Refugees Find Accommodation in Army's Former Heidelberg Home

Military personnel who formerly served in Heidelberg, Germany, might not recognize their old stomping grounds today. In response to Europe's deepening refugee crisis, the Germans have turned Patrick Henry Village—formerly a housing area for Army families—into a shelter for those fleeing chaos in the Middle East and North Africa. 

Patrick Henry Village was a special place for many who lived there, prompting former residents to create at least one website and an unofficial Facebook page to share memories of military childhood in one of the most picturesque areas of Germany. The installation opened in 1947 following World War II; the Army returned it to Germany in 2013. At its peak, 16,000 Americans lived there.

While the current residents of PHV are there under very different circumstances, one hopes they find their new home as congenial as those who lived there in years past. You can glimpse their lives in this photo slideshow that appeared in this Mannheim publication. 

(Image via nnattalli/Shutterstock.com)