Bad Harzburg

Does anyone out there remember the Allied Leave Centre in Bad Harzburg in the 1950's?

The Kurhaus where we'd dine and have fabulous dances on a Saturday night. The huge swiiming pool where we'd spend many a happy hour on a summers day!

I can remember it vaguely. I was about 3 at the time and my Dad was posted there. We lived in a house on the edge of the centre and had private access to the swimming pool. I've a few photos of Mum and Dad in the Centre but none of the outside.

I remember the leave centre - I spent my honeymoon there in 1957!
The month was September and I did not possess a car but spent many days just strolling around the surrounding area. Unfortunately my wife died shortly before what would have been our 25th wedding anniversary.

IS This the picture of the leave centre you are looking for. I went to this hotel for my 10 days local leave in 1950

Also in this area was the Army ski school 'Silberhutte' I did 3 months here as perm staff back in the sixties. Other places of interest were Bad Lauterberg & Sankt Andreasberg.

Larry,

slightly "Off Topic"

I notice your Avatar is the Gauntlet, This was the symbol for 20th Armoured Bde when I was there in the early '70's

Short answer to that Jim is yes, although I wore it as far back as 1960 whilst stationed with 15 Inf Wksp in Paderbourn. In those young days of mine I was never sure whose or what Div I was in lol

It probably was one of a number of residences used by Allied personnel on leave. The Kurhaus was the central eating and recreation place where all could enjoy. I have a photo of it if anyone is intertested?

Regarding the 'Clenched Fist', it was used by both 6 Arm'd Div.& 20 Arm'd Bgde.

Ian-redc wrote:

It probably was one of a number of residences used by Allied personnel on leave. The Kurhaus was the central eating and recreation place where all could enjoy. I have a photo of it if anyone is intertested?

Regarding the 'Clenched Fist', it was used by both 6 Arm'd Div.& 20 Arm'd Bgde.

It's still used by 20 Armd Bde, the only thing thats changed is the background colour, which is now blue!

Ian-redc wrote:

It probably was one of a number of residences used by Allied personnel on leave. The Kurhaus was the central eating and recreation place where all could enjoy. I have a photo of it if anyone is intertested?

.

Ian. I'd appreciate if you could post the photo please.
John L

When I can figure out how to send a picture!

Ian.

redcap70 wrote:

When I can figure out how to send a picture!

Ian.

Ian, I've had a go at including the picture but only managed a link to the hosting site, sorry. I'll have another go later.

JAL wrote:

redcap70 wrote:

When I can figure out how to send a picture!

Ian.

Ian, I've had a go at including the picture but only managed a link to the hosting site, sorry. I'll have another go later.

Is this the one you want

Yep, that was the one. Thanks, not sure why it didn't work for me though!

soprano54

The one I have has a blue background, so it must have changed by '71

I have two photographs taken inside the building at Bad Hartzburg in 1953.I was a member of the Band of the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers Band entertaining the troops who were staying in Bad Hartzburg on local Leave. Ignore the description"NAFFI"-this was Bad Hartzburg.

William[img]

I see mention of Bad Lauterburg, Bad Harzburg and Herzberg, as well as the Army Mountain Training Centre at Silberhuette, near Sankt Andreasberg. I served at AMTC from 1985 to 1990 and now live in the town. The Army Mountain Training Centre had two huts for visiting units and a number of primitive campsites. The campsites have been handed back but two huts remain, although one has been relocated and the original wooden hut demolished. The Army Mountain Training Centre building and a number of adjacent buildings have been demolished. The Centre buildings were used as an ammunition filling factory during WW2 using forced labour. The valley in which the centre was located was covered by a system of camouflage so that it could not be seen by allied aircraft. I know that one of the buildings in Bad Harzburg, adjacent to the B4 road was used as part of the leave centre at least up to the 1950s. I would be happy to take photographs of buildings and other features in the Harz should this be requested - let me have details and I shall see what can be done.

Lucky you Tony-living in beautiful Bad Harzburg!

In 1953 I was stationed there with RMP/Canadian Provost. It was a Allied Services Leave Centre then. MOD commandered and maintained many buildings in the locality. We were billeted in the large white building at the top of Pappenberg Straße. Further down there was an annex used as Junior NCO's & OR's accommodation. There was the Kurhaus where all meals were served and dances held each weekend. There was a senior NCO's club called the 'Crown & Chevron's' on Herzog-Julius Straße between the railway station and the Berg-bahn cable railway, and a Medical Centre & swimming pool further on. Off of the Kurpark there was a roller-skating rink and opposite a lovely little coffee house called the 'Hexenklaus' which served up tasty chocolate cake!

When on duty we would patrol along the former 'grenz-fence' between Vienenburg, Braulage and St.Andeaesburg and the VOPO's and us would spy on each other across the Ekertal lake-those were the days!

I last visited the area in 1979 and saw many changes. I bet it's even more changed now!

I also served at silbahuta as the resident medic/ski instruter, we had a chalet at the Gastte Muelar which was up the hill from the ski centre.
My wife and children stayed therewhen visitingat Christmas it was taken over almost by the brit army and a good time was had by all includeing the staff at the Gastte
Brian Roberts

I spent some time there in 47,48,we did not stay in the "kurhaus" but I recall the functions there.We used to get local leave there at next to nothing rates,and in those severe winter days plenty of winter sports.We also got awarded weekends in Bad Harzburg for driving over certain mileages without accident(not very difficult in those days as there was practically nothing on the roads)We where(the Royals)stationed at Wolfenbüttel in those days)
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Don

spent Christmas 1948 there had a great time there, still got the Christmas dinner menu . we also used to go on Sunday trips from
Wolfenbuttel.
bob

Bob.
Passed through there a few months ago,tried to find those old places where we used to stay,but its all changed so much no luck.But its still a lovley place,plenty of people on "Kurs" there!We stayed at the Maratin Hotel in Braunlage,and visitd the "Broken" and Hahnenklee,plus Goslar which is really worth a visit!
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Don

Visited Bad Harzburg several times when i was in Germany, but not the Kurhaus.
I can remember using a concrete toboggan run sitting on plastic toboggans with a handle to either lower a set of wheels for speed or a set of pads for braking.
We got thrown off and banned for going down too fast as the civvies didn`t like it.
Mardy-arses.
Good fun though.
Got a wet are too in the skating rink. Just couldn`t stand up with them skates on, no way no how.