In the summer of 2022, we traveled to Frankfurt and spent a beautiful day in Heidelberg. It was too tempting not to have a peek at the old barracks where my husband Harrold, was stationed for over five years during his thirty years of service; so we took a small diversion from the quaint downtown and traveled familiar roads to Campbell Barracks.

Nine years after the buildings were handed over to the German Government things looked both familiar and altered; but by no means finished. We arrived during a time of transition. A time when architects strive to balance new and old, history and progress. We could see their vision and would like to share what we witnessed:

The Historical relevance of Campbell Barracks.

Why did the local government want to preserve Campbell Barracks ?

Certainly for historical interest: in late 1930 the barracks were built as part of the German Wehrmacht expansion. The Wehrmacht was the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany,  consisting of the Wehr (army), the Kriegsmarine (navy) and the Luftwaffe (air force). Hitler wanted to make the German military unified. Ironically the name was chosen from the German verb wehren - to defend and the noun Macht - power. Defense soon became offense as the Wehrmacht's mission became to invade other countries.

The Allied Troops arrived in Heidelberg close to the end of  World War II in March 1945; residents gave up without a fight. The Wehrmacht had left the day before blowing up all the bridges over the Neckar river on their retreat .

Though the Allied Troops took over Campbell Barracks immediately they officially took over the barracks in August 1952. A new chapter and mission begun, behind the former gates of the Nazi regime. The barracks became the headquarters for the US Army in Europe and a joint NATO command. The official name of the mission became the United States Army Europe (USAREUR). Over 20,000 soldiers were continually stationed at the headquarters, until it was closed in July 2o13. Closing the base came with very little bravado; only 300 people were in attendance for the closing ceremony. (1)

Transition plans

What was to become of the buildings and location?

Shortly after the keys changed hands, local architects got to work and the city started planning. Architect companies were encouraged to apply for the important role of designing and transforming the area into a workable space. Some of the buildings were placed under heritage protection to protect their role in history spanning from World War II, through the cold war and including September 11th. If a building received heritage protection status it would become a visual memorial; both the history of the architecture built for the German army and the subsequent decisions made behind closed doors by NATO which helped shape the world we live in today.

The mission was to allow the buildings to be utilized and repurposed whilst maintaining a connection from their past to a useful progression to their future use and purpose.

The Future

In 2018, the architect company Studio Vulkan from Switzerland were awarded the project and in the words of the landscape architect and urban planner Robin Winogrondgot:

"The structures of power and control shaped this site – we are reinterpreting them: They are becoming places of encounter – between people, the past, and ideas" (2)

This is the view from the new headquarters of the architects office. The brown and white new builds are apartments, many of which are already occupied. The location is sought after as it is close to the street car and new work opportunities. Prices in the city have increased tremendously as new companies have been encouraged to move to the area to fill the space that the Americans left.

The buildings surrounding the former main gate entrance will keep the same exterior and become workspaces. The former parade ground, behind the main gate will not be built on. It will be kept as an open space; where residents and workers are encouraged to meet, walk, sit and relax.  Trees and green areas have been planted and colorful hexagonal benches have been added, to break up the stark grey concrete. Whether it was intended or not, this area is a beautiful example of positive irony. The former walled in restricted area is now open and transformed from a place to display and train military presence, to a place to establish community and unity. A place which could previously only be peaked at by residents in the neighborhood; a small glimpse through the armed guards on the gate, has become an inviting space open to everyone.

Construction work on Mark Twain Village began in 1948; the residential complex extended along both sides of Römerstrasse. The apartments which formerly housed Americian families now house German families.

Situated in the district of Kirchheim, Patrick-Henry-Village, covered 97.5 hectares , roughly the same size as Heidelberg’s Old Town it was originally built by the US Army as a residential complex between 1952 and 1955. The area included, around 1,500 housing units to support the families of those assigned to Heidelberg. An elementary school and middle school and a preschool. A commissary provided supermarket products from the US, a library provided books, there was a Chapel, play park, gym and even on and off an restaurant or two.