The Museum of the American Military Family is mounting an exhibit, “Host Nation Hospitality,” in Weil im Schönbuch, Germany. The exhibit highlights the friendships and relationships between America’s military forces, families, and people from formerly enemy nations who have now become allies and friends.
Four military-connected people created the exhibit: museum founder and director Circe Olson Woessner, a military wife and mom; WWII/Occupation Army veteran Allen Dale Olson, artist Barbara Beck-Azar, a brat and military/veteran spouse; and writer Valerie Bonham Moon, a military brat, veteran, and spouse, and also the museum’s 2020-2022 Writer-in-Residence. They each bring a unique perspective to the content they curated.
Host Nation Hospitality’s seventeen exquisite panels delve into various topics, answering questions and highlighting international intersections. These include the DoDEA school system’s innovative “Host Nation” language programs, the University of Maryland’s campuses in garrisons and war zones, a German town’s transformation of a former American inner border outpost into a “House of Peace” museum, the German War Graves Commission’s tribute to an American soldier, and a German city’s preservation of the former US military library.
Woessner says the exhibit shows how organizations and people continue the work of past collaborations in the present while keeping an eye on the future.
“Military life is very transient, so we military families cram as many new experiences as possible into our lives because we know we will move in a few years. We are often nostalgic, remembering our overseas postings and wondering what became of the installation we once were stationed at. What happened after we left?”
Host Nation Hospitality is a collaboration between the museum and half a dozen national and international organizations. Many military-connected service organizations sponsored the exhibit. The museum is thankful for the following organization’s support:
- Loyal Order of the Moose-Belen Lodge 1680
- Fraternal Order of Eagles-Alamogordo Aerie #4104
- Stuttgart Community Spouses Club
- American Legion Post #117, Clovis
- Fraternal Order of Eagles-Las Cruces Aerie #4038
- American Legion Post #44, Elephant Butte
- Loyal Order of the Moose-Alamogordo Lodge 2016
Host Nation Hospitality will run from October 6 through December 30, 2024, and is open to visitors during town hall business hours. Monday: 8:30–15:00, Tuesday,Wednesday: 8:30–noon, and Thursday: 14:00–18:00.
The Rathaus is located at Marktplatz 3, Weil im Schönbuch, Germany.
For more information, contact the museum at info@militaryfamilymuseum.org.