Aya's Archery News

Today was another fabulous day with my new friends in Steinstücken, Berlin. Per invitation, I returned to join the Steinstücken Archery Club for a very fine afternoon of shooting. The weather was perfect and the Malergarten on the south end of the historic community was in bloom with a variety of Spring flowers.

Coach Peter Reich welcomed me to join them for friendly competition, where Wilfried Hammer showed his prowess and shot a personal best to win the gold. Great shooting! Later I explained a method for match play for the club to try... maybe in September when I return.

Wilfried and his wife Elke (my superb translator) gave me a very rare gift; two patches representing the Steinstücken Luftbrücke "Air Bridge" and Aviation Detachment "Berlin Brigade." These will honor my collection of 200+ military patches. Many thanks! Vielen Dank! Oh, and thank you Elke for the backpack... to transport all the pieces of Berlin Wall I adopted during my stay... :)

I also met again with Heike Berhendt and she shared photos of the historic days of the Berlin Wall surrounding their entire community for 28 years. She gave me a photo of Steinstücken taken by her father from an Army chopper. Günter Roßnagel showed me a 1994 film of the Denkmalfete Memorial party for the US Army Aviation detachment that supported Steinstücken for 11 years and also Mauerflug, the view of the Berlin Wall in 1990 from helicopter. Thanks Günter for the Germany ballcap! I'll wear it at my next Archery tournament; the Gold Cup in a few weeks!

The day ended but that didn't signal the end of events. The Teichrosänger of Steinstücken met for a delightful evening of singing accompanied by guitar, accordian, and zither. We drank and sang German folk songs followed by brats, brötchen rolls, and beer; a real German experience.

My sincere thanks to all my new friends in Steinstücken! I look forward to September!

Today was without a doubt one of the greatest days in my research of the Berlin Wall.
Last week I went to Steinstücken to research the unique situation of this former exclave of Berlin during the time of the Wall. At the center of this beautiful communtiy is the Am Landeplatz (landind pad) for the US Armed Forces that arrived via helicopter to protect the 180+ citzens from being absorbed into the GDR. While photographing, I discovered a small sign announcing an annual memorial celebration to be held today.

I went and after several attempts to find the location of the event, I was finally greeted by the president of the Bürgerverein Steinstücken 80eV (Citizens of Steinstücken Assoc) Günter Roßnagel who welcomed me to the memorial with warm greetings and introduced me to Karin Lau and Heike Behrendt. They shared amazing accounts of life behind the Berlin Wall and the eventual victory to gain a 1km, 20m wide strip connecting them across the GDR to mainland Berlin in 1972. He gave me a book, poster, and a T-shirt.

Then I met Wilfried Hammer, the assistant Archery Coach to Peter Reich. It was a coincidence that in the lovely Malergarten, they have a small archery club. Several students gathered as I was put on the spot with a house bow. Cheers from the crowd as I managed to hit the target. Then each student showed their skill and we enjoyed an afternoon of beer and brats, good conversation, and a hike around the former border with local American, Whitney Sterling.

Vielen Dank - Sincere thanks to all the great folks in Steinstücken for your warm welcome and I look forward to next Thurs when I return to help Mr. Hammer teach the great sport of Archery!