The Pilgrimmage

Throughout over 35 years of marriage, my sister-in-law and I have heard the countless "Baumholder" stories as told by the Balanza brothers, Mom Balanza, and Sergeant Balanza. Stories of humor; stories with drama; adventure stories...you name it and we have heard the story—all set in Baumholder, Germany!

Now my sister-in-law and I have often wondered what exactly was so “wonderful” about this place that we would hear these stories throughout the years...over and over. What mystery(s) made this place so special and seem so wonderful? The only thing that comes to mind is perhaps they were recapturing of the wonders of youthful days past, the joy and experience of saying, “...we were there...we were young there...”. I mean, afterall, Germany with its castles, kings, queens, conquerors, Black Forest, albs, hills, dales...this is the stuff fairy tales were made of! Who wouldn’t find this place wonderfully enchanting?

Well, my husband and I recently ventured to this place called Baumholder this past weekend. To the average eye, the small village seemed to center around the military community. Sure it had its church at the center of the village and its narrow cobblestone streets, but somehow the “charm” that I had envisioned all these years was not evident at first sight.

The military installation itself (according to my husband) had remained much the same since 1960’s. There was the gym, the football field, oh—and let’s not forget the “teen” club, where I am sure during those days and times for my husband and his brother, was the center of a lot of their activities.

My husband saw his old home—a European military style home which housed eight families on four floors! The Balanzas were on the top floor which meant that Mrs. Balanza, my mother-in-law had to “lug” groceries up four flights of stairs as there was no elevator in the building! No “wonder” to be found there! And let us not forget to mention the family did not have a car, which meant commissary and shopping trips must have been quite an event, i.e., traveling to and from with arms full of grocery bags, etcetera...hmmm...can’t find the “wonder” there!

Then let us not forget laundry! Let’s see, the washing machines (no dryers) were located in the basement—okay that’s bringing the basket(s) of laundry down five flights of stairs (remember the Balanzas were on the fourth floor!) Then, the were the clotheslines (yes, you heard me right!) The clotheslines were located in the attic—hmm...that means bring the now “heavier” baskets (remember the clothes are now wet!), up six flights of stairs! I am still looking for the “wonder” here! Then they would leave the clothes there to dry and return at a later time to collect the clothing!

So what did the family do when they weren’t working, shopping, cooking, or going to school??? Well, there was Eugene Junior and his sports--Friday or weekend baseball, basketball, and football games. What did Porter do? Well...there was the eternal quest for he and his buddy Clark, to find an open pool table for a game! Never mind the teen club with their two little tables that they had to wait in line for—there were places like the Officer's club that they could sneak into...after all, Clark’s dad was an officer—why couldn’t they play there?? There was sledding in the winter months—always lots of snow in the winter time! And oh, those wonderful German sleds! They could “fly” on those! There were bingo games at the NCO club, the occasional trip to neighboring villages, sites, and country(s). Switzerland...Luxemborg...

So what exactly was the “wonder” of Baumholder? I suppose the saying (changed a bit)...would be, “Wonder is in the eye of the beholder?” It has been my experience that a place/location is always better once you leave it (because after all, only the “good” things that I have experienced are remembered--who wants to remember the “bad” stuff? Not me! With that said, I can only deduce the “wonder”(s) of youth and the younger days when Mom Balanza and Sergeant Balanza were in the prime of their lives--is what is remembered.

Germany...Baumholder...it was a wonderful place! I could see it in my husband’s eyes as he would reminisce about a certain time, a certain happening that was sparked by only walking the same path that he did as a youth. It is that “light” and that “gleam” in his eyes--the excited nature in which he explained how he did “this” or he did “that” which will stay in my mind and remain (to me) as the “wonder” of Baumholder! The youth that once was—for all of the Balanzas, my husband, his brother, his mother, and of course, Sergeant Balanza—remains a part of this family’s history. It is those stories that will keep them forever young!