Down in the Valley...

Subject: Down in the Valley... 27/8/2008, 00:26

As one left Deilinghofen, past the barracks, enroute to the Hoennetal, just before the turn off on the left going into Menden and the turn off going right towards Sans Souci and Balve and just before one "entered" the Hoennetal proper, there was a fairly large gasthaus down below the road level on one's left as one approached this T-junction mentioned above.

As a dependent of a Canadian soldier living in Germany (and out in civilian housing in various towns and villages along the Hoennetal), especially as I was 17 years old at the time and bombing around on my moped, I was expressly forbidden to set foot in this particular gasthaus, although my parents knew I was going to the odd one in around our town and certainly when I would go into a dance at the youth centre in Hemer.

Apparently the place was a "poufhaus"...quite a different meaning in German than one might suggest in British slang, by the way LOL. In German a "poufhaus" was a brothel, a whorehouse, what we sometimes called a cat house. I have no idea if this was true, although the place was large enough to accomodate several rooms upstairs and, given it was so isolated (Deilinghofen being the nearest town with Menden a tad further away), it still always appeared fairly busy. Not packed, or anything, but certainly not empty. Of course, it was maybe only 3 or 4 kilometers from the barracks located outside of Deilinghofen so, if it was a brothel, I have no doubt it would be well frequented by soldiers, both Canadian and British.

So, 'fess up fellas! Was this, in any of your...uhm...experiences....a brothel? Or was it just an isolated gasthaus down in the valley under the train tracks of the Little Red Devil inter-city train that used to traverse along the Hoennetal?

Subject: Re: Down in the Valley... 27/8/2008, 02:01

Grid reference please Laughing

I must have mised that one Laughing

Paul.

Subject: Re: Down in the Valley... 25/9/2008, 22:28

Oh gosh, Paul...I have no idea what the Grid Reference might be! Don't forget, I am an Army Brat not an Army Rat LOL.

If, in fact, the place in question was a....uhm...house of ill-repute, shall we say, then I have no doubt any of the young squaddies stationed in Iserlohn, Deilinghofen or Menden would have at the very least been quite aware of it!

Guest

Hi Stephen and Paul

Did a quick reece on Sunday...alas the "poufhaus" is no longer at the location...trains still run but a local service from Menden to Neuenrade and back...hardly inter-city

There used to be a Menden - Hemer - Iserlohn railway line and remember the holdups at the two level crossings in Hemer getting from married quarters to Corunna Barracks in Iserlohn back in the 70s...the track is long gone

Iserlohn has a brand new terminus station with local trains to Hagen and Dortmund

Best regards from a wet Iserlohn
Steve

Subject: Re: Down in the Valley... 1/10/2008, 20:47

Ahh...so it was a poufhaus then! Interesting.

Yes, the Little Red Devil train that ran along the Hoennetal from Neuenrade into Menden, with branch lines off into Hemer and Iserlohn, is gone. During my 'Net travels I came across a site -- which I cannot find now -- dedicated to this inter-city rail link and the Hoennetal in general.

The gasthaus in question was sort of tucked down below the rail line going off into Menden, but could be easily seen from the road leading out of Deilinghofen heading down into the Hoennetal. It was just before the "Y" junction which led off into Menden on the left and down the Hoennetal towards Beckum, Sans Souci, Balve, etc. on the right.

Steve -- where in Iserlohn are you? In 1972-73 my parents and I lived up on Am Tyrol, just off Gartenstrasse, not far from the old Brigadier's Mansion (by then it was derelict) and just above the Goethe Institute.

Guest

Cannot say it was a 'poufhaus' as do not recall the place but will go back for another look in case I missed it

Karin and I have lived in Sümmern since Jan 02 in earlier times Sep 86 to Mar 88 we rented a flat Gartenstrasse 60 directly opposite the swimming pool the Gartenbad now gone and a block of exclusive old folks flats
http://www.gartenbad.de/

From May 83 to Sep 86 lived in Dröschede a 'poufhaus' was opened and still there much to the disgust of the locals it is close to the site of the former Aldershot Barracks the British Army (4 Gds Bde) moved out in 1968

Served here in the Royal Engineers from Nov 77 to Nov 79 and for a short time lived on the married quarters patch in Hemer - Marienburger Strasse

Subject: Re: Down in the Valley... 8/10/2008, 00:57

Steve wrote:: Cannot say it was a 'poufhaus' as do not recall the place but will go back for another look in case I missed it

It may well be gone now...it was 30+ years ago afterall! I would be interested in knowing if it is still there, however, regardless of what history it may or may not have had LOL

Steve wrote:: Karin and I have lived in Sümmern since Jan 02 in earlier times Sep 86 to Mar 88 we rented a flat Gartenstrasse 60 directly opposite the swimming pool the Gartenbad now gone and a block of exclusive old folks flats
http://www.gartenbad.de/

Interesting. I spent quite a bit of time at the swimming pool on Gartenstrasse before I manage to hook up with the Irish Ranger's teenagers in Hemer and the youth club there. Best shape I was ever in LOL.

The house we lived in on Am Tyrol is maybe a block or so down the hill from the swimming pool, on the right hand side as you descend. Apparently the house and property across from us, which were extensive, were owned by...hmmm, I forget who...Himmler, I believe. Some high ranking Nazi anyway.

Steve wrote:: From May 83 to Sep 86 lived in Dröschede a 'poufhaus' was opened and still there much to the disgust of the locals it is close to the site of the former Aldershot Barracks the British Army (4 Gds Bde) moved out in 1968

Opening a 'poufhaus' close to a military barracks??? Whoever heard of such a thing! LOL

Steve wrote:: Served here in the Royal Engineers from Nov 77 to Nov 79 and for a short time lived on the married quarters patch in Hemer - Marienburger Strasse

Hmmm...I will have to consult Google maps for the exact location of Marienburger Strasse in the old Hemer PMQs, although I think I know where it's general location was.

Subject: pufhause 3/3/2009, 14:13

Hi Stephen, Wow I have not heard that word since the seventies. I was in Delinghofen from 1971-1972 and then went to Menden. I was REME attatched to 2 Fd Regt RA and was with N battery. The regiment went to Ireland in 1972 but I stayed behind with the rear party as I had allready done 2 tours to Ireland. What I remember most about Hemer is the TOC H cafe come meeting room on the main street which I notice is now called Europastrasse. I'm pretty sure it wasn't called that then.

I also remember a fantastic place in the countryside called the Winterhof?? I became great friends with the owner who I think was called Helmar and lived in Dortmund. He had a barman called Hippy whos wedding a group of us went to. We used to go to this place every weekend and I remember there was a small dance floor. It was like an early disco. We always strarted the evening by playing pin ball and the loser had to by a bottle of brandy. I loved my time in Hemer and Menden and one day I will go back.

Well all for this post, cheers Steve.

Subject: Re: Down in the Valley... 3/3/2009, 18:15

steve1226 wrote:: Hi Stephen, Wow I have not heard that word since the seventies. I was in Delinghofen from 1971-1972 and then went to Menden. I was REME attatched to 2 Fd Regt RA and was with N battery. The regiment went to Ireland in 1972 but I stayed behind with the rear party as I had allready done 2 tours to Ireland. What I remember most about Hemer is the TOC H cafe come meeting room on the main street which I notice is now called Europastrasse. I'm pretty sure it wasn't called that then.

Hmmm...if you were in the area in '72, so was I. Didn't get down to Menden though. We'd go in for a bit of shopping now and then, but otherwise it was Hemer/Stephanopel/Westig where I spent most of my time.

steve1226 wrote:: I also remember a fantastic place in the countryside called the Winterhof?? I became great friends with the owner who I think was called Helmar and lived in Dortmund. He had a barman called Hippy whos wedding a group of us went to. We used to go to this place every weekend and I remember there was a small dance floor. It was like an early disco. We always strarted the evening by playing pin ball and the loser had to by a bottle of brandy. I loved my time in Hemer and Menden and one day I will go back.

Yes, the Winterhof...big old 'gasthaus' (as opposed to the more lowly 'gasthof'...I never did quite get the differences between gasthof, gasthaus, gastatte and bierstube.