Trisha Cornforth, German news reporter for "Der Kanadier"
newspaper as well as for CFN/RFC radio and television,
from the end of 1978 to the end of May 1994

The original "Der Kanadier " was the weekly newspaper for
the Canadian Forces in Europe. It was published in Lahr in the Black Forest, Germany, from 1 July 1970 until 25 May 1994,
i.e. until just before Canadian Forces Base Lahr closed down
in mid-August 1994.



Changes since CFB Lahr closure
It's now almost exactly six years since the original "Der Kanadier ", the weekly newspaper for
the Canadian Forces in Europe, ceased publication - press the blue underlined date above for a look at the photos on the final front and back pages. It's hard to believe it was so long ago but for us time has really flown since then. As for the development of the city of Lahr after the departure of the Canadian Forces, time has stood completely still in some cases while in others there have been such rapid changes that Canadian visitors would hardly recognize the place!

Kaserne mouldering away in neglect
The Kaserne, except for building K1, is the worst case of time standing still. In the past six years, most of the buildings have not been touched except by vandals. For further details and comments, click on my article from 20.12.1999 in the section called "Present"; there are also pictures without comments in the photo section. Parts of the airfield are in a similar state, especially the Canadian sports facilities.

New developments on the airfield
Other parts of the airfield have changed so much that it's often difficult to recognize where you are and only a few former Canadian buildings provide orientation. When arriving from the Autobahn exit, the first thing you see in what used to be fields is a large new filling station and service centre. Several new factories have been constructed between there and the actual former airfield.
Nearly all the old single-storey barrack blocks behind the Centennial Club, the former dental section and the old hospital have been demolished. That is where the new Hügelmann furniture store now stands and the new road past it (Europa-Strasse) is lined with new smaller buildings for various small firms, plus a church for Jehovah's Witnesses.
On Sunday 7 May another new connecting road was officially named "Ersteiner Strasse" in honour of the French/Alsatian town just on the other side of the Rhine crossing at Nonnenweier. On that day Lahr also organized a French-German Friendship Festival on the Schutterlindenberg to comemorate 55 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe (see our photos of the Vis-à-Vis Festival).

Brand-new "Arena Park" shopping mall
Near downtown Lahr, the former freight train station, once located opposite the former Canadian Community Centre on the other side of the Autobahn access road (B-36), has been demolished. The old railway lines have been removed and the course of the river Schutter (which had been covered over in that sector) has been re-exposed to the open air. Several local firms have built new premises on this new shopping area, which was officially opened on 24 May. Click on our photo section for pictures of the building process; we'll show you more photos later.

Geroldseck Castle to celebrate its 750th birthday
On Saturday and Sunday 25-26 May 2000, Seelbach held a huge medieval festival to mark the 750th anniversary of the picturesque ruins guarding the top of the hill. This unique event was extremely interesting and we will report on it for you at a later date.