Life without Americans

German town braces for life without US troops.

One Essential Read One Essential Read Recommended by Kate Turton, Newsletter Editor This small town in Germany is bracing itself for the withdrawal of US troops   Shoahan Hanan, the owner of a Brazilian steakhouse, that serves troops in Vilseck, Germany. REUTERS/Lisi Niesne Thorsten Graedler started his new role as mayor of a small German town this week. The picturesque Bavarian town of Vilseck has 6,500 local inhabitants. They are outnumbered by US military personnel and their families. "I've never known Vilseck ‌any other way than living side by side with the Americans," Graedler said. Now, President Donald Trump's plan to withdraw at least 5,000 troops from Germany threatens to turn life in Vilseck on its head. Residents and business owners worry what the loss of the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, the only permanent brigade combat team in Germany, could mean for the local economy. Based at Rose ‌Barracks in Vilseck, Stryker's departure raises the prospect of thousands of job losses. Read the full article   Sponsors are not involved in the creation of newsletters or other Reuters news content. Advertise in this newsletter or on Reuters' website   Reuters One Essential Read is sent three days a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here. Want to stop receiving this email? Unsubscribe here. To manage which newsletters you're signed up for, click here. This email includes limited tracking for Reuters to understand whether you’ve engaged with its contents. For more information on how we process your personal information and your rights, please see our Privacy Statement. Terms & Conditions   © 2026 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036