The American way of music

Dropping a line

At the "Resi" ballroom, there were no losers, nor occupiers - just lovely "Frauleins" and smartly dressed boys with laid-back charm. After the war, people were hungry for entertainment. The Resi in Berlin had already been a hot address during the 1920s and again became a nightlife legend after reopening in 1951. People used capsule tubes and table telephones to get in touch from across the room.

The American way of music

New values

With the wild sounds of rock 'n' roll, teenagers rebelled against the bourgeois mentality of post-war Germany as well as against their parents' values. When Elvis Presley served in the military from October 1958 to March 1960 in the German state of Hesse, German fans fawned over him. The King became the idol of an entire generation.

The American way of music

Star presenter of the 1960s

The sounds from American broadcaster AFN were like a revelation for young people living amongst the destruction of post-war Germany. The DJs weren't stiff and preachy, but funny and easy-going. One of the stars of the time was George Hudak, with his show "Frolic at Five." Fans stormed Berlin's Wittenbergplatz in 1960 to listen to the popular moderator live and in person.

The American way of music

Roll 'n' rock

In the soldiers' club at the McNair Barracks, those with fleet feet could borrow skates and roll around the dance floor. The roller disco in the All American Service Club was the trendy place to be in 1950, and the musical backdrop came from the likes of Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby.

The American way of music

Dancing in the "Bathtub"

For decades, GIs were beacons of US pop culture in Germany. Particularly in the 50s and 60s, Americans and Germans met in soldiers' clubs from Munich to Hamburg, where people danced to the sounds from across the Atlantic. The Badewanne (Bathtub) was one of Berlin's most famous jazz clubs at the time, drawing huge stars to its stage - like Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington.

The American way of music

Monks gone punk?

The founding members of the Monks were GIs in the Coleman Barracks in Gelnhausen, near Frankfurt. They ended up staying in Germany after their military service. As the "anti-Beatles," they dressed up in black clothes and sported rope necklaces and tonsures. Today, they're considered pioneers of punk - a sound that audiences in the 60s weren't entirely comfortable with.

The American way of music

The 1960s club scene

In the 1960s, the skirts got shorter and the music more beat-driven. But people still danced in the NCO clubs - nightclubs for non-commissioned officers. These venues were set up after 1945 in numerous cities where GIs were stationed. US dollars were the only currency accepted. Many American musicians on tour in Germany stopped by, from Bill Haley to Elvis Presley.

The American way of music

Designated drivers

People didn't just dance in the GI clubs; there was also plenty of drinking, too. In order to encourage party-goers not to exceed the blood alcohol limit for driving, Berlin's Fiddler's Green Bar offered free soft drinks and a button to any given group's designated driver. Chances are, however, that the strategy wasn't always effective.

The American way of music

The disco era

By the 70s, disco fever had gripped US soldiers and Germans alike. Glittering threads and long hair were in vogue, and the Bay City Rollers, Rod Stewart and Status Quo charted alongside the likes of Udo Jürgens and Abba in Germany. In the GI discos, people danced along to the whole spectrum.

The American way of music

Magical places

Starlight Grove. Friendship Lounge. Gator Club. Evocative names for places that once emanated a certain kind of magic. Many of the GI clubs have since closed, and the venues have been sold. But countless German music clubs got their start either directly or indirectly thanks to the GIs - whether in terms of the 70s disco sound, early hip-hop in the 80s or the electro clubs of today.

Author: Suzanne Cords / gsw | Editor : Louisa Schaefer