Between Berchtesgaden and Chiemsee:
How many bowling alleys were there and where?
How many movie theaters were there and where?
Just wonder how many of you can think back that far.
JIM
Between B'gaden and Chiemsee?
Depending if you count the German theaters...? If you do, there used to be the one next to the American PX in Berchtesgaden. = 1. And oh yes the one in Chiemsee = 2
But if you count the German shows, you have that one, plus, two German shows in B'gaden, + plus one in Bad Reichenhall, and plus + another one in the town of Prien. .
Totalling -
= 5
Bowling alles? One one in B'gaden, but every one uses the brand new 35 lane alley that opened in 93. near the Airport in Salzburg now.
Did I pass???
BILL:
Close but no cigar.
This is only the American bowling alley's and movie theaters.
How many were at Chiemsee and where was the location?
How many were in the Berchtesgaden Recreation Area and where were they located?
Think hard and try again.
Oh yah......to be more specific..........1960 - 1980 period.
CHIEMSEE
Only one theather downstairs under the main lobby. (building). I had to kick out a German when I worked there in 1993 before moving to Ansbach. The girl, refused to stand during the National Athem playing before the movie started. --She didn't have an ID and was arrogent as hell about showing respect. So she was asked to leave.
B'GADEN;
That one is too easy....directly above the PX which was next to the Aral Gas Station. The bowling alley was located below the Billeting office (which was across the street from the “Bahnhof.”
-- The building was not torn down...it still stands today as some sort of business?
Now a question you might know: Who lived in the house (which had a long driveway) 1971-1974 directly accross from the PX? There was a party there in New Years Eve, 1972/73, and when we returne to B'gaden in 1990 just before I got deployed to Kuwait, my wife started working in that building - it was for a Dentist named (Dr. Rohmhild) who later moved in 1998 to Salzburg. I think his wife still has a praxis there.
I have been trying to figure it out I mean its not a big deal, but I have always wondered who it was that invited me and a few of the guys there??? I indistinctly recall someone named Bill and I think he was retired military, some sort of 1st Sgt, as he was living there he had all sorts of Nazi WWII souvenirs’, and I think he worked at the Warehouse in Strub?
MOVIES: You were correct on the one next to the PX, across the street from the Hof.
There was also one in the Walker. Located in the second basement.
Also in the same area was a two lane bowling alley.
At Chiemsee there was a movie just outside the managers office on the 1st floor.
This was next to the wide stairs that led up to the employee rooms above the kitchen.
BOWLING: You were correct on the one located in the basement of the Billeting Check-in Office near the Bahnhoff.
Another was in the basement of the Walker (as mentioned above) next to the movie.
At Chiemsee it was a one lane "PIN" alley located in the basement under the front desk.
As to the house on the hill, just behind the PX and Theater, and next to the tennis courts was the house that the Chief of CIA operations lived. I don't remember his name but it was something Erickson or such. That was during my stay (1070 - 1974).
I remember the sergeant you mentioned above. There was a retired 1st Sgt and he lived someplace close to town. He was in B-gaden when the troops librated the city at the end of the war. He used to work at the warehouse in Strub. He was one of the guys that went into the bunkers and brought out all the stuff that was stolen from France and many other countries. In my mind I can see him as clear as day.
Yup that was him... and it was the DIA not the CIA... trust me I know..!!
There was a bowling alley near the Bahnhof in B'Gaden, I believe there was one also in the basement of the General walker. Two lanes
Movie theaters in B'Gaden There were two. One near the PX. and the other was at the General Walker shown in the basement. I was the projectionist at both. At the General Walker, 16mm films were shown. No popcorn sales or the alike. Show intermission due to the reel changes. If my memory is correct the site was formally an indoor shooting range converted to a bowling alley. Near the PX it was the standared 35mm and no interruption as there was the standard dual projector.....How many remember the little circles in the upper right of the screen which was the signal to start up (rev up the projector if you prefer) the 2nd projector. When the 2nd set of circles appeared you did the transfer. A guy that was with the medical team at B'gaden was the manager, his wife did the concession stand. Regardless of how many people were in attendance, the movies played on. I can remember showing one viewing for only two people. Diming the lights, drawing of the curtain, playing the national anthiem. Curtains redrawn once again, and then the previews etc etc.
After the spent reel was inspected, by hand, you repaired if necessary, repacked for pick up late at night. and added any comments to condition of reel (s). When I had MP duties, I had a German National who took my place. Magic Tetres at times.
Dave 66-67
DAVE:
You are correct on the movies and bowling alleys in Berchtesgaden.
After the Walker was done with the 16mm they were dispatched to Chiemsee. Once they were finished at Chiemsee they were sent up to McGraw.
Fast forward to 1975. My dad, SSGT Tim May was the manager then at Berchtesgaden's Watzmann theater and it was great. I thought it was awesome to know what went on behind the scenes of the theater and upstairs in the projection room.
I believe the films came in 8 metal cases and the first thing the guys did, or my dad did sometimes, was run through each film by hand, on hand operated reels, checking for breaks. They would splice them if needed. Then they'd put them back on another machine and rewind them. The projectors themselves had metal rods inside them which produced the arc that made the light that projected the films onto the screen. They'd put the first 2 reels on and switch over when they saw the little circles as was mentioned earlier.
When people started seating, I would start the music . It was an old turn table and I think I wore out Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Rd album. Benny and the Jets was my favorite song at the time. A fun part of the whole theater thing was after we closed and everyone had gone. I would sweep the entire theater and look for things left behind. Of course, it all went into the lost and found but if no one claimed it, depending on what it was, I'd get to keep it. This was the theater where I saw American Graffiti for the first time.
I remember many times standing at the wrought iron fencing looking down the hill and watching the Krumpus march down the street. And hearing someone playing “the entertainer“ on their piano somewhere across the street from the PX.
Thanks you guys for talking this up. My dad has been gone 1 year on Sept. 25th. It's so good to stroll down memory lane to the best years of my life.
ATTENTION ALL RAIDERS:
Let us all raise our steins for Tim. I remember him well and he was one hell of a guy.
So, come Friday night all Raiders are to have a drink for Tim.
I also remember your dad really well Tim and will certainly drink to him any time .He was a champion.
Jim you are also correct about the CIA chief living there and although I can't recall his name it was not Ericson. I'll check with Ingrid, maybe she will remember.
DOC
I remember the two lane bowling alley in the basement of the General Walker. In the summer of 1973, the alley was managed by Chuck Johnson. I worked at the tennis courts at the Gen Walker and would hideout in the bowling alley on rainy days. The two most overlooked recreational activities at B-Gaden were the bowling and golf.
I also remember attending a lot of movies during that time of 1973-1974. The theater was located across from the Hof. John Gevais was a projectionist at the theater.
Mike Glass
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