Kaiserslautern owes its name to the Hohenstaufen Emperor (Kaiser) Barbarossa, who had an imperial palace built at "Lautern" 850 years ago, after being so impressed by the beauty of the local countryside. Today, Kaiserslautern combines being a lively student town full of quaint bars, the footballing capital of southwest Germany and the cultural heart of the Palatinate. You don't need to venture far outside the town to enjoy nature at its best in the Palatinate Forest biosphere reserve, Germany's largest contiguous area of forest.

German-American Community Office www.gaco-kl.de

Services offered by the German-American Community Office (GACO)

The German-American Community Office is set up as an international drop-in point catering to both German and American citizens. Bilingual assistants will offer information required by American citizens who have recently arrived in Kaiserslautern to help them settle quickly into their new community. The staff will, for example, assist in handling administrative matters or provide recreational information. Services, such as linguistic support, will also be offered to Americans who have been living in Kaiserslautern for a longer period and need assistance. In short, the city embraces its U.S. residents, and wants to offer them thorough, competent service throughout their stay.
Questions from German citizens concerning German-American relations will also be answered. Therefore, the Kaiserslautern Military Community will provide qualified staff members who can address the needs of the host nation as well.

Fortunately, there are many clubs, friendship associations, and other groups in the area that have already committed themselves to foster the German-American partnership. In the Community Office, they will have the opportunity to advertise their activities. This also applies to companies offering special services to American citizens. Hence, the German-American Community Office can be considered as a “market place” where supply and demand for information and interaction are easily brought together.