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A good plan executed today is better than a perfect plan executed at some indefinite point in the future. -- General George Patton Jr |
Wuerzburg, Germany
Situated in the wide valley of the Main River in the center of Bavaria's most famous wine producing area (Lower Franconia), Wuerzburg is a city rich in history. Wuerzburg nestles in the valley of the Main River halfway between Frankfurt and Nuernberg on the Frankfurt/Munich autobahn. Many military communities are located in river towns, providing endless opportunities for riverside walking and hiking. Leighton Barracks housing area located on the eastern hilltop above Wuerzburg, approximately 1.5 miles from downtown. Wuerzburg has beautiful baroque architecture, wonderful German food, and Franconian wine. Wuerzburg is a university city whose vineyards produce a fine, dry white wine sold in a uniquely shaped bottle, the bocksbeutel. W?rzburg can be split into two halfs: the students and the rest. There are some bars and clubs where most of the people that go there are students and bars where students would never go to. Plus, there are also many, many Americans in this city because of the large military base Leighton Barracks. Walking around downtown you will notice that almost every third person is an American. Wuerzburg is a Baroque city considered the Pearl of the Romantic Road. Beginning in the 10th century, Wuerzburg was ruled by rich and powerful prince-bishops who created the city with all the wonders that you see today. Standing on the banks of the Main River, overlooking the city, is a mighty fortress, Festung Marienburg. This fortress was built between 1200 and 1600 and for 450 years was the residence of the prince-bishops. There are two museums inside the fortress, the Main-Franconia Museum and the Furstenbau Museum. Left untouched for most of World War II, it suffered the tragic distinction of being the last city destroyed by Britain's Royal Air Force. On March 16, 1945 87% of Wuerzburg was destroyed in a bombing that lasted only 20 minutes. Wuerzburg was pulverized in a massive air raid and resulting fire storm. Troops from the 42d Infantry Division, XXI Corps, 7th Army, captured and occupied Wuerzburg on 4 April 1945, and the Wuerzburg Military Post was organized and established on 15 March 1947. Almost every structure that was destroyed has been reconstructed. One of the most elegant and glorious palaces in Europe is the Residenz, this is the Baroque palace the prince-bishops lived in after coming down from the hilltop fortress. This is considered the most beautiful Baroque palace in Germany. The palace garden, which has flower gardens that are changed to match the seasons, was designed in the 18th century with lovely fountains, shrubs, and gravel walks. There are good transportation connections in and around Wuerzburg including rail, bus, and streetcar. However, having a private vehicle is desirable, especially if one resides outside of town. Registration and licensing are handled on post. Nearby air terminals are Nuernberg and Frankfurt. The weather is usually cool, with cloudy skies and frequent rain. Normally, very little snow falls during the winter months. |
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This Day in History
1808:
Bayonne Decree by Napoleon I of France orders seizure of U.S. ships.
1864: General Grant bans the trading of prisoners. 1864: Confederate forces attack Plymouth, North Carolina, in an attempt to recapture ports lost to the Union two years before. 1941: The Yugoslav army, encircled in Bosnia, surrenders to Germany and signs a formal capitulation in Belgrade. 1945: U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Boris T. Pash commandeers over half a ton of uranium at Strassfut, Germany. 1951: Operation DAUNTLESS continued to advance against weakened communist resistance in the 24th and 25th Infantry Division zones. 1961: The Bay of Pigs invasion begins when a CIA financed and trained group of Cuban refugees lands in Cuba and attempts to topple the communist government of Fidel Castro. 1975: Khmer Rouge forces capture the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. |