I have a very dear friend Karl, who lives in Germany. We have been corresponding for several years, and he always send me interesting photos, etc. Here's the latest...
hello my dear
.... attached are a few photos i accumulated during my collecting times they are of the occupation of my hometown heidelberg in april 1945, at the castle from the castle into the town close to the bridging site a gi dancing with an harmonica orchestration the first float bridge a close up and last not least myself reenacting while visiting the auto and technik museum in sinsheim. not to forget the blessed happy easter greetings and best wishes for your project as well as to your family. keep up the good work and stay healthy and cool
your friend
karl
PS. i was informed about this website www.555thheavypontonbattalion.com there are very good photos of the first float bridge in heidelberg on april 1. 1945, you might know about this site already, if you do skip it if not look at it,
karl
Heidelberg.castle jpg.jpg
31 Mar 45, Heidelberg Panorama.jpg
autobahn .jpg
Photo-heidelberg-com-2wp.jpg
ponton .jpg
jeep museum.jpg
Here is what Karl had to say in an email to me:
hello my friends
please excuse my laziness but its simpler to write one info to more than one then the same info many times. attached is a photo of the latest book about the presence of the Americans of the last 68 years in Heidelberg. a very precise and accurate piece of literature about what started as an occupation and ended as a close friendship. it contains 68 years of my life out of 81 since i was all the time in contact with them , the first time when they built a float bridge across the Neckar river on Easter 1945, me as a boy of 12 standing there and watching in astonishment what amount of equipment they were carrying across it, till the day they announced that they would leave the town in 2013. only a few are here and its quite some luck if one has a friend or two who lives around here. most of the friends i got are back in the states and i don`t believe that i will see them all again here. some might come for a visit and i appreciate it, unfortunately i will never be able to come to America do to my age and health, so i will keep the us in my mind by photos and e-mails. unfortunately the book is already sold out after two weeks and the editor is out of stock and if there will be a second edition is questionable since the editor believes that requests will go down after the first run for it. i certainly doubt this cause when a book is sold out after two weeks there is in my opinion a tremendous request. and it is only in German what amount of wanting is there in English. since there were so many Americans stationed here plus all the tourists. we will see what happens !. so i have bored you enough please excuse me until the next mail.
all the best to you and happy trails
karl
Amerikaner in Heidelberg 1945 - 2013 (German) Hardcover – 22 Sep 2014
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Amerikaner-Heidelberg-1945-Walter-Elkins/dp/3897358069