The first-ever Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) LegacyFest was recently held in Ramstein-Miesenbach, Germany, Oct. 20.
LegacyFest welcomed LRMC staff and guests to a traditional German-style festival or volksfest, complete with a German music, cuisine and of course, beverages. In keeping with tradition, U.S. Army Col. Andrew Landers, LRMC commander, kicked off the festivities by tapping a keg, after welcoming host nation partners and thanking staff members for their continued contributions to military medicine.
“We hosted this event to build the trust in the partnership we have with our local communities. We didn’t want to limit the event to LRMC personnel only, so we sold tickets to everyone including those in the local communities,” said Army Col. Edward Bryan, deputy commander of LRMC.
Guests at the event included the mayor of Landstuhl, Herr Ralf Hersina; Generalartz Doctor Jens Diehm, Commandeur, Bundeswehr Central Krankenhaus Koblenz- Bundeshwer Medical General Commander of Central Medical Hospital Koblenz; and Professor Doctor Tim Pohleman, Direktor Unfall, Hand, und Wiederhestellungschirurgie, Universitaetsklinikum des Saarlandes- Director Emergency, Hand and Reconstructive Surgery from UKS.
Although celebrated around the world, Oktoberfest originates from the 1810 marriage of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, in Munich. Ludwig invited the entire town for a feast and horse racing; the event was such a success, they decided to make it an annual event.
Lederhosen and dirndl are the customary clothing worn by Germans, as well as those from the Alpine regions of Bavaria and Austria and was the uniform of the day for some guests at the LegacyFest, although not mandatory. Festivals like Oktoberfest are more than beer festivals, sausage and pretzels, they present opportunities for communities to gather and celebrate German heritage.
“The event was a success with over 600 people in attendance, it was the largest and most epic celebration LRMC has ever had. We hope this is the first of many and look forward to continuing the tradition next year,” Bryan said.
A highlight of the night was the “Oktoberfest Olympics” which included pretzel eating contests, raffles and a stein holding competition. While the event aimed to build camaraderie, espirit de corps and provide a safe place for guests to unwind, it also served to bring the communities of Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the town of Ramstein-Miesenbach, and Landstuhl together.
Since 1953, LRMC has provided medical care to Service Members across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The 100-bed hospital is nested in the hilltops of Landstuhl, Germany, in the Southwestern German state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
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