Courtesy Photo | Visitors to the Rothenburg Christmas Market shop at the stalls by the city’s town...... read more read more
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MANNHEIM, Germany – In a special event for the rear detachment of Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 95th Military Police Battalion, the unit’s Family Readiness Group took 31 soldiers and family members on a day trip to Rothenburg, Germany, Dec. 4 to visit the historic medieval city and its Christmas Market.
The event was organized by the FRG who used a $500 grant provided by the Mannheim Community club to rent a bus from outdoor recreation, making the entire trip possible, according to trip organizer, Alicia Kunz, a member of the FRG.
Upon the group’s arrival in Rothenburg, everyone was given a map of the city and released to explore the city at their leisure. They had exactly four hours to visit the famous Christmas Market and try to absorb everything the city has to offer.
Every year, hundreds of cities and towns throughout Germany have Christmas Markets, however there is one thing that separates the Rothenberg Christmas Market from all the rest – atmosphere.
The city’s official name is Rothenburg ob der Tauber, meaning “Red Fortress above the Tauber” because the city is located on a plateau above the Tauber River.
Ever since the city was founded in 1170, the architecture of the entire city has remained almost entirely intact and preserved over the years, despite damage during various wars. The preserved condition of this medieval city creates a majestic atmosphere no matter where you are within the city’s stone walls. The atmosphere of the city combined with the Christmas Market is enough to draw enormous crowds of people from around the world every year.
Almost everyone who went on the 95th MP Bn.’s FRG trip did something different than the next person. For some it was about enjoying the moment.
“It’s the atmosphere – the glühwein and the people,” said Jennifer Goltz, one of the FRG spouses who took advantage of this leisure opportunity. “Some of us liked to just sit around the tables and have glühwein and have good conversations. I really didn’t do much shopping. It was just about the experience of being out in the winter.”
For others, it was all about the gift giving spirit of the holidays.
“I think Santa will probably bring a lot of presents for our son this year,” said Sgt. Brian Buchanan, a member of the 95th MP Bn.’s supply section, who took full advantage of the deals he and his wife found at the market.
Still others did a little bit of everything with groups of like-minded friends.
“We did some shopping, drank some glühwein, and checked out the wall around the city,” said Kunz.
A free trip to one of the greatest Christmas Markets in Germany was a great opportunity for the people who attended, and not just because of the relief it provided to their wallets during the holidays.
Getting involved in the FRG during the unit’s deployment provided family members and rear detachment Soldiers with an opportunity to get out of the house or away from the office and socialize.
When Goltz was asked about attending FRG sponsored events, she said “The thing about the FRG is that it’s participatory. You get out of it what you put into it. If you want to get involved then it’s absolutely open to everyone, but you have to actually make the choice to go to the meetings and go to the events.”
FRG events such as day trips and festivals are not only good for experiencing new things, they are also a great way for family members to meet new people, which can especially come in handy if they are new to a duty station, according to Goltz.
“It’s helped me make friends in the unit. I’ve become a lot closer to a lot of other spouses of deployed Soldiers through the FRG that I probably would not have met otherwise,” she said.
Kunz, Goltz and Buchanan said they would recommend this trip to others, and had some advice for them as well.
“If you take young children, bring a good stroller, and dress warm,” Buchanan said. Many of the streets in Rothenburg are made of cobblestone, and the city’s elevation is high, which makes it colder than many other cities in Germany.
If other soldiers and families can not make it to the Rothenburg Christmas Market this year, they can go to next year’s market, which is open from Nov. 25 through Dec. 23. They can also go to Rothenburg’s German Christmas Museum or the Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas shop, which are both open all year long.
| Date Taken: | 12.16.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 12.16.2010 08:48 |
| Story ID: | 62086 |
| Location: | MANNHEIM, DE |
| Web Views: | 163 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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