Married Quarters off Berliner Strasse Hemer

For Brum...front and back of Marienburger Strasse aka Am Hang
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not a stones throw from zeppelin strasse where i worked for the best part of ten years..what i wouldnt give for a currywurst mit pommes and a cold bottle of iserlohner pils ,just perfect to round off a good night out...graham...

Heavens....I don't hardly recognize these at all!

Certainly they are recognizable as 'old married quarters' as there was definitely a distinct look to the blocks of flats the Canadians had built (wonder how much that cost back in 1954?) but I honestly can't 'place' these....are they the ones across from the front of the school? They certainly don't look like the ones on the other arm of Berliner Strasse that, essentially, backed onto the NAAFI but could be.

Marienburger Strasse aka Am Hang....if memory serves that was below Berliner Strasse and before one hit the NAAFI parking lot?

At any rate, the old places have held up quite well, haven't they? Still appear solid and in decent repair. I like the new paint jobs...when we had them they were, for many years, uniformly gray (depressing in the middle of a rainy, overcast German winter!) then around 1970 or so they all got painted pastel colours -- pale blue, pale orange, pink, yellow etc. which was a bit better. This colour scheme appears to have been continued!

Same old criss-cross fences I remember, damp and mossy still too. Surprised the wood hasn't rotted away!

Similarly I can't quite figure out where these are, I lived at 33 Berliner Strasse, just over half way round, from 72 - 75. But yes the style looks right except for the plastic windows and wheely bins. Oddly enough there was some sort of remand home for German Kids just off the playground by the school I don't recall problems but I'm surprised thinking back why not.

The 'remand home' you're thinking of Gwynno was up on the hill behind the school and behind the Quonset Hut that was the Youth Centre/Teen Hut. My understanding of the house at the time was it was some sort of apprentices' residence, but as I think back on the boys living there (and who many of the Canadian girls and later British girls went ga-ga over!), I think you are probably right...it was a Home for Troubled Boys type thing. And, yeah, we never had any problems with them and we hardly ever saw them. Oddly enough, given the proximity to our Teen Hut, they never mixed or even attempted to mix with any of us and I never saw any of them coming or going from the house...but then I didn't live in married quarters in Hemer.

The house is no longer there....apparently it either burned down or was demolished.

Even in the 70's it was bit of a ramshackle, decrepit looking old thing. I imagine it had been quite grand at one time and I have to wonder if the land upon which it was built...that hill...hadn't once been part of the property and, if so, what else was located on the site upon which the PMQs (Married Quarters) were built prior to them building them?

Given the proximity to the town of Hemer and the housing surrounding the PMQs there had to have been 'something' there, unlike the ones in Soest that were built on what was then open fields on the south side of the city....

By Stephen Lock transferred from "National Services Memories from Osnabrück" In my day, for instance, the pub on the corner of Berliner Strasse and Zeppeliner Strasse, next to the Sparkasse, was known as "Little Canada"...I think there was even a sign to that effect. What it became known as once the British moved in, I forget but I seem to recall the owner kept the name. It's gone now.....
Hi Stephen it still there[img][/img]

Here is a link to more http://picasaweb.google.com/historicsteve/HemerFormerMarriedQuartersAroundBerlinerStrasse?feat=directlink[url]
Regards Steve

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the PM.
My compliments on the Berliner Str. pictures.

brum

Moving on a bit Steve.
I notice on your pics that the prefix on the car number plates is "MK", would that be for Markische Kreis perhaps? (Don't know where THAT came from !)
I seem to remember that the prefix for that region used to be "IS", when did it change and was it a nation-wide thing?

Brum

Great pics on Picasa...while the old neighbourhood has changed, go figure, it remains enough as I remember it to give a little stab of "Ohhhh...there it is!" to my heart.

The old "Little Canada" (now "Da Pippo") building is still there but "Little Canada" is gone....the son of the owner of Little Canada has posted to the guest book on ruhrmemories.ca. He is living in Majorca or someplace....and dad sold the old place years ago. From what I can see in the photo, 'Da Pippo' is a far more airy and open place than 'Little Canada' ever was!! The property is much improved.

Glad to see Hemer School is still there (I understand it is now a German elementary...which is great! )

The last set of photos I saw of the foyer, by the way, showed it still had the grand sweeping staircase and, surprisingly, the wonderful early-60's chandelier. While a bit stark, perhaps, that foyer, and the one in Soest too, are classic 1960s German design and I am really pleased to see they have not been 'messed with.'

With regards to brum's comment about the license plates' prefix is now "MK' instead of 'IS'....I noticed that right off as well (hey, great minds think alike...the last half of that quote we will just skip on by, okay? :->).....yes, it used to be 'IS' as Hemer fell under Iserlohn's jurisdiction (Kreis) but I seem to recall reading somewhere fairly recently that the old Kreis was amalgamated or something with a broader area and re-named Markische Kreis.

Rather sad, in a way, but at least the name "Markische" has some historical precedence in that it is tied in with the Counts of Mark (Altena Castle was their seat and they also had some connection to the manor house one can see perched high above the Hoennetal, Burg Klusenstein). If I remember correctly, the "new" Kreis incorporated Menden as well...but don't quote me on that.

In a related issue, for years and years the postal code for Soest was 477 (4770, actually) and that changed...hmmm...about 10 or 15 years ago. As I am no longer in contact with those I once wrote to in Soest, I don't know what the "new" code is. I do remember I was a bit saddened by the loss of "477"...odd the things we take to our hearts, isn't it? I mean, it was a postal code!!! LOL

Stephen Lock wrote:

Great pics on Picasa...

In a related issue, for years and years the postal code for Soest was 477 (4770, actually) and that changed...hmmm...about 10 or 15 years ago. As I am no longer in contact with those I once wrote to in Soest, I don't know what the "new" code is. I do remember I was a bit saddened by the loss of "477"...odd the things we take to our hearts, isn't it? I mean, it was a postal code!!! LOL

Hi Stephen, email the addresses as a private message and will sort out the postcodes for you as there are several different post codes for the same towns regards Steve

Hi Steve,

Your "Berliner Str" pics have now been to Hong Kong ! My son just rang me from there to say how they'd bought back memories for him and how great he thought they were.

On the subject of the much - discussed "Little Canada", he remembers it as being the "Berliner Eck", now that rings a bell.

One of the things I remember about living in Hemer was the hellish noise from the Luftwaffe Starfighters (Flying Coffins) flying over. I believe we lived under a NATO training area there.

brum

Being a single rat while in Deilinghofen (64-68), single rats didn't normly go to Little Canada, but I did once or twice. Nice to see. As Steph says, " much improved".

Hi Steve by the way the new postcode for SOEST is 59494
we will be going in June for an Exhibition (miniatures)
Bob

Hi bob (aka relay69)...

As I mentioned, those I did write to who lived in Soest (mainly a teenage friend who I totally lost contact with, and 'Frau Elizabeth' of Sally Ann fame (since deceased)) I no longer do so I really don't need the postal codes but yes, the 59494 does look somewhat familiar.

I envy you so much -- you have no idea! -- that you will be going to Soest in June! Soest was my hometown as far as I was ever concerned and a good part of my heart and soul will forever remain with it! I loved Soest....

The best years of my life were spent there and it has had such an impact on my life ever since.

Stephen

steve wrote:

Stephen Lock wrote:

Great pics on Picasa...

In a related issue, for years and years the postal code for Soest was 477 (4770, actually) and that changed...hmmm...about 10 or 15 years ago. As I am no longer in contact with those I once wrote to in Soest, I don't know what the "new" code is. I do remember I was a bit saddened by the loss of "477"...odd the things we take to our hearts, isn't it? I mean, it was a postal code!!! LOL

Hi Stephen, email the addresses as a private message and will sort out the postcodes for you as there are several different post codes for the same towns regards Steve

Thanks so much for the offer, Steve, but I really don't need them (and relay69 has supplied the one for Soest in a separate post to this thread anyway!) as I am no longer in any correspondence with anyone in Soest, for better or worse. I just mentioned the 'loss' of the 477 code as one of those silly odd things we find we miss when they are gone or no longer used. :-)

Stephen

Have you ever returned to Soest, and if you did how was it. I'd imagine that part of the magic of your memories was that you were a carefree teenager having the time of his life and, dare I say it, just happening to be living in Soest.

Looking at the Picasa photos of Iserlohn and seeing the mess that was our Naafi where my Dad had an office as an Accountant I'd have been quite sad to have seen that in the flesh. But then again it was good to see the Hemer pics around Berlinner Strasse where the buildings have been improved and are lived in.

Gwyn

When I was last in Deilinghofen 2007 (above Hemer) the Germans refered to the PMQ's as, " Little Turkey".

Gwynno wrote:

Stephen

Have you ever returned to Soest, and if you did how was it. I'd imagine that part of the magic of your memories was that you were a carefree teenager having the time of his life and, dare I say it, just happening to be living in Soest.

Looking at the Picasa photos of Iserlohn and seeing the mess that was our Naafi where my Dad had an office as an Accountant I'd have been quite sad to have seen that in the flesh. But then again it was good to see the Hemer pics around Berlinner Strasse where the buildings have been improved and are lived in.

Gwyn

A quick history here: My dad, as I've mentioned elsewhere, was one of 3 Canadian military to remain behind to complete the Close-out of the Canadian Brigade Area and hand it over to you guys. That was 1971-72. We lived in Soest in 70-71 then, and I am not sure why, we moved to Iserlohn and lived on Am Tyrol, the northern hill above the old stadt. I suspect it was because Iserlohn was a far closer commute to Wetter, where my dad and his 2 compatriots, worked out of than Soest would have been.

We returned to Canada in 1972. I didn't want to return and finally reached an agreement with my parents that if I returned to Canada with them and finished high school they would assist me in returning to Germany and to Soest if I still wished to. I did!

I returned to Soest in 1973 and worked for a German construction firm building a resort hotel, The Atrium, on the Moehnesee. Horrible job, by the way....

I was 20 and turned 21 while in Soest. My intention was to remain in Soest and in Germany and never return to Canada but the best laid plans of mice and men are doomed to frustration as the saying goes and my plans were anything but well laid! I returned to Canada in 1974, after 14 months in Soest, stone cold flat broke at that!

I moved back home, went to college and here I am 30-odd years later still in Calgary. That was never part of the plan, either!

I've never been back....life just sort of interfered and...well....I just never went back. I sort of wish I had (I am aware of a several other Canadian Army Brats who go back every year for holidays) but not sure I could have dealt with that. I loved Soest so much I sometimes think it's better to have it in memory than to go back year after year and have to leave it over and over.....

Absolutely part of my loving Soest was being a carefree teenager....well, not so carefree (I started experiencing problems with depression in about that time and have struggled with it ever since) but Soest also resonated with me on so many levels....I loved that I walked down streets that perhaps another youth 100, 200, 300, or 400 years ago had walked down, touched cool damp walls that have been there for half a millennium, the sound of the bells tolling up in the Westfalenturm of the cathedral, the cathedral cloisters and the huge willow in the middle....and the night life!

to go back now and see all that has changed....yeah, not sure I could deal with that, either. Or to look up my best boyhood friend and discover who he is today (a grandfather!! Aaaaaghh....!!!!)...no, I don't want to ever be one of these shuffling Old Boys I used to see in news clips returning to the site of some battle and looking thoroughly baffled by the changes. I didn't want it when I was 21 and I sure as shootin' don't want it at 56!! LOL

Hardrations wrote:

When I was last in Deilinghofen 2007 (above Hemer) the Germans refered to the PMQ's as, " Little Turkey".

yes....apparently the blocks of flats are now 'taken over' by Turkish gastarbeiters, "Osties" and ethnically-German Russians. And, apparently, it is an area best avoided due to the high crime rate. Sad....

And I bet none of them know -- or care -- about the history attached to the entire development. to them, it is probably little more than a "project" (as we call them here. In UK such environments are, I understand, "estates"), and a way station to better living somewhere -- anywhere! -- else.

Hi everyone, I came across this forum while looking through some old Hemer pictures online. I was in Hemer from 1959 til 1963, lived at 54A Zepplin Strasse. My dad was with the 8th Canadian Hussars, a Canadian armored regiment. The regiment was stationed at Fort Beausejour on the road to Iserlohn. The 2nd RCHA (Artillery) and the 1st Queens Own Rifles were stationed at Fort MacLeod and Prince of Wales at the time. What a great place to live and grow up. Little Canada had a hangout for us called The Slopshop. If you want to see more photos of PMQs and the area when we Canadians were there, google 'Ruhr Memories' it is a great site.

Thanks again,
Bill Damery

Hi Bill. I did 64-69 in Deilinghofen. I've been back a few times over the years. Drasticaly changed. No military at all in the area. Only one gasthof in Deilinghofen. Hard to recognize anything from your days. Ruhr Memories is a great sit. Started by you PMQ brats. I've contributed a few pictures from my days and some visits past. Lots of interesting info. in this site. Hope you check it our really well.

OMG a photo of our old flat (bottom corner backing on to the trees and shops)

Dad was in the Army based in Hemer in the early to mid 70s and I was doing some research for a visit back to Germany this year when I came across these posts.
The very same flat we lived in that backed onto the shops.
Not sure the wooden fence was there.
You walked into the entrance door and there was a set of stairs leading down to the cellar/s and set of stair leading up to the flats.

I remember the school well it was to the side of the flat just across the road.
Just down the road on that estate passed the school was a hill that got just for sledging on when it snowed you took your own life in your hands. fondly remember one year it snowed so hard everyone was out making igloos.
The open air swimming pool was certainly a place to go in the summer.

Dave Porter (son of Richard Porter)

Uk79mod wrote:

OMG a photo of our old flat (bottom corner backing on to the trees and shops)

Dad was in the Army based in Hemer in the early to mid 70s and I was doing some research for a visit back to Germany this year when I came across these posts.
The very same flat we lived in that backed onto the shops.
Not sure the wooden fence was there.
You walked into the entrance door and there was a set of stairs leading down to the cellar/s and set of stair leading up to the flats.

I remember the school well it was to the side of the flat just across the road.
Just down the road on that estate passed the school was a hill that got just for sledging on when it snowed you took your own life in your hands. fondly remember one year it snowed so hard everyone was out making igloos.
The open air swimming pool was certainly a place to go in the summer.

Dave Porter (son of Richard Porter)

Dave

First image, first door lived in the bottom left hand flat 77-78, when serving in 26 Engr Regt/3 Armd Div Engr Regt

Best regards
Steve

Hi Steve

Can’t be definite about the year but my dad was a tank driver for the Royal Artillery and I was about 8 or 9 so roughly 71/72 .
We were the bottom right hand flat as you walked up the stairs.
Looking at the photo it has had a window put in over the balcony which wasn’t there and the fence around the trees must have been added later.