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In the foreword to my little Elvis Presley reminiscences I want to thank all the Elvis-friends from all over the world - India - USA, for the many letters I received as well as for the number of clippings and photos they sent me.
But my special thanks are dedicated to a teenage girl named Ingrid. It was only by the friendship with Ingrid that I first came into touch with her Idol Elvis Presley. Unfortunately she was much too young (only thirteen) to join me on my journey to Elvis without her parent's permission.
There are a lot of stories to tell about my visit at Elvis' and I tried to pick the most interesting.
I had the opportunity to take about 54 private pictures of Elvis, some of them in color. A list of these pictures can be asked for. Besides that I am prepared to give further information, by mail or on the phone. Please do not forget to add return-postage, from abroad please enclose an international reply coupon... thanks!
I hope you enjoy reading through this brochure!
Der King of Rock'n'Roll ist tot - es lebe Elvis Presley!
The king of Rock'n'Roll is dead - long live Elvis Presley!
In the hearts and thoughts of his millions of fans Elvis Presley lives on. The signals he sent out during his lifetime can still be felt by those who have an antenna for his impulse.
Although my meeting with Elvis was almost 30 years ago it seems to me like yesterday. These moments, every single conversation with him and his nice secretary, Lisbeth Stefanek, impressed me so much that I have the urge to write down my thoughts for my friends and all the countless Elvis-Fans.
It all started in the spring of 1958 when I met a girl who was a really great Elvis-Fan - and still is. Together we searched shops and magazines for pictures, articles and records. Regrettably there was not very much to find in Austria. So I asked some pen-pals from other countries for their support. It did not take long until I founded an "International Rock'n'Roll and Hit Club".
 
In the name of my club I sent 1958 a letter written in english  together with a Christmas card to the Hotel Gründwald at Bad Nauheim, Hessen where Elvis during his military service stayed.
 
 
 
We were very disappointed when the letter came back to us - unopened. But I did not give in. I called the hotel manager and asked him to bring this - for  us - so important letter personally to Elvis. And this time we succeeded. Two days later we received an express letter from Elvis. It contained a huge card (40 x 60 cm) and three original autographs. Besides that it contained the vague possibility of a visit at Elvis'.
 
Now the planning started. I took my savings and bought a rail ticket. In a well-known studio I ordered a beautiful "Document of honor" with gold an silver letters in a ancient style. Finally I added a bottle of wine, a gift for my 19th birthday to my luggage. The Elvis Presley - adventure was upon to start ...
 
After a long journey via Munich and Frankfort I arrived in Bad Nauheim round midnight. I was very tired and found a little later a bed in a youth hostel. During breakfast I heard that Elvis had moved to a private villa at Goethestrasse 14.
 
Here I want to put something right: Many newspapers wrote that Elvis had to leave the hotel because of "rioting bodyguards". This is complete nonsense! I learned the truth from the hotel management as I went there to thank them for the delivery of my letter: Ibn Saud, then one of the richest men in the world, had come to Bad Nauheim for a cure and claimed the whole hotel for him and his company.
 
In the late afternoon I went to Elvis' villa. When I saw the waiting crowd there I was a little disappointed. "Boy, the will last some time" - with these words I was welcomed by some guys I knew from the hostel. It seemed that the whole world had come here to meet the King - Dutch, Swedes, English and even an Australian were among the waiting.
A sign at the door disclosed the "office hours" of the King of Rock'n'roll - 19:00 to 19:30 h. Most of the fans waited for hours and hours only to see Elvis for an instant or - with a great piece of luck - to grab an autograph. When Elvis appeared the crowd moved forward and girls, who were lucky enough to touch Elvis started to scream hysterically. Hell was let loose! In all that chaos I was pushed closer to Elvis. A lovely blond girl who knew Elvis personally helped me to speak to him. Finally I got my first autograph from his hands and was invited to the villa for 14:00 h the next afternoon. In a perfect mood and with the strong feeling to be a step closer to the fulfillment of my desires I returned to the hostel.
 
The following night I could not sleep. I could only think about the meeting this day. I had not imagined Elvis being so nice, so friendly. At last it was time for breakfast an of course Elvis was the number one topic there too. I decided to take a closer look at the city. It seemed like "Elvis-City" to me. Every shop window was decorated with pictures of Elvis, in almost every shop you could buy them.  However I only saw very few pictures of Ibn Saud.
The morning passed quickly and soon it was time to go to Goethestrasse. All the time I had the "Document of honor" and the bottle of wine with me. I was surprised to see that there were no people waiting outside the villa today. As Elvis was still asleep a secretary welcomed me at the garden door and told me to be quiet. But the same instant somebody touched my shoulder from the back. I turned and there stood Elvis - in a dark-blue and silver shirt, dark-grey pants and a cap. The eyes hidden behind dark glasses. 
We had only time for a few words before the first fans appeared. I presented the "Document of honor" which was wrapped and decorated with a white and green ribbon (the national colors of Styria). At first he could make nothing of it but when I opened the wrap and showed him the document he was very excited. He screamed "wonderful ... wonderful" and appointed me his "best friend from Austria".  Then he showed the document to the approaching photographers. After all the secretary invited me on his behalf to the villa for the next but one afternoon. I quickly gave him the bottle of wine which I had almost forgotten and he was gone.
 
I spent the following night with many new friends. Since it had been a very long night I was not in the best shape the next morning. But I had a lot to do. I went to the city and bought a lot of Elvis-photos, posters and records for my visit. Then a friend drove me to Friedberg where I could take some pictures of the barracks where Elvis was stationed. And tomorrow my journey should reach its highlight!
 
I came to the villa at 15:30 h. I was invited in and politely asked to leave camera and tape recorder at the wardrobe. Elvis wanted to keep his privacy in the villa and it was a very special thing to be invited here. Until Elvis appeared his secretary Lisbeth told me stories about her work: up to 5 mailbags, letters, cards, pages from notebooks and other things arrived daily. She offered me coffee and cookies.
Proudly she talked about the upcoming visit of Ibn Saud's oldest son who was also a great fan of Elvis. While she was still talking first a chubby man and then Elvis entered the living room. Elvis introduced the man as Lamar Fike. All of a sudden Elvis bumped me at the sofa and burst out laughing when he saw my puzzled face. We fought a little just for fun before Elvis sat down next to me and started to flood me with questions. What the favorite record of the Austrian fans was, what it looked like at my home country, about the work of our club, what Salzburg looked like... At the same tame he proudly told me that all the cookies on the table were made by his grandma Nina. From time to time I needed Lisbeth's help for some translations.
 
A little later some friends from the barracks arrived and now it was getting really cosy.  One sat down at the piano, Elvis took the guitar and after some slow tacts the changed to fast hard Rock'n'roll. Quietly the living room door opened and Grandma smiled round the corner. Unfortunately time passed much to fast. After the others had left Lisbeth urged me to leave too. Elvis shook my hand, put his hand on my shoulder and thanked again for the beautiful "Document of honor". Quickly he signed my photos, records, magazines and explained that for security reasons there must not be a stranger in the house during the visit of Ibn Saud's son. For a long time I remembered these hours with Elvis.
 
Before I left Bad Nauheim I returned once more to the villa. I brought some photos of Graz, bought flowers for Lisbeth and went to the autograph session. I handed the flowers to Lisbeth and the photos to Elvis and shook his hand - but I could not think of any farewell words. Elvis gave me his ..... as a Souvenir, then a quick kiss on Lisbeth's hand and  - goodbye .....
All the time while I am writing details round my visit at Elvis' come to my mind. There was e.g. the story about the "Elvis-kidnapping"  spread by a youth magazine. On a hot day round midday, the streets were rather empty, Elvis was torn into a car by two girls just in front of his villa. One of the journalists who were always sneaking around the house took pictures - and ready was the big story about the kidnapping of the King of Rock. The truth was, that Elvis was persuaded by one of the girls to join her in a bet and cut her birthday cake. Half an hour after the spectacular kidnapping Elvis was back in his villa again.
I also remember a 40 or 50-year old lady who I met frequently in the surrounding of Elvis' house. I saw her often bringing gifts for Elvis. When I asked her about this she told me that she was sharing a secret with Elvis and that she had sworn not to say anything.
 
Of all the girls I met I still remember Astrid. Maybe because she wrote me to Austria. She was rather close to Elvis and it was said that he was very jealous when he saw us exchanging a fraternity kiss.
I enclose the my little report some letters from Elvis-fans. I chased away some boys who were tampering with Elvis' Cadillac. When they ran away they lost some unopened letters from American girls to Elvis. I wanted to deliver the letters be he told me to keep them as a souvenir. I hope the writers will forgive me that their Idol never read their letters but that they became part of the Elvis collection of an Austrian fan.
 
 
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