximum grip results in optimal acceleration, cornering and handling during performance driving in the Regal GS AWD. AWD is available on all 2014 Regal models equipped with the new 2.0L Turbo engine that produces a refined 259 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. The Regal is the fourth Buick in the current lineup to offer AWD, alongside Enclave, Encore, and LaCrosse. (GM USA)

Bavarian Times | 40

| Cars & Traffic

Toyota Sienna Minivan

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One of ‚12 Best Family Cars for 2014‘ Says Kelley Blue Book‘s KBB.com

Photo Credit: Toyota USA

Already established as one of the most versatile and familyfriendly vehicles on the market, the Toyota Sienna today was named one of the “12 Best Family Cars” for 2014 by Kelley Blue Book‘s KBB.com.

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KBB.com editors were impressed with the Sienna’s family comfort and versatility, stating “with reclining captain‘s chairs -- including a footrest -- the Sienna may be the most passenger-accommodating minivan you can buy. And, with more varied configurations than any other minivan on the market, the Toyota Sienna is the perfect family-car for more than 100,000 families each year.”

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“Best Family Cars 2014” was compiled by recruiting families to assist nine Kelley Blue Bookeditors in comparison testing of eligible vehicles after editors narrowed more than 300 vehicles down to 21 semi-finalists. The testing centered on the areas of safety, comfort, driving performance, room for child seats, cargo space, rear-seat entertainment, and other familyfriendly features. The goal was to determine the “most functional new cars for families.”. (Toyota USA)

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41 | Bavarian Times

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| Cars & Traffic

The Volvo V60 And S60 Polestar Bring RaceTested Innovation To Real-World Driving • Quickest factory Volvos ever make U.S. debut at 2014 Chicago Auto Show • Special press conference being held today at 11:30am CT during the 2014 Chicago Auto Show

• V60 sports wagon and S60 sedan models will be available in two colors • 345 hp / 369 lbs.-ft T6 power plant, matched with fully tuned suspension • Coming to U.S. showrooms this summer The Volvo wagon is most definitely back in the U.S., and together with performance and tuning partner Polestar, 2014 also welcomes the quickest factory Volvos to date: The V60 and S60 Polestar. Only 120 of the ultra-limited edition sportswagon and sedan will be available in the U.S.

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“We are proud to present the V60 and S60 Polestar models.

Both have been developed for those who share our passion at Polestar: That driving really matters and that a true driver’s car should enable you to enjoy driving all year, on all roads and in all weather conditions. These are driver’s cars for real life,” said Christian Dahl, CEO of Polestar.

“It is very satisfying to see how Polestar has been able to combine this level of driving performance in their interpretation of the S60 and new V60, while upholding Volvo’s original service program, class-leading safety features and certified fuel and emission ratings. Customers buying these cars will get the best from both Polestar and Volvo,” said Alain Visser, senior vice president marketing, sales and customer service at Volvo Cars.

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Performance For The Real World Built around the standard V60 and S60, the Polestar editions combine the safety and comfort customers expect from Volvo Bavarian Times | 42

Photo Credit: Volvo Cars of North America, LLC

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With a host of upgrades, from the chassis all the way through to the exterior, the latest from the Volvo and Polestar partnership represent the best automotive experience that Sweden has to offer. Both models will be on display in the U.S. for the very first time at a special press conference being held today at 11:30am (Central Time) during the 2014 Chicago Auto Show.

| Cars & Traffic

Starting with the chassis, upgrades include a more rigid structure overall, with new springs that are 80 percent stiffer than those available on the S60 R-Design. High-performance Öhlins shock absorbers and 20-inch Polestar-exclusive wheels round out the customized handling package. For greater stopping power, Polestar has included 14.6-inch ventilated front discs matched with six-piston Brembo calipers, and 11.8 inch ventilated discs at the rear. The exterior of the V60 and S60 Polestar – available in Black Sapphire or Rebel Blue – carry a number of aerodynamic elements borne directly out of Volvo’s and Polestar’s wind tunnel testing. New front and rear splitters increase overall down force and allow for more streamlined airflow, as do the new rear spoiler and diffuser.

Under the hood, the V60 and S60 Polestar feature Volvo’s venerated turbocharged T6 six cylinder engine, complete with an all-new, twin-scroll turbo as well as a new intercooler.

Tweaks to the engine management software have also been made, and the 2.5-inch stainless steel exhaust with 3.5-inch tips, finish out the package. All told, the T6 produces 345 hp (SAE) at 5700 rpm, and 369 lbs.-feet of torque available at

2800 rpm. A six-speed automatic gearbox with a new paddle shift system and Polestar-developed, Haldex four-wheel drive system put the power to the road to carry the V60 and S60 Polestar to 60 mph from a standstill in just 4.7 seconds. Inside, upgraded seats, steering wheel, and other items throughout the cabin have been treated with new materials and Polestar-specific colors for an even more engaging feel for the driver and passengers.

The new Volvo V60 and S60 Polestar will be available at select U.S. dealers beginning in June 2014, with pricing to be announced in the coming months. (Volvo Cars of North America, LLC) Technical Specifications Performance 0-60 mph 4.7 sec 0-120 mph 16.3 sec 50-75 mph 4.7 sec Top speed 155 mph – Electronically limited Engine 6-cylinder inline T6 engine, 2953 cc 345 hp (SAE) at 5700 rpm 369 lbs.-feet at 2800-4750 rpm Max 6500 rpm New twin-scroll Borg Warner turbo

THE NEW VOLVO V60 MODEL 2015

Photo Credit: Volvo Cars of North America, LLC

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| Cars & Traffic

Outlook into the future of hybrid engines: The Audi All road Shooting Brake concept car generates happy anticipation.

Audi All road Shooting Brake Concept: Future All-rounder

A hybrid study from Ingolstadt combines several innovations

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Ingolstadt will go regarding electric drives. It also provides a clear indication of how future sports cars will be operated and what the design of the future will look like.

In a nutshell: The three-door cross-over conveys a clear message, or like Audi Construction CEO Ulrich Hackenberg emphasized: It provides a clear outlook into the near future. The study mixes the sports car approach with the design language and the capabilities of an SUV and combines it with an alternative engine. 400 HP slumber under the hood, powered by a plug-in-hybrid engine. The model presented in Detroit goes from o to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds. Its top speed is 250 km/h.

The gas mileage is 1.9 liters per 100 kilometers. The CO2 emission is 45 grams.

If the drives pushes the respective button on the multi-function steering wheel, the cross-over switches into the electronic mode. It is built so that the motors work together in different ways as needed. At the front axle, a 2-liter-four cylinder motor (215 kW/292 HP), together with an E-motor with 490 kW/53 HP, provides the propulsion. In the rear, an E-motor with 85 kW/116 HP provides thrust which can be modified depending on the driving mode. In the sport and in the four-wheel mode, the highest power level is reached and the entire system is at work.

When driving more slowly, only the rear engine is activated.

Exclusive design and the dash board of the future dominate the interior. The dash board can be individually programmed by each driver with the help of a touchscreens in the center console. Gears are no longer shifted mechanically but electronically using the so-called shift-by-wire-system. The center console can be moved from front to back, the air nozzles are activated with a movement of the hand. The exterior design, especially in the front with its small LED twin headlights on a single frame radiator grill provides a clear design outlook regarding the next TT-generation.

Bavarian Times | 44

Photo Credit: dmd/Audi

(dmd). Audi takes a daring look into the future -- outside and in -- at the Detroit car show. The study Audi All road Shooting Brake does not only show in which direction the automaker from

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Cadillac Introduces 2015 ATS Coupe • Cadillac’s first compact luxury Coupe, infused with ATS sedan’s agility • 2.0L Turbo model is segment’s lightest, with increased torque for faster acceleration • Launching in summer 2014, continuing Cadillac’s ongoing expansion

Photo Credit: General Motors

Cadillac today introduced the all-new 2015 ATS Coupe, a quicker and more personal addition to the award-winning ATS product line. Designed to be lighter, more agile and more engaging than its competitors, it extends Cadillac’s product-driven growth and the brand’s tradition of dynamic luxury Coupes.

Cadillac’s first-ever compact luxury Coupe goes on sale this summer, offering drivers the choice of rear-wheel drive or allwheel drive, and the power from a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder or a 3.6L six-cylinder. In all combinations, ATS Coupe takes advantage of its lightweight and strong structure to deliver exhilarating performance with efficiency, with a segmentleading power-to-weight ratio.

“The 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe is a natural step in the brand‘s progression, and another distinctive, fun-to-drive and technologically advanced product for a new generation of drivers extending our target groups,” said Uwe Ellinghaus, chief marketing officer, Global Cadillac. “It is an exclusively distinctive Ameri-

can alternative, unique in its class, yet delivering a sporty and sophisticated driving experience rivaling the world‘s best.”

Like the sedan, the ATS Coupe’s driving dynamics are rooted in mass efficiency, which helps make it one of Cadillac’s lightest and most agile models ever – and the lightest car in the compact luxury Coupe segment. The 2.0L Turbo engine is upgraded from the current ATS sport sedan to deliver nearly 14 percent more torque, taking it to 295 lb-ft (400 Nm). This gives the standard ATS Coupe an advantage in power and weight over similarly equipped Coupes such as the BMW 428i.

Greater torque means greater pulling power, for a greater feeling of responsiveness at low speeds, and helps the ATS Coupe achieve an estimated 0-60 time of 5.6 seconds.

“More power with less weight is always a better combination for performance, and the ATS Coupe offers one of the best power-to-weight ratios in the segment, making it feel lighter, more direct and responsive,” said David Leone, Cadillac executive chief engineer. “Engineers vetted the ATS’s performance on the track, and the Coupe benefits from that exhaustive validation – all matched with Cadillac’s trademark refinement.”

Elements that contribute to the ATS Coupe’s balanced performance and responsive characteristics include:

Bavarian Times | 46

| Cars & Traffic

A driver-adjustable FE3 sport suspension is available and includes Magnetic Ride Control, a mechanical limited-slip differential, high-capacity engine cooling system and 18-inch summer-performance tires. Magnetic Ride Control is a realtime damping system that delivers more precise body motion

control. It “reads” the road and can change damping every millisecond.

Advanced safety features ATS Coupe delivers the same safety technologies found in the ATS Sedan. Additionally, Cadillac provides available advanced safety based on Cadillac’s “control and alert” strategy, which employs up to two cameras, eight ultrasonic sensors and six radar signals to help prevent crashes.

The safety features bolster driver vision and awareness of road hazards, and can even help the driver avert potential crashes. In certain situations, Cadillac’s advanced crash-avoidance systems, such as automatic braking, can pre-fill and automatically apply braking in response to potential hazards.

Among the most sophisticated of the features is Fr ont and Rear Automatic Braking. It relies on radar, camera and ultrasonic technology to help the driver prevent front and rear low-speed collisions via a progression of alerts that extend to complete braking, if necessary.

: Fresh - Perky - Fruity!

Wernberger Delicatessen

Bruno Koch GmbH&Co KG · Kolpingstraße 8 · 92533 Wernberg-Köblitz Phone 09604/2238 · Fax 09604/3196

www.wernberger-champignons.de

White mushrooms and other cultivated mushrooms, cowberries, honey and jellies from the Oberpfalz region you can also buy conveniently online.

Mushrooms

different mixes, also for pizzas and butcheries

gourmet cowberries

Home-made gourmet cowberries made from wild Nordic berries

We personally serve you Mon-Thur from 8 to 11 a.m. and from 1.30 to 4 p.m. and Fri from 8 to 11 a.m.

Our online store www.wernberger-feinkost.de will be open starting Jan. 1, 2014!

Photo Credit: General Motors

• Nearly perfect 50/50 weight balance and low center of gravity • Five-link independent rear suspension featuring lightweight, high-strength steel and efficient straight link designs • A multi-link double-pivot MacPherson-strut front suspension with direct-acting stabilizer bar • Underbody aerodynamic shields • Premium, belt-driven electric variable-effort steering gear from ZF Steering Systems • Brembo front brakes • Eighteen-inch aluminum wheels • Available all-wheel drive.

| Cars & Traffic

Bergwirtschaft

Many of the advanced safety features are bundled in the Driver Awareness and Driver Assist Packages. The Driver Awareness package is available on Luxury and included in Performance and Premium Collections. It includes:

Auf dem Mariahilfberg 2 · 92224 Amberg Telefon 09621-12248 www.bergwirtschaft-amberg.de

• Safety Alert Seat • Forward Collision Alert • Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keep Assist – new to Cadillac for 2015 • Intellibeam® high-beam control • Front and rear park assist • Rear-vision camera with dynamic guidelines.

Home-style cooking e.g. Schnitzel, steaks, fish and venison plus seasonal dishes upon request

Home-made cakes, tarts and cream puffs, also to go!

Hot meals Open all day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Visit our patio with its beautiful view over the city.

Closed on Mondays.

Das Bier, das uns zu Freunden macht The Erras Family is looking forward to your visit.

The Driver Assist package is available on Performance and Premium collections and includes all of the Driver Awareness package content, plus: • Full-Speed Range Adaptive Cruise Control • Automatic Collision Preparation • Automatic Safety Belt Tightening • Electronic Park Brake • Front and Rear Automatic Braking • Enhanced Side Blind Zone Alert – new to Cadillac for 2015 • Rear Cross-Traffic Alert • Full-color head-up display.

The advanced technologies complement other ATS safety features, including eight standard air bags, safety belt pretensioners and load limiters, StabiliTrak electronic stability control system with full-function traction control and four-wheel disc brakes with four-channel ABS, patented rotor coating protection and auto-dry functionality. (General Motors)

Bavarian Times | 48

Photo Credit: General Motors

Opening hours, Tuesday through Sunday 9a.m. to 10 p.m.

| Hunting

Deer and Sea Eagle on Grafenwoehr Training Area

The Federal Forest Office is responsible for the care of the wildlife stock and the forest. Forest rangers in nine forest districts care for the training area. The total number of deer can only be estimated and inferred from the number of animals shot each year which is approximately 2,000. Hunts are conducted as individual hunts during range down times. Passionate hunters pay several thousand Euro for the trophies of grand old deer. Large driven hunts are held towards the end of the year to quickly and aggressively correct the deer population and to reach the required number of killed animals.

Americans, such as the chief of Range Control, Lt. Col. An-

49 | Bavarian Times

drew Green or Fred Valiere from Joint Multinational Training Command are regularly invited by chief of the Federal Forest Office, Forest Director Ulrich Maushake, to participate in the hunts. During a driven hunt, the deer is slowly and without panic guided towards the raised stands. Wild boars, deer and other huntable wildlife are shot in “deer haven.”

The sea eagle is a protected species and has found a home on the wide ranges of the training area. An independent population of sea eagles is living on the training area since the end of the 1980s. Protected by the military safety zones and the special care of the forest rangers and the environmental office of the US Army Garrison Bavaria, the eagles have successfully raised their offspring year by year. Sea eagles reach an impressive wing span of 2.4 meters and are the largest European birds of prey. The strictly protected and rare eagles profit from the rich wildlife on the training area and live on deceased wildlife and the bowels of the animals after the hunts.

| by Gerald Morgenstern

Photo Credit: Gerald Morgenstern

Grafenwoehr, Germany – American Soldiers often call Grafenwoehr Training Area “deer haven.” Gun shots and the roar of cannons do not conflict with deer and the fauna, on the contrary: The training area is the area with the largest deer population in Germany. Large herds roam through the forests and can be seen browsing on the wide open fields, completely unimpressed by military operations. The fact that the training area is off limits to the public and the fact that the spacious safety zones and impact areas are free of people, have a positive impact on the wildlife stock.

| Pets

Dog and Baby – How Does it Work?

You don’t have to give your dog away if you get pregnant. But you have to prepare him for the new family member. You have to teach your dog from the very beginning that it must become part of the pack. Then your dog will not relate those changes to the baby and the baby won’t be a reason for jealousy.

Establish a regular pack order: You and your husband are the leaders of the pack and set the rules. Your dog is a “helper” in the pack -- he watches out, signals danger, helps. And the baby takes the non-competitive role of the puppy that can do what it pleases as long as it follows the your and your helper’s rules.

As of now, don’t allow your dog to bee disobedient, be strict and consistent. NEVER hit your dog -- whether with the hand, foot, or with things. You need a lot of patience. Admonish and help your dog more than ever to ensure he really understands what it is you expect from him. Practice “Stop and let go” with dogs who like to defend “their” things.

Assign distinct spaces before the baby arrives: the baby’s bed, the changing table are off-limits for the dog. Go into the (still empty) baby’s room with him several times a day, do something in the room but watch your dog. Your dog must learn now that this room is not his territory but that he is only a guest there and that he cannot get comfortable there.

Photo Credit: Alexandra Walberer

Never leave your baby and your dog alone with each other and without supervision!

When you are present, your dog will always allow you to be the boss. But once you have left the room, he will naturally assume your role. And then he wants to implement what he has seen and learned from you and will start correcting the baby. You must always keep that under control. Protect your dog from the baby’s encroachments. If a baby, happily squealing, squeezes a dog’s fur or nose, the dog does not think that this is funny and he also does NOT consider that “playing.” Help him, protect your dog before he has to that himself! NEVER let your baby get close with his or her face to the dog’s face. Also, do not take your baby’s little hand and stroke the dog’s fur with it. Your dog will misunderstand that. A dog does not always take the last

place in the family hierarchy and it does not have to take abuse from a toddler , or allow a toddler to take things away from him.

That is life-threatening – for children and for dogs (the children will be hurt and the dogs are then put to sleep, sold. or beaten.)

So teach both: Teach your dog that the baby is a puppy that you take care of and train yourself and that his only task is to protect thee puppy from harm when you tell him to do so. But also teach your baby from Day 1 that the dog is your trusted and respected helper and family member who will not be hurt, and that only you have the right to admonish the dog. You decide what the dog and what the baby may do. Never forget that a dog is an animal of prey. Every small, cute dog has a biting power of 790 kg and a dog that bites changes everything -- for you, your baby and for the dog. | by Alexandra Walberer

Bavarian Times | 50

Facility & Road/Openings/ Construction/Closures

Army Community Service (ACS)

Rose Barracks road closures & detours Partial and total road closures are to be expected during the following dates for road construction for District Heating for several buildings. Detour signs will be posted when necessary.

70th Artillery Street Now-14 March: One lane open for traffic

Soldier & Family Assistance Center 20 March: Education Fair, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., Rose Barracks, Bldg 165

Community Highlights It’s tax time!

Tax Centers are the easiest way to file your taxes for free. Last tax season, tax centers in Bavaria processed 10,220 tax returns, saving more than $1.5 million in commercial preparation and filing fees, and generating over $19 million in refunds. The filing deadline for the tax year is 15 April, but the overseas filing deadline is 16 June. Click here for contact info and tax filing document requirements. Tower Barrack Tax Center: Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-noon, 1–5 p.m. Bldg. 216, First Floor: Tax Center DSN 475-9258, CIV 09641-83-9258. Rose Barracks Tax Center: Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Bldg. 245, First Floor: Tax Center DSN 476-2714, CIV 09662-83-2714.

The German-American Volksfest is back 1–3 Aug: Great news! We‘ve just learned that the 56th annual German-American Volksfest will be held Aug. 1–3 at U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria. So make your plans to attend.

Army Emergency Relief begins again Nov–15 May: The Army Emergency Relief (AER) program in underway. All units within USAG Bavaria geographic footprint are requested to provide an AER Representatives. For questions please contact Mrs. Christine Nunez-Stolz, DSN: 475-6133 St. Paddy’s Day Party 15 March: 10 p.m.–2 a.m. at the Tower Barracks Warrior Zone, Bldg. 153. As the saying goes, “Everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day!” The Tower Barracks Warrior Zone is hosting its annual St. Paddy’s Day Party. With BOSS providing snack food/beverage resale and a live DJ, you’re likely to find gold at the end of rainbow. You’re also highly encouraged to wear Green.

Women’s History Month Celebration 21 March: Come join in the celebration of Woman’s History Month with the Bavaria Military Community. 1–2 p.m, 21 March at the Tower Theater. This is a free event hosted by the 7th Army NCO Academy aimed at recognizing the contributions and sacrifices made by Woman to our society. Guest speaker: Ms. Judith Brown. This year‘s theme: Women of Character, Courage and Commitment.

51 | Bavarian Times

Military and Family Life Consultants are here for you Military Life Consultants provide solution-oriented consultations to individuals, couples, families, and groups. They are designed to provide anonymous, confidential support to Soldiers and their family members, especially those returning from deployments. To contact a military life consultant, call Rose Barracks 0152-02940761 / 017-4147-6846 or Tower Barracks 0152-0293-4290 / 0152-0241-5226, Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.–8 p.m.

25 March: Coping With Transition, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Rose Barracks, Bldg 322

Exchange News Starbucks Now Open Starbucks is now open at the Tower Barracks Exchange Mall.

Starbucks operating hours will be Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.7 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Free military-only comic book: Thor Thor: the Asgardian Thunder God is starring in a new, military-exclusive, FREE comic book from Marvel Custom Solutions and the Army & Air Force Exchange Service. The 32-page comic features Thor defending New York City from the fearsome Frost Giant. Pick up a free copy at your local Exchange Main Store and Retail Store.

| Eventcalendar

Sports, Fitness, Hobbies & Recreation 2014 Grafenwoehr Rugged Terrain Obstacle Run deadline extended 19 March: The 2nd Annual Grafenwoehr Rugged Terrain Obstacle Runs deadline has been extended! Emphasis is placed on community member participation. The cross-country obstacle run is a test of strength and camaraderie that includes various stages such as a mud crawl, rock climb and balance beam track. Remember there is NO onsit Sundays are Family Bowling days Sundays: Every Sunday from 2–8 p.m. at the Tower Barracks Bowling Center, kids bowl for $1 and adults bowl for $2.25. At the Rose Barracks Bowling Center, we offer “All you can Bowl” for one low price. Call the Bowling Centers for more details.

Intramural Soccer League Registration 1–31 March: Register now for the upcoming Intramural Level Soccer League, both company and battalion level. Stop by your local fitness center for more information and to sign up today.

DSN 475-8207, CIV 09641-83-8207 Bavarian Ski Club trip to Austria 21–23 March: Join the Bavarian Ski Club for an incredible weekend to the resort / ski town of Bad Gastein, Austria, March 21–23. The resort boasts 201 km of ski runs with 44 lifts. Cost is €270 and includes 2 nights accommodation, breakfast and dinner each day, a 2-day lift ticket and transportation to/from the Graf commissary with sandwiches and beverages on the bus. To sign up, contact Steve Derr at DSN 476-3418, Civ. 0162296-0979, or email steven_derr@hotmail.com. All snowboard & ski levels welcome! Like us on Facebook for trip updates and additional information about upcoming club meetings.

Soccer Coach’s & Officials Clinic 31 March–3 April: 6-9 p.m. at Tower Barracks, Bldg. 539. If you love the game of Soccer, but the game is starting to pass you by, it might be time to hang up those cleats and start officiating.

There is a shortage of qualified officials for all sports and it

would be great if you came out and gave officiating Soccer a try while making some extra money on the side. Stop by your local fitness center for more information and to sign up today.

Was ist Los? Flea markets Every Sat., 6 a.m. - 4 p.m., in 93059 Regensburg inside the building at Am Protzenweiher 27, ph 0941-82-933. The market will not take place on German holidays.

Every second Sat. of the month: 6 a.m. - 3 p.m.: in 90443 Nuremburg, Großparkplatz (large car park) on Gugelstraße, corner Humboldtstraße.

Every third Sat. of the month: 7 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. in 92224 Amberg, Kaufland-Parkplatz, An den Franzosenaeckern Every third Sun. of the month: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Trödel- & Jahrmarkt in 93073 Neutraubling (next to Regensburg), at the “Globus” DITY store, Pommernstraße 4.

Bicycle Fair: Rad 14 15 & 16 March: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. both days, in 90762 Fürth, Stadthalle, Rosenstraße 50, ph 0911-749-120 (ca. 10 km / 6 miles west of Nürnberg). Admission is € 5 pp; children under 14 are free. Spring is upon us, and it‘s time to get fit again. One of the easiest ways to do so is riding a bike. This fair shows you all the latest trends, including the modern e-bikes (electric bikes, or “pedelecs” in German). There will also be information about travelling on bicycles (“Radreisen”).

Artisan Easter Market 16 March: 10 a.m.–5 p.m., in 95463 Bindlach, in the Bärenhalle, Hofackerstraße (ca. 7 km / 4 miles north of Bayreuth).

This market poses a great chance for local artisans to display and sell their exquisite goods, made from a large variety of materials, as well as dolls, teddy bears, homemade jams and liqueurs. In addition, extremely delicious cakes

FESTSPIELSTADT

WUNSIEDEL

Unique Rock Maze Luisenburg & Bird of Prey Park Katharinenberg

Experience Europe’s largest granite area & spectacular flight shows in the birds of prey park Tourist-Information touristinfo@wunsiedel.de Jean-Paul-Straße 5 95632 Wunsiedel

www.wunsiedel.de

Phone: 09232 602-162 Fax: 09232 602-169

| Eventcalendar

and Torten are being sold, and many activities for children and adults will keep you entertained. Admission is € 2.50 pp.

Spring has Sprung 20 March: Today is Vernal Equinox, or the start of spring.

Today, the number of hours in the daytime is the same as the number of hours in the night-time. Look at this lovely animation to see how the Earth travels around the sun and how it is related to equinoxes and solstices.

Starkbierfest 22 March: in Pressath, Stadthalle at 8 p.m. Entrance at 7 p.m. Entrance fee will be €3. The Pressather Musikanten will play Bavarian music and modern style music. For reservation please contact Gerlinde Reich@t-online.de.

IVV Volksmarch 22 & 23 March: 7 a.m.–midday both days, in 91330 Eggolsheim (ca. 21 km / 13 miles SE of Bamberg). Start and end point is the Eggerbach-Halle on Josef-Kolb-Straße 10a.

Finish time is 4 p.m. both days. Two distances are available, 5km and 10km, both of which are suitable for baby buggies.

Fee is € 2 pp, with prize it‘s € 4 pp. The prize is a 20cm-high Easter bunny on an egg.

Street Market: Mittefastenmarkt 23 March: 10:30 a.m.–6 p.m., in 92637 Weiden, Altstadt (historic city center) / Fußgängerzone (pedestrian zone).

Click for a map of suggested car parks.

Easter Market 23 March: 11 a.m.–5 p.m., in 92277 Hohenburg, at the Rathaus = town hall, Marktplatz 19. Hohenburg borders onto the northern end of Hohenfels Training Area. It is ca. 30 km / 18 miles north of Hohenfels if you drive around the HTA, via Schmidmühlen.

Fresh Produce/ Farmers’ Markets Note: If any of the listed days is a German holiday, the markets are usually held the day prior.

In 92224 Amberg: every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m.–12:30 p.m., on the Marktplatz.

In 91522 Ansbach: every Wednesday and Saturday 8 a.m.–1 p.m., on Martin-Luther-Platz. ***In addition to the regular fresh produce markets, local farmers offer their fresh goods every first and third Saturday of the month at the farmers market on Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Platz (same opening hours). Great opportunity to buy seasonal produce as fresh as it gets.

In 96047 Bamberg: Monday thru Saturday, 7 a.m.–6 p.m., on Maxplatz. Closed on Sundays and German holidays.

In 92318 Neumarkt: every Thursday and Saturday, in Untere Marktstraße. Thursday 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.—1 p.m.

In 92331 Parsberg: every Wednesday and Friday on Stadtplatz. Wednesday 7 a.m.–midday, Friday 2–6 p.m.

In 93047 Regensburg: every Saturday 7 a.m.–1 p.m., at the Donaumarkt (right next to the Eiserne Brücke / Iron Bridge).

Closest car park is Unterer Wöhrd (and a short walk across Eiserne Brücke), or Dultplatz and Oberer Wöhrd (walk across the Steinerne Brücke / Stone Bridge and turn left).

In 92637 Weiden: every Wednesday and Saturday 7 a.m.

–12:30 p.m., Oberer and Unterer Markt / all around the Altes Rathaus (historic city hall, pedestrian zone).

In 97070 Würzburg: Monday thru Saturday, 7 a.m.–1 p.m., on Rathausplatz. Closed on Sundays and German holidays.

For more events in your community, visit the USAG Bavaria Facebook page at www.facebook.com/USAGBavaria or USAG Bavaria’s website at www.grafenwoehr. army.mil and click on the “Weekly Newsletter” tab.

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| Events

Ice Hockey World Championship Test Game for Team USA Nuremberg, Germany -- On May 6, 2014 Team USA, staffed with many top-class NHL players will play against the German ice hockey national team at the ARENA NÜRNBERGER VERSICHERUNG in Nuremberg. It will be the last test game prior to the start of the world championships and promises to be a highclass competition.

Last test for the US national ice hockey team: Four days prior to the first game at the 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships in Minsk/Belarus(May 9-25), team USA will play against Germany at the ARENA NÜRNBERGER VERSICHERUNG in Nuremberg against Team Germany. Pat Cortina, coach of the German team, is expecting a difficult opponent: “The North Americans are top-class players. We have to prepare for a hard fight against a young and highly motivated team.”

After seven years, it will be the first national ice hockey match at the ARENA NÜRNBERGER VERSICHERUNG. Both teams leave for Belarus the next day so that fans can look forward

Ticket information Members of the US military receive a ten percent discount on the admission fees. To order tickets, and for more information about the game and details about the scheduled bus transportation, contact the USAG Bavaria Outdoor Recreation Center at DSN 475-8529, CIV 09641-83-8529, or by e-mail to anita.guenther.ln@mail.mil.

to seeing two teams in top form, playing with their top players.

“With Team USA, we offer fans a true ice hockey treat shortly before the start of the world championships,” says Jürgen Fottner, general manager of the ARENA NÜRNBERGER VERSICHERUNG. Since the NHL season will already be over, some of the top players od the world’s best ice hockey league are expected to be on the team. The game offers US military members in Bavaria a great chance to see their favorite players on the ice.

Complimenting the great event on the ice, is an entertainment program that visitors can enjoy starting at 3 p.m. in Noah´s Beach Garden and in the auditorium next to the ARENA. While the beer garden is inviting folks to come and linger, enjoying spring temperatures, the German Railroad Museum and the Tucherland, Nuremberg’s only in- and outdoor playground offer a large program for families with a jumping castle, face painting and more. Young and old can also take a personal souvenir photo at the Raabe photo shop. Stay curious -- more events are in the planning!

| by Oliver Dürrbeck

Bavarian Times | 54

| Events

Auerbach celebrate 700 years anniversary

Photo Credit: Sabine Wiesent

Auerbach, Germany – The mining town of Auerbach is in the middle of celebrating its 700th anniversary. The year began with a giant laser show and an “Auerbach Hymn” that had been especially composed for this event. The anniversary year has been planned by a working group since 2012. At the Auerbach town hall, Lidwina Pfab, Tina Schwendner, Tanja Tauber and intern Marina Schwemmer put their heart and soul into planning the logistics of the anniversary events while continuing their regular day to day administrative work.

Their biggest challenge were the seating charts for the large events that were subject to a fee to include performances

by D´Altneihauser Feierwehrkapell´n, Konstantin Wecker, the Prussian Chamber Orchestra, and the rock opera “Faust.” Tickets are available online for all events. And the seating charts can be viewed online as well and those had to be coordinated.

“We had never done that before,” explains Pfab. So how do you go about it?

At first, helpers marked the dimensions of the stage at the Helmut-Ott-Auditorium with duct tape. Then, the chairs were put up. Employees of the public services department were allowed to test them. How many people fit into one block, how many on the bleachers. “We quickly noticed that there was no room for speculation.” So they tested, counted and then drew a plan.

For the outdoor events, the Lower Market was measured and a second plan was drawn for the Helmut-Ott-Auditorium in case the outdoor event had to be moved there due to rain. “It had to be the same exact seating chart, with the same amount of possibilities and three different categories of seats, A, B or C. Garden chairs, like the ones used last summer during the outdoor performance of “Faust,” or folding chairs? The latter were chosen and the ladies determined that the space from chair to chair was 1.1 meters which allowed them to calculate how many chairs could be put in one row and one block.

Experience early summer in the magic of

Amberg‘s World Theater „The Fall of the Winter King“ a historic city play with music

May 23 - June 9, 2014 Mariahilfberg Church

Info and reservations: Tourist Info Amberg · Hallplatz 2 · 92224 Amberg · Phone: 09621-10233 · www.tourismus.amberg.de

| Events

Escape routes had to remain empty and there had to be a space between the chairs and the sidewalk. Endless possibilities, calculated on the computer until the final plans were finished and can now be used during the ticket sale. Auerbach’s webpage (www.auerbach.de) lists all large and small events, ticket sales have started, and tickets can be booked there.

The highlight will definitely be the large anniversary weekend in July. From July 4 - 6, the inner city of Auerbach will turn into a party mile. On Sunday, a large parade with 65 floats and walking groups will portray 700 years past and present.

Photo Credit: Sabine Wiesent

Auerbach has 8.900 inhabitants, a historic old town which is registered on The Hague List and a town where you can start and raise a family. That is the mining town of Auerbach, located in the most Northern part of Amberg-Sulzbach County, embedded into the beautiful landscape between the Jurassic Sea and the Veldensteiner Forest.

Bishop Otto, the Holy, first founded the Michelfeld Benedictine Monastery in 1119. He bequeathed almost all towns of the area, to include “Urbach,” the town along the creek where the aurochs could often be found, to the monastery Michelfeld. The abbot and his monks did not like the market that was soon established around the monastery. Therefore, they asked the bishop and emperor to transfer it from Michelfeld to Auerbach in 1144. A separate parish was established and a settlement of houses grew around the church of St. John, the Baptist. To date, that footprint has practically remained unchanged and can be seen in the old town. People made their money with the ore that was recovered in and around Auerbach and processed in the many hammer mills. It was also the basis for the many trade relations with the metropolises of the time. Patrician families from Nuremberg moved to Auerbach and in 1314, Ludwig, the Bavarian granted city rights to Auerbach.

Today, Auerbach is located at the most Northern border of the Oberpfalz government district, bordering Middle and Upper Franconia. “Auerbach is lovable and worth living in,” says Mayor Joachim Neuß. “Here, people still know each other, speak

57 | Bavarian Times

with one another on the street, and stick together.” And they are looking forward to the 700th anniversary and many guests that will celebrate with them. | by Sabine Wiesent

Bullhead

The place to be!

House Summer Action: Biking & Hiking Trails Bikepark Ochsenkopf zipline park

Restaurant - Hostel

Mountainbike-Rental & Store Authentic Bavarian Food famous Homemade Burgers Steaks, Pasta and more!

Special arrangements for birthday parties, anniversaries, weddings and more!

Call us or send an e-mail for details!

At the southern Ochsenkopf lift base in Fleckl

Open: Wed - sun 9am-10pm

Www.bullheadhouse.de / 09277/975379 Fleckl 13, 95485 Warmensteinach

| Events

Stores open on Jubilate Market Sunday Weiden, Germany – A number of stores open their doors on Jubilate Market Sunday, May 11, inviting shoppers to take a stroll through Weiden‘s beautiful downtown.

Starting at 10.30 a.m. you can start looking for bargains, shopping and enjoying the atmosphere. Like every year, you can expect many booths and a wide variety of goods.

Photo Credit: ProWeiden

PRO WEIDEN will also be participating. The city marketing association is organizing this year‘s fashion show. Exclusive

Go to www.proweiden.de or pick up one of the flyers on display throughout the city for general information and for detailed information on the stage program.

spring fashion trends will not only excite fashion fans. Festive, chic, modern, and classic fashion, following this year‘s motto “Summer feeling” promise visitors an entertaining and unique Mother‘s Day trip to Weiden. Needless to say, PRO WEIDEN has prepared a small surprise for all mothers.

Additional entertainment will be provided by a large show program. Whether dancing or singing, there is something for everyone. Many stores will open their doors from 1-6 p.m. to provide you with a chance to go on a shopping spree. In addition to the stores in downtown Weiden, many other stores throughout Weiden‘s city will be open. Enjoy a special Mother‘s Day in the historic city. The City of Weiden and PRO WEIDEN wish you a good time! | by Andrea Janker

Our Indian cook spoils you with original Indian culinary.

Special Highlight: Lunch menu‘s Monday – Saturday at 5 € Car d pa ym

ent

We would be pleased to take reservations for company events, birthday parties and more.

Special highlight: lunch menu’s Monday – Saturday.

Wiesenstr 1, 92637 Weiden, Telephone: 0157/30361661

More information: ganesha-weiden.de

OPENING HOURS: 11 am – 2 pm and 5 am – 11 pm

| Events

Nofi-Lauf – The Upper Palatinate Company Run Registration fees until May 17, 2014: 16,50 € per person Late registration is not possible.

Benefits Net time measurement with chip; T-shirts for participants; one beverage and noodles or chili; online certificate, team photo sponsored by fotopuzzle.de Award ceremony at approx. 8 p.m. on the compound of the horticultural show Changing rooms/showers Shower tents provided by the fire department Public Runners‘ Party on the compound of the horticultural show

Issue of race numbers Tuesday, May 27, 6-8 p.m., Der Neue Tag office building, Media Room, Weigelstraße 16, 92637 Weiden Wednesday, May 28, 4-6 p.m., Tirschenreuth Town Hall, Maximilianplatz (start and finish) The run Employees of companies, public administrations and government agencies from the entire Northern Oberpfalz region.

Runners must not be registered by their company. To qualify for an award, at least three members of a team must cross the finish line. However, single runners or teams of two employees will also be clocked. All runners start at the same time and will complete the 6.3 kilometer-long route. Time is clocked by a micro chip that must be attached to the shoe laces. The chips will be issued with the race number. The Olympic idea is the basis of the event: Taking part is what matters!

Points of contact Martin Neuhaus, Norbert Tannhäuser, Phone: 0961-303-2010

The patrons

Mayor Franz Stahl, TIR

More information and registration at

www.bavarian-times.com/run

presented by

County County Mayor Commissioner Commissioner Kurt Seggewiß, Simon Wittmann, Wolfgang Lippert WEN NEW TIR

The sponsors

5th Northern Oberpfalz Company Run

The route 6,3 km

Start 6.30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 Tirschenreuth

Participate in the 5th Northern Oberpfalz Company Run on May 28, 2014 in Tirschenreuth!

How fit is your company?

Registration online only at www.bavarian-times.com/nofi-lauf

www.nofi-lauf.de

| Travel

Natural Monument Devil’s Cave Pottenstein The Devil’s Cave near Pottenstein The Devil’s Cave, the largest and most significant stalactite cave in the Fränkische Schweiz region is located 1.5 km southeast of the mountain town of Pottenstein, directly adjacent to B-470.

A large parking area, a rock terrace with a café, a beautiful view into the Weihersbach Valley and many hiking paths that lead directly to the cave, along with many sights along Pottenstein’s adventure mile turn a visit of the gave into an interesting experience for everybody.

Every year, 160.000 visitors are guided on a 1.5 kilometer-long path through the great vugs of the cave with its unique stalactites “Emperor Barbarossa”, “Crucifixion Group,” “Goliath”, or “Tree.”

The cavern entrance is also fascinating. Through a small, romantic rock maze, visitors return to the cave entrance. The skeleton of a cave bear reminds visitors of the many discoveries of fossil bones in this cavern.

Photo Credit: Zweckverband Teufelshöhle

The new LED-equipped lighting system, combined with a light show and a sound system, presents the cavern and its stalactites in completely new and unexpected dimensions.

Tours (also available in English and French) take place between Easter and All -Saints’ Day daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A tour lasts 45 minutes. Special tours, for example for kids, about geology, or bat tours, also take place regularly. The special tour “A special look at the Devil’s Cave - a tour on secret paths” is held every last Friday of the month at 5 p.m. and takes 1.5 hrs. Due to the limited number of participants, reservations must be made. For more information, call the cavern’s cash desk at CIV 09243-208.

Therapy in the Devil’s Cave The Devil’s Cave is a member of the “German Therapeutic Cavern

Detailed information for our guests is available at the Tourism Office 91278 Pottenstein Phone: 09243-70841 www.pottenstein.de www.teufelshoehle.de

Association.” Since the mid 1980s, rest cures for patients with respiratory illnesses are being offered in three therapy rooms, located far away from the visitors. Attended by specialized staff, patients with asthma, bronchitis, hay fever, allergic skin diseases, or croup are being treated here. The treatment of kids suffering from whooping cough has also been very successful. Rest cures are offered daily from 10 a.m. to noon and from 2-4 p.m. from Easter to the end of October. Patients need a medical certificate from their attending physician, or from one of the certified doctors in Pottenstein to go through the therapy. For more information and to register, contact the Kurverwaltung (spa administration) Pottenstein at CIV 0924370841, or go to www.teufelshoehle.de und www.spelaeo.de Culture in the Devil’s Cave For years, the cavern has served as a great location for entertaining, sophisticated concerts and plays. Famous comedians regularly perform in the Devil’s Cave from May through October. The current program is available at the Kurverwaltung, the cave‘s cash desk and online at www.teufelshoehle.de. The event series “Culture in the Devil’s Cave” has long become a permanent fixture in the annual regional calendar of events. In 2013, a new event series called “Children’s Culture in the Devil’s Cave,” especially designed for children and families, was established. | by Editorial Department Phone: 09243-208 (Cave cash desk) Phone: 09243-70841 (Cave administration - Town hall) Fax: 09243-208 or 70840 E-Mail: info@teufelshoehle.de Internet: www.teufelshoehle.de, www.pottenstein.de, www. jurahoehlen.de

one of the longest stalactite caves in Germany Tours, daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Restaurant – bus parking Pottenstein’s adventure mile Area with the largest number of breweries in the world!

| Travel

Tour the trains once enjoyed by royalty at the DB Museum.

Static models and exhibits show how the railway started.

DB Museum highlights the history of train travel NUREMBERG, Germany – German trains are synonymous with clockwork efficiency, but it wasn‘t always that way. The Deutsche Bahn Museum, here, takes visitors through 200 years of history that produced the bustling, reliable system travelers enjoy today.

The documentation and photo archive display showcases over 70,000 individual items covering operating manuals from locomotives, technical drawing of railway vehicles and installations, financial reports through the years and a collection of graphics and posters enticing the public to ride the rails.

The bahn was born when a steam train made a six-kilometer run from Nuremberg to the neighboring town of Fuerth in December 1835.

Apart from the growth of the trains themselves, the exhibition charts economic and social changes that came with it the evolution of the railway, including progresses made in travel comfort, and improvements in the working condition of the railway employees. These changes are featured in absorbing multimedia presentations.

Bragging rights followed with the opening of the Royal Bavarian Railway Museum in 1899. Over a century later, the museum, now called the DB Museum, boasts an impressive history of train travel throughout Germany‘s history.

Spread over two stories, the exhibition spans two centuries and explains the interaction of the railway with technology and commerce, politics and culture. Old steam engines of yesteryear, combined with the futuristic ICE trains will pique the interest of any train enthusiast as they travel throughout history.

Slip back in time with the royal train made for King Ludwig II of Bavaria, the oldest steam locomotive in Germany still in its original state, and rest your weary bones in a 19th century waiting room reserved exclusively for a “person of the highest rank.”

A recently added section covering the railways in the Nazi era, with full size carriages and engines, as well as scaled-down models and plenty of information, will quell knowledge-seekers thirst for World War II history.

The trip down memory lane continues with an exhibition housing documents, uniforms and propaganda of the last century, including modeled ticket booths and antiquated ticket machines.

61 | Bavarian Times

The museum is a family affair and children will particularly enjoy the Railway Experience area, where they‘re encouraged learn through interactive, hands-on exhibits. It‘s not just for kids, though. Adults can easily make their own fun in this exhibit, as well.

The museum is located at Lessingstrasse 6, 90443 Nuremberg (easily accessible by train) and is closed on Mondays.

Ticket prices are 5 euros for adults, and 2.50 euros for children 6-17. Children under 6 are free.

A family pass is also available, which includes 2 adults and up to 4 children, for 10 euros. The audio guide is an extra euro and well worth it.

As an added bonus, museum-goers receive a reduced rate when traveling by DB rail or the VGN public transport system.

Present your train ticket upon arrival for a discounted entrance rate.

| by Molly Hayden, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs

Photo Credit: Molly Hayden, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Public Affairs

That simple journey would soon catapult Germany into the Industrial Age.

| Travel

Dublin‘s historical Kilmainham Gaol, pictured here, is an old prison worth visiting during your stay in this historic European city.

DUBLIN -- Having lived in Germany for three and half years, it was a nice break to visit a destination where the locals spoke a language I could understand. In Dublin, Ireland, the people are

friendly, the food satisfying, and the culture memorable. Definitely take the hop over to the island of Ireland before leaving Europe. Here‘s a destination you can knock out in a four-day weekend, but easily extend into a seven -day excursion if you venture outside the city a few afternoons. Either way, your visit will be chockfull of sites and tours.

Top 5 Tips:

Waldschänke am Hirschpark

1. Bring an umbrella, pack layers and wear good walking shoes. The weather is perpetually damp and chilly, especially during the spring months. It‘s no wonder wool is popular here. Check out the Aran Island sweaters.

Daily lunch and dinner menus with our well-known venison dishes and delicacies. Home-made Oberpfalz donuts, cakes and tarts daily.

We are looking forward to hosting your family events, birthday, wedding, etc.

There is a deer park and a playground for our “little guests.“

The innkeepers Betty and Bernhard Geitner and their team are looking forward to your visit.

Heinzhof 5 bei Hausen • 92289 Ursensollen • Phone 09628-91153 www.waldschaenke-heinzhof.de • closed on Mondays and Tuesdays

Bavarian Times | 62

Photo Credit: Tina MacDonald, USAG Schweinfurt Public Affairs

Commentary: Your four-day weekend guide to Dublin, Ireland

| Travel

2. Purchase the Dublin Pass upon arrival. This pass can be purchased for 1, 2, 3 or 6 days and will allow you free entry to 32 of the city‘s sites for a value of 39-105 euros depending on the length of your visit. Also, you will have free airport transfer via coach bus to the city center. Visit www.dublinpass.ie for the details. (Note: I have shared the single adult entry fees for the city sites in this article in case you choose not to purchase the Dublin Pass).

3. Find hotel accommodations close to the city center, somewhere between the Custom House and Merrion Square (designated as D1 and D2 respectively). When planning your accommodations, it‘s important to know that the city center is compact and offers plenty of options within walking distance to just about everything interesting in Dublin.

4. Try the traditional food offered at your hotel or local eatery.

The full breakfast is comprised of meat (bacon, sausage and black/white pudding), eggs, vegetable (tomato), bean, potato and bread. It will help you make it through the cold, damp morning and give you the energy to walk your way through the city. Bangers and mash, stew, fish and chips, and sammies (sandwiches) are all good choices for lunch fare to keep up your energy as the day fades to night.

5. Use the Dublin bus system to travel from/to the airport or to get to a location that you deem too far to walk. It‘s easy to understand, bus drivers will help and the system‘s routes are reasonably priced. A trip to and from the airport to Dublin city center -- about a 30-minute ride -- is 6 euros.

Visit www.dublinsightseeing.ie for more. Remember, traffic comes from the right side, so be sure to stand on the correct side of the street for the bus.

Without much time or effort you can view what this city has to offer. A quick five-minute walk will lead you to the statue of literary genius James Joyce (read his Dubliners for more). Keep going and walk toward the General Post Office on O‘Connell Street, one of the many historical buildings of interest in the city center. If you head down any of the side streets, you will find plenty of shopping and food options. Cross over the Quays (pronounced Keys) along the Liffey and you will find Trinity College. Enjoy the campus, take a tour and stop in the library to view the Book of Kells (10 euros). If you enjoy old books, it‘s amazing to walk through. The Long Room of the library smells of musk and paper with its 200,000 books.

In Dublin, there‘s no shortage of food or drink. For that Irish pub feel, try Grogan‘s or Kehoe‘s, and for fab whole food sandwiches, head to Cornucopia -- all located close to the Grafton Street area.

Other highlights along your walk through the city include the Oscar Wilde Memorial at Merrion Square and beautiful St.

Stephen‘s Green. You can begin making your walk back to the Quays by walking along Grafton St. to shop or use Kildare St. and visit the National Museums and libraries. I ended up doing both but on different days, so take your time and do what you like.

Next, take the customary tourist photo outside of the Temple Bar and then go in and imbibe of the spirits. In Dublin, Guinness is the beer of choice. Drink it only if you know you like it, though. It does taste a bit better in Ireland than anywhere else.

If you don‘t prefer the taste of Guinness, choose Smithwicks (pronounced Smith-icks). It‘s a red ale beer that is a lighter option. Ask for a beer anywhere in Ireland and you‘ll likely be served Guinness.

Make your way back to the hotel after this eventful day and prepare for an evening show at the Abbey Theatre. I enjoyed “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde. Tickets for shows begin at 20 euros, depending on the show and/or seats. Visit www.abbeytheatre.ie for more.

The second day, venture outside of the city of Dublin. Search for a day tour that fits your interest. County Meath, for example, is a good destination of choice. The Boyne Valley in Coun-

Kemnather Straße 18 • 95469 Speichersdorf Phone: 09275-9840 • Fax: 09275-98484

Various rooms for up to 100 guests Home-style cooking Playroom for our little guests Modern guest rooms

nd you ouse , we will se th es gu r ou in sted If you are intere estions! with menu sugg er ld fo our menu Driving from Bayreuth to Weiden, leave B-22 at the Speichersdorf-Ost exit and drive towards the center of town. We are located on the left, about 250 meters after the exit.

d to your visit! r team!

Looking forwar Family and thei f ho -Im au sl os The G 63 | Bavarian Times

Visit us online at

www.landgasthof-imhof.de

| Travel

Photo Credit: Marek Ślusarczyk

ty Meath is known for Slane Castle, Newgrange, Hill of Tara, Knowth, among many other interesting sites and ruins. Newgrange, said to be an ancient passage tomb, is best visited during the winter solstice. However, it offers plenty for tourists to enjoy year round. Coach bus tours begin at about 35 euros for a tour of this area.

Upon return of the excursion, take the liberty to eat and drink your way through a few more recommended restaurants and pubs. Leo Burdock‘s Fish and Chips located by Christchurch, Kennedy‘s on Westland Row, Whelan‘s past St. Stephen‘s Green, and Oliver St. John Gogarty‘s in Temple Bar are just a few options to consider.

Day three, pick up the local bus and ride to the Kilmainham Gaol (pronounced Kill-mane-um Jail). It is worth the 6 euro ticket for the tour of this historic jail. Then, cross over the Quays to the Dublin Zoo (16.50 euros) in Phoenix Park. Be sure to plan

on spending a few hours wandering through the park and the zoo, though. It is said to have plenty to occupy an afternoon.

End the afternoon by visiting the Old Jameson Distillery, 14 euros for the tour. After the taste testing, walk your way through the Legal Quarter toward the Jervis Shopping Center and find souvenirs or other local goods. Once retail therapy is complete, I encourage you to prepare for another evening of culture at the Gate Theatre. Prices and availability vary so be sure to visit www.gatetheatre.ie for details.

On the fourth day, wander over the Quays via the Liffey Boardwalk and visit St. Patrick‘s Cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral and Dublinia (7.50 euros), the Viking/Medieval area (which includes Dublin Castle for 4.50 euros) and the Old City Walls.

Afterwards, make your way over to the Guinness Factory/Storehouse for a fun tourist stop. It‘s a bit more pricey, beginning at 15 euros for the tour, but it‘s self-paced and you receive a complimentary pint of Guinness in the Gravity Bar. There are many more sites, tours, ruins and activities to take advantage of while visiting this historic European city. Remember, the Hop On/Hop Off Bus is an option if you don‘t have time to wander through, but I don‘t recommend it. Go out and search for the adventure by foot. It will prove to be well worth the time and effort.

BräuWirt Restaurant and Brewery in Weiden’s Old Town!

Traditional dishes and typical Bavarian specialties served fresh from the kitchen during opening hours. Changing weekly offers and popular monthly promotions.

| by Tina MacDonald, USAG Schweinfurt Public Affairs

The offers high-quality, home-made Zoigl brewed folTraditional dishes andbrewery typical Bavarian specialties served fresh from thebeers, kitchen the Bavarian purity requirements awarded with the Gerduring opening lowing hours. Changing weekly offers and popularand monthly promoman DLG food certificate in gold. tions.

Visit us at the BräuWirt – we are looking forward to seeing you!

Gasthausbrauerei Bräu Wirt Unterer Markt 9, 92637 Weiden/Opf Phone: 0961 48 13 30 info@braeuwirt.de, www.braeuwirt.de

Bavarian Times | 64

| Food & Drink Fruity rice salad is an exotic change of the menu.

Fruity rice salad is light, delicious and easy to prepare (djd/pt). Rice salads are ideal for hosts because they are easy and quickly to prepare. That way, the cook has the time to enjoy and participate in the party while putting a fruity, hip culinary delicacy on the dinner table. Rice salads are also very practical if additional guests appear at the dinner table because the new packages from Müller‘s Mühle come in zip lock bags and have a window that allows you to see how much rice is left in the package. If you do not need the entire portion of rice, the package can easily be closed again, is tear proof and keeps the rice fresh. The new packages are stable and can easily be stored on shelves or in the pantry.

Prepared in ten minutes The basmati rice from the zip lock bag is prepared in ten minutes so the fruity rice salad is ready in no time: First, prepare the rice as outlined on the package and let it cool down. Wash and cut the tomatoes in half, peel the cucumber, mango and papaya. Cut the mango flesh from the stone, cut the papaya in half and remove the pits. Dice the papaya, mango and cucumber. Mango and papaya add an exotic and light touch to the salad which makes it the perfect dish for a warm evening.

Curry paste adds flavor Wash the chicken breast, dry it and cut it in strips. Mix oil, salt and curry paste and put the chicken in it. Roast mustard seeds in a coated pan for the vinaigrette and let them cool down. Mix oil, vinegar and mango-chutney, add the mustard seeds and spice it with salt and pepper. Mix the rice, tomatoes, mango und papaya with the dressing and put it on a large dish. Prepare the chicken breast strips in a bowl on the grill, put them on the salad and serve it. Serve fresh pita bread, or fresh white bread with the salad.

BRAEU.DE

brewery restaurant & hotel Sperber-Bräu · 92237 Sulzbach-Rosenberg · mail@sperberbraeu.de In the heart of old town Sulzbach · Rosenberger Straße 14 · Phone: +49 (0) 9661-87090

Photo Credit: djd/Müller‘s Mühle

Fresh Food for Hot Days

| Food & Drink

Interested buyers can find a lot of recipes in the online shop.

The ingredients can directly be ordered. Delicious: Veggie coalfish filet with dill-lime-pesto in puff pastry with mustard.

Eating vegetarian means eating healthy

Photo Credit: djd/alles-vegetarisch.de

(mpt-22) There are many reasons to eat vegetarian or vegan. A very good one is the love for animals and the respect for their life.

If you take a look at the supermarket shelves, you will notice that there is an abundance of meat and animal products. However, in a throwaway society like ours, just as many meat products are just as quickly thrown away.

Therefore, more and more people consciously make the decision against eating animal products. Those who are in doubt often think about why they should and, more importantly, how they can manage without animal or meat products. But there are many alternative food products on the market now that are suited for vegetarians and vegans, and are tasty and enjoyable. colorful recipes and more energy Those who believe that vegetarian cooking means cooking the

same boring vegetables over and over again are wrong. Today, there are many ways to spruce up vegetarian dishes while simultaneously taking care of one’s health. By now, special fish and meat alternatives that are very close to the original are available in stores, or can be ordered online. There is a large variety of products with which you can create an endless amount of recipes.

Additionally, starters can order trial packages, to slowly get accustomed to the vegetarian way of cooking.

Completely changing your diet, or starting slowly?

Not everybody can handle completely changing his or her diet to eating vegetarian from one day to the other. However, simply reducing your meat consumption can help you feel better and showing more respect for the animals that are killed for that.

Even top athletes, like ironman Brendan Brazier, achieve top results with vegetarian food.

World Vegetarian Day Vegetarians even have their own holiday. World Vegetarian Day is celebrated every year on October 1.

Waldgaststätte - Thai Food New, starting at March 20, 2014 with original Thai specialties.

Sugunya Umlauf (Gip) cooks for you again!

Opening hours: 5 p.m.–10 p.m. Hot kitchen Tuesday - Sunday Im Markwinkel 1 I 92655 Grafenwöhr I Phone 09641-2286 www.waldgaststaette-schuetzenheim.de KULMBACHER EDELHERB. The legendary Pils beer from the secret beer capital.

Summary: Vegetarian food definitely provides an alternative for those who wish to follow a more conscious and balanced diet. Especially since eating a lot of meat can lead to illnesses such as adiposis of the inner organs, obesity, even in children, heart attacks, and quite often to arteriosclerosis, which can cause strokes. Unhealthy and sugar-laden diets have also led to an increase of the number of adolescent diabetics.

Thus, slowly changing your diet can be worth your while and beneficial to your health. People with illnesses should first consult their physician.

Driving pleasure for rent.

VAT FREE - We accept VAT forms • Garmisch Partenkirchen, St.-Martin-Str. 6, +49 (0) 8821 / 94 30 83 • Grafenwöhr, Fotostudio Spahn, Alte Amberger Str. 56, +49 (0) 9641 / 4 14 • Hohenfels, Autohaus Feldmeier, Parsberger Str. 31, +49 (0) 9472 / 90 72 93 • Vilseck, Robert-Bosch-Str. 3, +49 (0) 9662 / 42 26 35 For special US Military rates please mention cd 800 68 492

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