InfoAnda - German town prepares tearful goodbye to UK troops

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Powers seek to ease nuclear deadlock with Iran | | 14 April 2012
DiCaprio playing poker in new drama | Entertainment | | 16 June 2009
UNLV spurns ex-NBA coach Larry Brown; selects David Rice as hoops coach | 11 April 2011

FireEye raises $50 million as it prepares for possible 2013 IPO | | 11 January 2013

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : German town prepares tearful goodbye to UK troops

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Weekend Edition World German town prepares tearful goodbye to UK troops AFP - Wednesday, November 3 Send IM Story Print German town prepares tearful goodbye to UK troops BERGEN, Germany (AFP) - – News that Britain would pull out all of its 20,000 soldiers based in Germany by 2020 hit communities like this tiny northern town like a bombshell. Bergen lies in the shadow of the former Nazi concentration camp Bergen-Belsen, which British and Canadian soldiers liberated in April 1945 just weeks after Jewish diarist Anne Frank died there at the age of 16. It has come to rely heavily on the troops. London says it will not unveil a specific withdrawal timetable until mid-2011 but Mayor Rainer Prokop already knows it will be a tearful goodbye when the time comes. "They started out as an occupying force that taught us democracy but over time they became military partners, neighbours, friends and even spouses and parents to children here in Bergen," the 60-year-old told AFP. "They are also of course an important economic factor." This town of half-timbered houses north of Hanover, population 16,000, has been a neighbour for six decades to Bergen-Hohne Garrison, home to the 7th Armoured Brigade in between deployments to Bosnia, Kuwait, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. The 4,100 Britons at Hohne station including soldiers, personnel and their families provide a vital economic lifeline to Bergen. They frequent the Speaker's Corner pub serving Strongbow cider and Scotch whisky, Al's fish and chips shop, the Bergen Army clothing store and the town's four steak restaurants catering to soldiers' hearty appetites. "It's obviously going to be an enormous blow for business," said Sonja Grabow, 33, straightening a display of Doc Martens combat boots at the army shop with her eight-year-old niece Laura, who came by for a visit after school. "But what is a real shame is that the children in town won't grow up surrounded by people speaking English anymore. Most of the kids now are basically bilingual." Britain, the United States and France stationed troops in West Germany in the aftermath of World War II as a visible show of support for their NATO ally. But the end of the Cold War and a yawning budget deficit has forced a rethink of military priorities. British Prime Minister David Cameron presented the pullout plans as part of a major defence review linked to a swingeing austerity drive. "The enormous contribution the British army made in Germany in the postwar period cannot be praised highly enough and I think many, many Germans are extremely grateful for it," Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said after Cameron's October 19 announcement. Army spokesman Mike Whitehurst said the 20,000 British soldiers, about 23,000 dependents and around 4,700 British civilian employees contributed about 1.3 billion euros (1.8 billion dollars) to the German economy every year. Half the personnel are to return to Britain by 2015, with the remainder over the following five years. Prokop said he had known the day would come when the British would up sticks and leave but he said he had been led to believe in meetings with the command that it would take much longer than 10 years. "What really surprised me was how radical the decision was," he said. He noted that 200 new houses went up in the last three to four years for troops serving at the garrison, with many rental contracts running through 2025. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Norman Wilkins first came to Bergen in 1952 as a young soldier and later returned to live out his twilight years with his German wife. He is saddened by the looming end of an era. "It is very difficult, when you are in the army, to make friends," said the 78-year-old, an elected member of the town council. "But that is what I did in Bergen. It's become home." Wilkins, who served in 32 countries in 35 years, said despite the fresh memories of the war and the proximity to Bergen-Belsen where some 70,000 died under the Nazis' brutal conditions, he took an instant liking to Germany. "It was a happy-go-lucky time in fact. We were so used to austerity after the war in England then we came here and we had allowances, we had money, everything was cheap," said Wilkins, switching effortlessly between English and German. "We were more worried about the Russians than the Germans." Erika Slatter, who has run Al's fish and chips shop for 23 years with her British husband, a former soldier, said she feared for Bergen's future. "Some businesses will go under, that is certain," the 58-year-old German said. "But I think the British who are being sent home will also miss living here, where the cost of living is lower and we really worked well together." Raimund Nickels, 72, a former driver for the British, fondly remembers Christmas parties, choral concerts and countryside excursions organised by the Anglo-German Club. "If you ask me, they could happily stay but of course we are facing our own military spending cuts so we understand," he said. Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary Reuters - Wednesday, November 3 1 - Mariah Carey discusses pregnancy figure Cover Media - Tuesday, November 2 1 - Leighton Meester doesn’t have manicures Cover Media - Tuesday, November 2 1 - Eva Longoria Parker: Leather was a bad choice Cover Media - Tuesday, November 2 1 - Leslie Phillips awarded Freedom of London Cover Media - Tuesday, November 2 News Search Top Stories GM hopes to raise $10 bln in IPO: report Awlaqi charged in Yemen with incitement to kill BP warns of oil spill costs leaping to $40 bln Be fit, have fewer colds: study BBVA bank announces big step into Turkish banking More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Most Recommended Alcohol more harmful than heroin, crack cocaine: study Troubled actor Charlie Sheen files for divorce Tennis star Ivanovic heads for Bali after splitting with coach Priests among 46 Christians killed in Iraq hostage drama AIG to repay 36.7 billion dollars of US bailout More Most Viewed » Time, like all good things, may come to an end: study Alcohol more harmful than heroin, crack cocaine: study Spectacular unknown species found in Amazon Iranian chocolate thief 'to have hand chopped off' Ancient galaxy is more than 13 billion light years away More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Weekend Edition Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo! Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Entertainment Photos Yahoo! News Network Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - Community - Intellectual Property Rights Policy - Help

Other News on Tuesday, 2 November 2010
Atom bomb would be strategic mistake: Iran envoy
Yemen cracks down on cargo after parcel bomb plot
Haiti scrambles to prepare for feared hurricane hit |
Sarkozy among targets of Athens parcel bombs
Iran postpones trial date for U.S. "hikers"
Tennis star Ivanovic heads for Bali after splitting with coach
Uganda court orders anti-gay paper to shut: rights group |
PKK denies responsibility for Sunday's Istanbul bomb
AIG to repay 36.7 billion dollars of US bailout
Eleven illegal miners killed at Rwanda tin mine |
Priests among 46 Christians killed in Iraq hostage drama
Taliban briefly overrun east Afghanistan district
Global crisis has cost 30 million jobs: IMF chief
Golf's new No. 1 Westwood still wary of Woods
Tension mounts in Tanzania over delayed vote results |
Clinton cultivates ties with moderate Muslim Malaysia
Sudan arrests nine Darfur activists: civic leader |
Philippines nabs most-wanted fugitive
Republicans poised to win U.S. House
Death toll rises to 50 in Indian ferry sinking
Iran postpones trial of three US hikers
Governments review air security after Yemen plot
Thousands of Yemenis cheer freed bomb plot suspect
Clinton urges human rights progress in Cambodia
Nani Croze
Clinton urges rights progress in Cambodia
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Arcade Fire cancel Lisbon gig due to NATO summit
Egyptian underground art film scoops top regional prize
China bid to regain looted relics a tough task: experts
Tapas and stars draw crowds to 'food crazy' San Sebastian
U.S. online spending rose 9 percent in Q3: comScore |
Israeli film claims top prize at Tokyo festival
British singer Lily Allen loses baby
Sony eyes sales growth in emerging markets: report |
Chavez notches up one million Twitter followers
Intel manufactures cutting-edge chips for startup firm
US-TECH Summary
Judd singers get OWN show on Oprah TV network |
OSCE welcomes end of Turkey YouTube ban
Smokey Robinson goes Go-Go with Cracker Barrel |
U.S. online spending rose 9 percent in Q3: comScore
Microsoft to open research center near Moscow
Arcade Fire cancel Lisbon gig due to NATO summit |
Robots are lords of the dance at South Korean festival
Hawi takes prize for best Arab film at Doha fest |
Iraq church raid ends with 52 dead
Britain, Germany tighten air security after bomb plot
Governments tighten air security after Yemen plot |
PKK denies responsibility for Sunday's Istanbul bomb
Intel says on track with Oak Trail tablet chips
Argentine president vows to honor husband's legacy |
Troubled actor Charlie Sheen files for divorce
Britain, France embark on new defence partnership
Skype IPO to take stage in 2011: sources
Britain, Germany tighten air security after bomb plot
Japan to recall envoy to Moscow over islands row |
France, Britain to test nuclear safety together
New Internet search engine launches: Blekko
Yemen cracks down on cargo after parcel bomb plot uncovered
Mandatory curbs on salt boost healthy hearts: study
Google sues U.S. over government contract exclusion
Pirates may have hijacked Britons' yacht |
Fed set for momentous move to prime US economy
Google sues US government, says bid terms favor Microsoft
Haiti scrambles to prepare for feared hurricane hit |
G20 leaders must fix financial sector: IMF chief
Sony eyes sales growth in emerging markets: report
Cuba to release longest-held political prisoner |
Governments tighten air security after Yemen plot
Sony eyes sales growth in emerging markets: report
13 tonnes of drugs seized in Tijuana
UN chief's silence on China rights draws critics
Security pressure seen on passenger jet cargo
Japan says PM to meet Russian president despite row
Trial opens over India's 'biggest corporate fraud'
Clinton pushes tolerance in Malaysia
'Cove' activist boycotts dolphin town meeting
Tokyo recalls ambassador over Russia island row
Hollywood hit makers head to India
Australian deported from Malaysia met Al-Qaeda men: report
Apple has 95% of tablet market: Strategy Analytics |
Tonga king threatens to sue in N.Zealand
Google sues U.S. over government contract exclusion |
Australia 'facing huge bill' to stage football W.Cup
Australian PM Gillard to meet Indonesian leader
Leonardo DiCaprio to play serial killer in "Devil"
Oracle-SAP testimony nears; HP CEO in spotlight |
UN chief criticized for failing to press China
Pop star Demi Lovato enters rehab for abuse issues
Skype IPO to take stage in 2011: sources |
Hollywood hit makers head to India
Intel says on track with Oak Trail tablet chips |
Taylor Swift to launch own perfume line
India hikes interest rates to curb rising inflation
New Michael Jackson video game revives moonwalking
Dell loses another Taiwan consumer lawsuit
Actor Charlie Sheen files for divorce
S.Korea c.banker: currency not big factor on rates
In Beirut, a crash course in Arabic -- and Mideast politics
IMF concerned about Pakistan economic reforms
Michael Jackson gloves to fit devoted dance game fans
Cambodia approves 15 securities firms for new bourse
'Saw 3D' brings bloodfest to Halloween box office
Seoul shares up 0.2 pct on autos, refiners
Pakistani c.bank sells 36.5 bln rupees of t-bills
BP bills Mitsui 1.9 billion dollars for Gulf spill
PAKISTAN
S.Korea's Lee, Obama vow to clear trade deal by G20
Actor Charlie Sheen files for divorce |
Pop star Demi Lovato enters rehab for abuse issues |
Leonardo DiCaprio to play serial killer in Devil |
British singer Lily Allen loses baby |
Taylor Swift to launch own perfume line |
New Michael Jackson video game revives moonwalking |
Awlaqi charged in Yemen with incitement to kill
Iranian woman could be stoned Wednesday: activist
Suspect package found at Merkel's office |
Embassies targeted in wave of Athens parcel bombs |
Blast at Swiss embassy in Athens
Fayyad cancels Jerusalem visit after Israel warning
BP warns of oil spill costs leaping to $40 bln
BBVA bank announces big step into Turkish banking
Be fit, have fewer colds: study
Iran envoy dismisses tougher terms for atom fuel swap
Jailed tycoon will sacrifice for freedom in Russia |
Last-minute compromise averts Israel general strike
Democrats fear rout as US election day arrives
Afghan candidates and MPs call for new election |
Afghans protest problems with parliament elections
Afghans protest problems with parliament election
Iraq probes church raid; says attackers disguised |
Bomb kills 2 NATO service members in Afghanistan
Brazil's Lula eyes austerity on way out: report |
Fayyad cancels Jerusalem visit after Israel warning |
N.Korea with torpedo sample over sunken ship
Clinton talks see Malaysia vow fair trial for Anwar
North Korea offers samples to refute ship sinking
Australia PM seeks Indonesia help on refugees
Crew protest Philippine Airlines outsourcing plans
China opposes US offer for three-way talks with Japan
Republicans poised for big gains in U.S. elections
Billions in Afghan aid fail to beat medieval disease
Beijing police smash prostitute 'training' gang
German town prepares tearful goodbye to UK troops
Dell plans cloud computing acquisition and tablet PC push |
Clinton says Obama will stay the course
Oracle to buy retail software company ATG |
Clinton: Obama 'envious' of her election day trip
Google-backed startup takes location game global |
T-Mobile USA promises better value-tiered pricing |
Apple has 95 percent of tablet market: Strategy Analytics
Dell plans cloud computing acquisition and tablet PC push
Harry Potter star Watson felt sick when told of riches |
After bitter row, Google launches Street View in Germany
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01