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Trisha Cornforth, German news reporter for "Der
Kanadier" The original "Der Kanadier "
was the weekly newspaper for |
2004 Canadian Forces Reunion
Lahr Canadian Reunion 2004 is definitely on!
10 years after CFB Lahr closure
Dates: Friday 25 June to Sunday 4 July 2004
The week around 1 July 2004, exactly 10 years after departure of last CFB Commander
Who is the reunion for?
The target group obviously includes all people, military and civilian, who lived in or visited Lahr while the Canadian Forces were stationed here 1967 to 1994.
I's also for people in the Lahr area who are looking forward to getting together with Canadians again, like in the old days.
Who are the organizers?
The idea was suggested by the volunteer members of the Der Kanadier website. It is being coordinated by Lahr Canada House Association, with support from Lahr German-Canadian Friendship Club and the Royal Canadian Legion (Branches 002 and 004). We are looking for sponsorship from Lahr City Hall, the Lahr Merchants Association, local bus companies and firms as well as the Canadian Embassy in Berlin.
The individual events will be arranged by local German clubs and commercial organizations. Local teachers, media, newspapers, customs officers, police, etc will also be involved.
We hope that a local TV report will be made about it - are there any Canadians out there who would be interested in doing something similar for Canadian TV?
Reservations and costs
The actual reunion organisation concerns only the events to be held in Lahr. Each participant should register online and pay a fee on arrival, including a commemorative badge (or T-shirt?). The rest and other payments would be the responsibility of each individual.
Travel and accommodation to be arranged by participants -
Make the Lahr Reunion the core of your European trip!
Travel and accommodation must be arranged by the participants themselves. Rent a car/mobile home and do your own trip around Europe before or after! Reserve a tourist bus trip! If there are any Canadian travel agencies who wish to organise a special flight etc, this must be done from Canada, either independently or in connection with the organising committee.
SOME CANADIAN INDIVIDUALS AND TRAVEL AGENTS HAVE SHOWN INTEREST IN ORGANIZING GROUP FLIGHTS - PLEASE CONTACT US!!
Potential participants should get in touch with former landlords, neighbours and friends in Germany who might offer their hospitality. If you would like to be billeted with a family,
let us know so appeals can be made in local newspapers for home stays with local residents. Commercial accommodation (Gasthaus, hotel, bed-and-breakfast, camping, etc.)
should be booked through the official Lahr Tourist Office.(KulTourBüro).
SEE OUR LIST OF LOCAL ACCOMMODATION E-MAIL LINKS
Suggested program for Reunion Week
1st Saturday:
German-Canadian Friendship Festival (26.06.2004), meet and greet, reception or Fest
with market, fleamarket and stands in streets of downtown Lahr
1st Sunday
Oecumenical service at former Canadian church on Lahr airfield (now a Free Christian Church)
a.m.Volksmarsch organized by a local Volksmarsch/Wanderfreunde club
(short distance, special medal, wine glass or beer mug?)
p.m. German-Canadian Friendship Concert: Bundeswehr & C F Band
During week (daytime):
Lahr guided tours, visits to former CFE facilities, local sightseeing, visits to breweries or wineries, day trips offered by local bus companies to visit Black Forest and/or Alsace (e.g. Black Forest Farm Museum in Gutach, Wolfach, cuckoo clocks, Freiburg, Baden-Baden, Strasbourg, Ribeauvillé, Europa-Park, etc.)
"Requiem for Abandonned Buildings", art event in the Kaserne, suggested by a Canadian visitor
During week (evenings):
live music Lahr downtown, military reunions to be organized by ex-CFE, army, airforce, navy, customs officers, police, teachers, students, Canex or various regiments/units stationed in Lahr
Canada Day (Thursday 1 July, an ordinary working day in Germany)
Canada Day celebration on Lahr Airfield. Inauguration of a Starfighter monument
Last weekend (03-04.07.2004): Strong Beer Festival, Bockbierfest in Kippenheim
Sunday morning: ceremony at Canadian memorial in Lahr's "Bergfriedhof" cemetery
Oecumenical church service at Stiftskirche in Lahr
Special interest groups
Roland Wichmann, the last German president of the German-Canadian International Cultural Committee (ICC) would like to invite all interested teachers - please contact!
Visits will be arranged to former Canadian schools now locally used.
The school holidays don't start until the end of July.
The Lahr Square Dance Club "Schwarzwald Tänzer" (founded by Canadians in 1967) would like to meet all interested squaredancers. Please contact through registration form!
The Lahr Maple Leaf Bridge Club (also founded by Canadians) would welcome all interested bridge-players. Bridge-players please contact through registration form!
The Lahr Ham Radio Operators Club (which still uses the Gutenberg annex as a club room) would like to invite all interested ham radio operators - please contact!
The Lahr-Reichenbach Golf Club (9 holes on a hillside beneath the Geroldsecker Castle)
would welcome all interested golfers or how about a game at Baden Hills? Please contact!
Please let us know if there are any other ideas/items you would like to suggest!
trishacornforth@derkanadier.de
Trisha Cornforth