It's Now Or Never (O Sole Mio): Elvis In Germany 1960

[appalachiablue]

- Elvis Presley as a US Soldier Stationed in West Germany: 1958-1960

When Elvis Presley walked off an army troop ship in Bremerhaven, West Germany on October 1, 1958, he was only 23 years old. It was his first (and only!) trip beyond the USA and Canada, courtesy of his local draft board in Memphis, Tennessee. His 17-month stay in Germany would be a pivotal period in his life and career.

“Colonel” Tom Parker, Presley’s manager, had gone to great lengths to ensure that Elvis Presley would be seen as just another “average G.I.” – but he was hardly average. Presley was already a huge international star by the time he arrived in Germany. There were throngs of screaming Elvis fans when he left the US and when he arrived in Bremerhaven. The Colonel had promised his star attraction that he would become an even bigger star after his tour of duty in West Germany. All Elvis had to do was “…stay a good boy, and do nothing to embarrass your country.”...

https://www.german-way.com/notable-people/featured-bios/elvis-presley-in-germany/#:~:text=Elvis%20Presley%20as%20a%20US,his%20first%20(and%20only!)&text=His%2017%2Dmonth%20stay%20in,in%20his%20life%20and%20career.



- Elvis served in the US Army at the Ray Barracks near Friedberg, Germany, only about 3 miles from Bad Nauheim. In 1998, the city of Friedberg created the Elvis-Presley-Platz in the center of town.