Memories of Leighton Barracks wanted

09/15/2026

The Institute of History is looking for eyewitnesses who can tell about the Leighton Barracks in Hubland. Photographs of the former US barracks are also welcome.

A typical leisure activity at Leighton Barracks: American football. In the background are the newly built residential blocks. The photograph dates from the first half of the 1950s and comes from the family album of the American Elizabeth Thomas. She came to Würzburg with her parents at the age of 14. (Image: Elizabeth Thomas)

The site where the university’s North Campus and the Hubland district of Würzburg are located today was home to a US Army barracks for over six decades. From 1945 until the Americans’ withdrawal in 2008, the Leighton Barracks shaped life in Hubland – and, with it, the lives of many Würzburg residents.

A seminar at the University of Würzburg’s Institute of History now aims to explore this chapter of the city’s history in greater detail and bring it to life. Under the supervision of Dr Miriam Montag-Erlwein, history teacher-training students, in collaboration with the City Archives, will, from October 2026, be conducting in-depth research into the history of the barracks and their influence on urban society.

Personal stories and experiences are sought

The students will explore the historical remains of the barracks on site and carry out research in the archives. Above all, however, they are seeking to speak to people who lived through that period.

What was it like living alongside the American soldiers and their families? Were there friendly interactions? People who worked at the barracks may be able to recount personal relationships. Who would like to share stories of shared celebrations, everyday encounters, points of friction or problems, for example in connection with military manoeuvres?

“We would love to find out more about how present the American ‘occupying power’ – as it was initially called – was in the everyday lives of the people of Würzburg,” says Miriam Montag-Erlwein. “These memories are intended to complement the newspaper reports from the city archives and reveal entirely new, personal facets of German-American relations in Würzburg.”

Photographs are currently in short supply

So far, there is very little photographic material on Leighton Barracks in the city archives. “We would therefore be delighted to receive any photographs from that period – whether of the barracks themselves, joint celebrations or private encounters with American families. We are particularly interested in the personal stories behind the pictures,” says Dr Montag-Erlwein.