HOST NATION SENSITIVITY SURVEY: DRAW-DOWN OF U.S.

S E C R E T BERLIN 001189 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/23/2019 TAGS: MARR PREL GM SUBJECT: HOST NATION SENSITIVITY SURVEY: DRAW-DOWN OF U.S. FORCES IN MANNHEIM REF: A. EUCOM MSG DTG 181010Z SEP 09 ¶B. BERLIN 0068 Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR GEORGE GLASS. REASONS: 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (S) Ref A requested Embassy Berlin's assessment of host nation sensitivity regarding USAREUR's plan to inactivate or withdraw almost all of the remaining units from the city of Mannheim (state of Baden-Wurttemberg) and to close U.S. Army Garrison Mannheim. ¶2. (S) This message updates and supplements the information provided in ref B, which assessed host nation sensitivity regarding USAREUR's overall plan to inactivate or withdraw almost all units from Mannheim and Heidelberg and to constitute the new USAREUR/7th Army headquarters in Wiesbaden (state of Hesse). ¶3. (S) Government Reaction. We do not expect a negative reaction to the proposed change from the German federal government, which has long anticipated this announcement. In 2005, the U.S. Army Europe Commander confirmed publicly that Mannheim was not an enduring U.S. military community. All official communications with state and local officials since then have consistently repeated that theme. However, the fact that the current action will result in a net loss of 348 local national jobs during a time when a fragile German economy is only beginning to show signs of recovery, will certainly be unwelcome. (Note: Some 426 local national positions will be lost in Mannheim, but those will be partially offset by increases elsewhere, especially in the Bavarian city of Ansbach, which will gain 73 positions.) Both the state of Baden-Wurttemberg and the cities of Mannheim and Heidelberg began an effort in the fall of 2008 to press USAREUR and the U.S. Government to abandon this long-planned move out of the Mannheim/Heidelberg area, largely because of the anticipated negative economic impact. ¶4. (S) Press response. Interest by state and local media attention can be expected. Displacement of employees and disruption of local economies are likely to be the focus of most state and local press reports, which probably will be largely negative. The negative impact may be compounded by reports of still greater losses to come as U.S. forces prepare to empty their Heidelberg garrison. ¶5. (S) Economic Impact. The move will result in the loss of 426 local national jobs in the Mannheim area, which will only be partially offset by increases in the Bavarian city of Ansbach (73) and elsewhere. While the job losses will not be significant for the state of Baden-Wurttemberg as a whole, they will have a notable impact on the local Mannheim economy. Mannheim will also be affected economically by the loss of 575 soldiers, 196 government service civilians and approximately 1,150 family members. As noted above, confirmation that U.S. forces will begin pulling out of Mannheim in 2010 will not be welcomed at a time when Germany is still suffering from a weak economy and high unemployment. Murphy