Bars, and Other
FSB Watering Holes
Frank's Pig Pen

This is a photo of what was probably the all time favorite of all bars among FSB vets.  It was a few blocks up the street from Andrews barracks, at the corner of Martha Strasse and Kaddettenweg.   Frank's served bar food, like pizza, sausage, and fried potatoes. The upstairs was where the owner (Frank) lived.  It really was named Frank's Pig Pen.  In the picture, above the windows by the door, is the name, sort of blurry, but still there.  Elvin took this picture of a photo by a friend.  Contributed by Elvin, at Tictocdok at aol.com
Re:  Frank's Pig Pen
From: George DeBuchananne, Jan. 22, 2001

The building still stands as of last summer.  It is now a residence.

I got out in Aug. 69 and left Berlin in May of 71.  I got to know Frank and Sabenia quite well. 
Frank and Sabenia used to have an apartment on the same floor where I had a room over on Durer Str.  We used to sit around in the evenings drinking wine and planning his first resturant, it was down on the Havel waterfront, when Frank was working for the PX.  He used to service the "Fanta" machine that was out back on the hill.  I used to guard him sometimes when he was filling up the machine. It was on these trips that he realized how much money he could make by selling Italian Food to GI's sick of wurst & salad.  The funny part was that he really thought that he could create a "Class Place" rather than just another smelley watering hole.  Actually, Frank could cook.  He had always told me that he was Italian from Brookland, NYC.

When he and Sabenia moved out of their apartment and into the place over their new bar, they thought they had hit the big time!  The only trouble was that Frank spoke no German.  Sabenia had all the papers made out in her name so when their relationship hit the rocks the place was like a soap oppera.  After the big blow-up I heard that Sabenia went for "class" and tried to turn the place into a "Key Club".  That didn't last long.  I heard that Frank went to the Azors or somewhere and started another restaurant. 

From: "Gary Combs"
Frank's Pig Pen closed some time before the wall came down.  I guess Frank, Smitty, and probably MaryAnn retired somewhere in Spain.  Before closing finally it was the Nashville Bar.



The Gin Mill
From Bill Moran, a photo of what the GI's called, "The Gin Mill," but which is plainly labelled here over the front door, Pferdestall, which means the horse stall, or stable.  It was outside Roosevelt Barracks. 

From Dave Briggs, bambam113 at aol.com comes this further description.
Do not confuse it [the Gin Mill] with Al Molino's, which was out the front gate of Andrews and to the right.  In '84 - '90, as you came out the front gate and made a right, there was the Turkish Imbiss.  Next to that was the Home Bar.  Next to that was an insurance agency.  Then Al Molino's Italian Restaurant, and then the Speak Easy bar.  The Home bar was predominately frequented by the 39th Combat Engineers, and the Speak Easy "belonged" to the Field Station. 

[from Webmaster:  Here's a complete list of every bar I've ever received word on :
Tony's Imbiss Stand, Turkish Imbiss, Home bar, Franks Pig Pen, Old Eden, Rex Casino, Weisse Elefant, Amalfi's, Speak Easy, Amlio's Bar, What Cheer, Randy's Bar, Drake Ecke, Landhaus, Kit Kat Club, Sabrina's Key Club, White Horse, Al Malino's restaurant, Baby Doll, El Oso Club, Pferdestall, and the Gin Mill.]
The Harnack House

This photo is the view of the house from the backyard, circa 1969.  The house was given over to the Free University after the Wall fell. It was located just behind the Berlin Brigade HQ compound.  This was the only facility in Berlin for US military officers.  There were no other US Officers/civilian brass clubs for any of the services in West Berlin.  Some FSB formal ceremonies, such as "Hail and Farewell," were held there.  You can see the Brigade's huge antenna on the left.
According to an informed source, deepthroat at fsbvg.org, the "Fiddler's Green" was Der Keller Bar in the Harnack House. Happy Hour and other relaxing events took place there.  The Harnack House underwent restoration/renovation using the DM budget. For a period of time the "O Club" operation was moved up stairs to the rooms that had been used as lecture halls prior to WWII.  Each Happy Hour regular in attendance had an "HHAH" [HH for Harnack House, or Happy Hour, and the final H for Hole; guess what A was for] assigned number. The US Commander of Berlin, HHAH # 1, MG McDonaugh, used to drop in to watch the fun. As he watched them break glasses in the fireplace on night, he exclaimed it looked like so much fun he was going home and try some of his wife's china.

There are many HHAH stories.  The day the AH's mooned the USAREUR Provost Martial who was staying upstairs in a HH VIP room.  Fourteen of them lined up out on the lawn by the barbeque pit for the moon shot.

They loved to give any poor sports a whipped cream pie in the face. One night, the Maitre d' from the formal dining room got it - that turned into chaos with him trying to get even - Herr Burke in his tux running past the UK Berlin Chief of Staff to deliver a pie.

The Brigade Cmdr (Mc Nair one star) tried many times to crack down on the AH's but his attempts always fell on #1's deaf ears.

[ Webmaster comment:  This story sounds like a scene from "The Dirty Dozen" ! ]
The Old Eden

From John Honey comes this poster for Rolf Eden's great establishments, the Old Eden Saloon, the New Eden Saloon, the Eden Playboy Club, and the Big Eden dancehall. 
Courtesy of Barry Bates, Sept 04, whose photo is on our member's mug shot photo page.