Following an appeal of the Facebook-Group “THE LAST CHANCE” on November 12, 2011, former U.S. soldiers, German guests and employees of the former Pfersee discotheque met for a long reunion night at the former Recreation Center, Bldg 33, Reese Barracks, now the City of Augsburg’s cultural center “abraxas”.
The former inn “Am Schlößle” was altered to “The Last Chance” discotheque, being the GIs’ last chance for a final beer or any other alcoholic beverage on the way back to Sheridan Kaserne. Very popular at that time was the Geißenmaß, a mixed drink (one liter) consisting of dark beer, Coke and a double brandy. The effect was proverbially a knockout. A special attraction was, doubtless, the numerous ladies. Country music was very popular then - but dancing did not stop there. Any type of music booming out of the speakers would do the trick. Highly esteemed by hungry guests were pizzas and schnitzel sandwiches.
The legendary “Last Chance” is by now a mere apartment building. As the BR (Bayerischer Rundfunk) was interested in this element of Augsburg’s military history, a TV-team met members of Amerika in Augsburg e.V., and two former U.S. soldiers on location the next day. Even Josef Klein, “Last Chance’s” ex- innkeeper, returned to his former domain at Stadtberger Straße 33. In the afternoon, a further meeting with two other American “Last Chance” patrons, and the TV-team took place at the former Flak Kaserne.
The Last Chance is a stand-in for many other inns in Augsburg’s west that were patronized by the U.S. The building has been constructed around 1890 as home of the Katholischer Arbeiter- und Gesellenverein (Catholic Workers and Journeymen Association).
Retired Sgt. Roy Bowen, ex-innkeeper Josef Klein and chairman Georg Feuerer (from left) are meeting at the beginning of the TV shooting in front of the Kalka Army Store opposite Sheridan Kaserne. Photo on top: Jürgen Neumann.
In front of the former “Last Chance” in Pfersee: Josef Klein, Jürgen Centner (AIA), Greg Nygaard, Roy Bowen, Georg Feuerer (AIA) (from left).
Final photo in front of Flak Kaserne gate: The TV team, three Americans and a member of Amerika in Augsburg e.V. Vinny Licciardi (front, middle), once stationed at Flak Kaserne, was a regular patron of the “Last Chance”.