Culture

Elvis Presley in Germany

Arrival in Friedberg

He came, he saw and he rocked: It was 1958 when the King arrived in Bremerhaven on the USS General Randal to complete his military service. From there he continued by train to Friedberg, in central Germany, where his fans and the press prepared a rousing reception.

Elvis Presley in Germany

Service in the spotlight

On October 2, the King moved into his room in building 3707 of the Ray Barracks. He would spend the next 18 months in the tank division of the military. However, Presley enjoyed some privileges with his superiors and performed only limited service. The King moved quickly from his barracks to a hotel room and later an apartment in Bad Nauheim, near Friedberg.

Elvis Presley in Germany

Elvis and the paparazzi

Elvis' grandmother Minnie Mae, his father Vernon and two bodyguards followed him to Germany. At first, they lived in the Grunewald Hotel in Bad Nauheim, then moved to Goethe Strasse 14. It was only at home that Elvis was able to get some peace from his fans who were waiting outside his house round-the-clock to catch a glimpse of him. He's pictured here reading a popular German youth magazine.

Elvis Presley in Germany

Visit from a colleague

When Bill Haley begins his European tour in Frankfurt in October 1958, Elvis visited his colleague in the dressing room. He constantly had the press in tow. Haley and Presley were seen as the fathers of rock and roll. The older generation of Germans at the time was somewhat suspicious of the new music from America, while the youth were very excited by the new sounds from across the Atlantic.

Elvis Presley in Germany

Wooden Heart

The popular German soldier's farewell song, "Muss i denn zum Städtele hinaus," is at least 200 years old. Presley recorded his own version called "Wooden Heart." The King sang the song in English but with a German chorus written out phonetically. The song was first heard in 1960 in the movie "GI Blues," which was a tribute to Presley's army service in Germany.

Elvis Presley in Germany

Fun first, soldier second

During his military service in Germany, Elvis preferred expensive cars and beautiful women over the regimented life of a soldier. In this photo, Uschi Siebert, the Hessian state beauty queen of 1958, gives him the keys to a BMW 507 sports car, which racecar driver Hans-Joachim Stuck drove to victory many times.

Elvis Presley in Germany

Bringing back memories

Angelika Springauf was one of those teenagers who besieged Elvis' home in Bad Nauheim. Decades later, she poses proudly with a photo of herself and the King. Diehard fans in the town still keep the memory of the rock and roll legend alive.

Elvis Presley in Germany

The look of love

In Germany in 1959, Elvis met his future wife. Priscilla Beaulieu was 14 years old when her stepfather, an air force officer, was deployed to Bad Nauheim. Currie Grant, manager of the Eagles Club and a friend of her family, took Priscilla to parties in Elvis' home at Goethe Strasse 14. Their wedding, pictured here, took place eight years later.

Elvis Presley in Germany

Enduring memory in Germany

Since 2002, Bad Nauheim and Friedberg have organized an annual European Elvis Festival. Visitors from around the world celebrate the legend with Cadillacs, Elvis impersonators and lots of rock and roll. The fans regularly visit the statue of the King - the 1.75-meter granite column standing outside the Grunewald Hotel where Elvis lived for a few days.

Elvis Presley in Germany

Who is the real Elvis?

Franz Nübel, a baker, is one of many Elvis impersonators in the world and goes by the alias Eifel Elvis Jack Favor. In 2004 he set a new world record for continuously singing Elvis songs: 42 hours, 16 minutes and eight seconds. He was allowed to take a 15-minute break every four hours. At the end, he could only croak.

Elvis Presley in Germany

Elvis in private

Want to see Elvis' wedding crockery from Graceland with a signed menu, the green duffel bag in which he picked up his fanmail, or one of his most famous glitter costumes? With over 2,000 original pieces, three Dusseldorf collectors fulfilled their dream and opened the largest private Elvis collection outside the United States in December 2011. It's a must-see for real Elvis fans.

Elvis Presley in Germany

Collector's luck

True fans are not satisfied with Elvis albums alone - they need Elvis collectibles. The King's pompadour was sold at auction for $18,300, his school report sold for $8,000 and his first contract with RCA sold for $65,000. However, for those on a budget there is everything from Elvis figurines to good luck charms.

Elvis Presley in Germany

Going home

On March 2, 1960, Evis Presley's military service in Bad Nauheim came to an end. He flew back to the US and would never return. However, residents and visitors alike are reminded of the King at every turn, with the Elvis monument, Elvis Square and even a walk of fame. And at the 11th European Elvis Festival from August 16-19, the King comes back to life in his European home.

Author: Suzanne Cords / ps | Editor : Kate Bowen