Grafenwöhr

Infobox German Location
type = Stadt
Wappen = Wappen_Grafenwöhr.pnglat_deg = 49 |lat_min = 43 | lat_sec=0
lon_deg = 11 |lon_min = 54 | lon_sec=0
Lageplan =
Bundesland = Bayern
Regierungsbezirk = Oberpfalz
Landkreis = Neustadt a.d.Waldnaab
Höhe = 410
Fläche = 216.24
Einwohner = 6901
Stand = 2006-12-31
PLZ = 92655
Vorwahl = 09641
Kfz = NEW
Gemeindeschlüssel = 09 3 74 124
Gliederung = 12 Ortsteile bzw. Stadtbezirke
Straße = Marktplatz 1
Website = [http://www.grafenwoehr.de/ www.grafenwoehr.de]
Bürgermeister = Helmuth Wächter
Partei = SPD

Grafenwöhr is a town in the district Neustadt (Waldnaab), in eastern Bavaria, Germany. It gives its name to a United States Army military installation and training range. The English spelling is "Grafenwoehr". Used by the German Army before and during World War II, mostly Panzer Divisions and Artillery, it became an important training site during the Cold War for the United States Army.

Grafenwoehr, the military installation, mainly exists to house the 7th Army Joint Multinational Training Command. The 7th Army JMTC is a unit that provides training facilities including ranges where tanks, guns and other military apparatus may be tested by those who may use them in combat. Training is conducted for US forces as well as forces from other NATO nations. There is the Grafenwöhr main post to the north, the training area in the middle and to the south is the Vilseck military community. The base is home to part of the 172nd Infantry Brigade (Separate).

The Grafenwoehr airstrip is used as an assault zone for C-130's from the 37th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein AB, Germany. Due to its length and relative proximity to Ramstein, it makes for a realistic simulation of short field operations encountered around the world. Bunker dropzone is also located at Grafenwoehr. It is used to practice airdrop of equipment and supplies, perfecting the capabilities of the United States military.

The military installation is also home to one of the largest Army construction projects in Europe, called Efficient Basing-Grafenwöhr.

The civilian town rests nestled between low hills. The area is widely forested and the nearby region is mostly used for agricultural purposes. Farms and dairies cover much of the surrounding landscape.

The town holds a small military museum. In literature, the town is cited as the home of the Mayor's spunky wife, Veronica Dreeson, Gretchen and Hans' Richter's grandmother, in the best selling 1632 series.cite book|title=|last=Flint|first=Eric|page=98|edition=hardcover|date=2007-10-01|quote=It is just a little tiny place. No American would ever have heard of it. It is called Grafenwöhr. She had no idea why half the crowd, especially the middle aged men, broke out laughing so hard they threw their heads back."]

Grafenwöhr is positioned geographically such that it experiences very mild summers and cold winters.

Their soccer team is SV Grafenwöhr. The adults and children mostly all are in either the Kreisliga or Bezirksoberliga.

VIPs and important visitors

*Adolf Hitler, during WW2
* Elvis Presley, while he was doing his military service. (He also visited various bars in town where he also sang the one or other song.)
* Franz-Josef Strauß, ex Minister President of Bavaria, ex Minister of Defence, and Leader of the CSU-Party in Bavaria.

Media

At Grafenwoehr, there is at 49°42'47"N 11°54'41"E a 66 metres tall guyed mast radiator insulatred against ground used by AFN for mediumwave broadcasting on 1107 kHz with 10 kW.

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.grafenwoehr.com English website of Grafenwoehr]
* [http://www.1-33rdar.org/training.htm Bob Decker's site includes a couple of stylized maps showing Graf]
* [http://www.hqjmtc.army.mil 7th Army JMTC website]
** [http://www.grafenwoehr.com Grafenwoehr the home of the U.S. Seventh Army for 60 years]
* [http://elvis.grafenwoehr.com/ "Elvis in der Oberpfalz" (german)]