We never dreamed of living in a German small town. Yet here we are. Our first experiment in international living was one year in Cambridge, England. This was an extremely successful experience, so we decided to do it again. My husband’s employer gave him a very small list of choices and we selected a town in Germany. Western Germany has the largest collection of American military troops outside of America anywhere in the world. There are several good-sized cities that cater to this clientele and are heavily Americanized. For the record, that is not where we live.
Baumholder, Germany is 30-45 minutes from these cities. We arrived in December and on our first day, we learned that it is called “The Rock.” In America, Alcatraz Prison is called “the rock” because it is isolated on an island, and it is the only thing on that island. Baumholder is isolated and it is on a mountain. The weather is a microclimate that receives more snow than the larger & lower cities. Unfortunately, it also receives a lot of rain, even in the winter. This means that the twisty, steep, narrow roads are famous for black ice in the winter. All this information greeted us on our first day and I wondered, “What have we done?”
Fortunately, the temperatures stayed in the 40’s for the first several weeks. This was critically important to me because it rained every day for the first two and a half weeks. In fact, one day, I walked down the hallway of our apartment and stopped in my tracks. Something was strange as I passed the kitchen. I couldn’t put my finger on it. I turned left and looked through the kitchen doorway to the window at the far end. There, streaming through the glass, was a beam of very bright sunshine. I ran to the window to confirm. Yes, it was actually sunny for the first time since our arrival to this German small town nearly three weeks prior. Sadly, it only lasted 5 minutes and then the black clouds returned.
I had a family emergency and had to return to the States briefly. During this time, I missed the first snowfall, which occurred in mid-January. On the phone with me, my husband reported that the weather was so bad the town shut down. His employer, and many others, called a snow day (two, actually) for the adults and instructed everyone to stay at home. I’m not sorry I missed that. This, too, was fleeting, though. Baumholder received several inches of snow, but the rain came again and melted it before I returned from the States.
Exploring A German small town (or two): Sankt Wendel & Kusel
Serious travelers know that if you always worry about having the perfect weather, you’ll never get to see anything. Therefore, we are accustomed to sightseeing in the rain. Obviously, it is not my preference, but what are ya gonna do? So, the weekend before Christmas, we were determined to explore at least one other small town in Germany. We strolled around the small towns of Sankt Wendel and Kusel. Sankt Wendel, in particular, has a Christmas Market that we heard is cute to visit. However, it was closed for the season. Apparently, in Germany, the Christmas Markets close before the holiday (with the exception of one or two really large ones in big cities). By contrast, in Hungary, the markets are often open after the holiday as well. For some photos and information about our Hungarian Christmas Market experience, click here and here.
Despite the rain, Sankt Wendel and Kusel made every effort to charm us anyway with a huge wooden, rotating Christmas sculpture and adorable architecture.
Schnitzel is King
For the English, their main protein is beef and grocery stores boldly display banners out front that read, “We proudly sell 100% British beef.” For Germans, their main protein is pork. I happen to like “the other white meat.” Though I am Jewish, I do not keep kosher, and therefore, I am free to sample as much German pork as I wish. And, over the next year, I fully intend to.
One day, I wanted to make chicken fingers in our air fryer for my chicken-loving husband. I went to the store for breadcrumbs, which I could not find. I knew the German word for “bread” (Brot), but I didn’t know the word for “crumbs.” I did a little pantomime-style sprinkling gesture for the grocery employee as I tried to explain what I sought. She asked, “Oh, you mean for Schnitzel?”
I waited until later to laugh hysterically. To her face, I simply said, “yes.” The imaginary voice in my head said to her, “Yes. If that is your frame of reference, then, yes, that is what I am looking for.” For many Germans, Schnitzel is their frame of reference.
My First Schnitzel
To make Schnitzel, pork or chicken is pounded thin, coated in egg wash and breadcrumbs and fried. Several weeks into our small-town sojourn, we decided to try our first restaurant. One Friday night, we walked two blocks to Zum Stadtkrug. This restaurant has been in business nearly 50 years and their claim to fame is that they grill many of their meats on an open flame in a fireplace that is within view of patrons.
However, on this night, I tried my first Schnitzel rather than a BBQ item. They offer several types, including one with sauteed onions or cheese on top. I ordered the Rahmschnitzel, which is pork schnitzel in mushroom gravy. My husband ordered the one with cheese and onions. It’s not on any Weight Watchers menu, but it was worth every bite! It is cold and dreary here a lot, so it is easy to see why such hearty food that warms you from the inside, caught on in the first place.
No, Dicker Turm isn’t a Dirty Word
Walking back from Zum Stadtkrug we passed a stunning tower all lit up.
I vowed to figure out what it was and explore it. A few weeks later, as it stands only one block from my apartment, I walked over there to snoop around. I was able to climb the steps, but unfortunately, the tower door was locked.
I have, however, learned that “dicker” means “thicker.” In addition, I learned that the tower was part of the original Medieval fortification of the town. In 1880, there was a massive fire and many of the medieval structures in town were destroyed. This tower and one tower gate that leads to the cemetery are the only two Medieval structures that still exist in modern day Baumholder.
Interestingly, the city of Baumholder allows couples to marry inside the tower from May until October.
A brief history of the tower appears on a plaque outside. I used my computer to translate the plaque, so please forgive the choppy language.
PLAQUE: Part of the city wall as a Medieval fortification. Duke John I of Zweibrücken renounced 1579 on the wine tax of Baumholder but demanded the further expansion of its city fortifications. In 1760 the system of city fortifications was still almost complete. At the beginning of the 19th century, slow decay set in. Reconstruction of the Thick Tower in 1983/84.
In conclusion, Cambridge was a place that charmed me from the very beginning. By contrast, Baumholder is a German small town that will need to grow on me. I will need to learn to love it. I suspect every pastry and plate of Schnitzel will bring me closer.
Find the perfect place to lay your head on your next trip here:
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