By Wolfgang Swietek
28.09.2015
A few days before German reunification in 1990, Themar and Gerbrunn (near Würzburg) decided to become twinned towns. Reason enough to celebrate the anniversary.
Themar – When a partnership lasts 25 years, you can confidently call it a silver wedding anniversary. So it’s only natural to want to toast the next 25 years and celebrate the golden one. The town of Themar and the municipality of Gerbrunn were able to celebrate this anniversary at the weekend. However, they did not do so among themselves – the guests came from France, the Czech Republic and Poland. Because they too have long been part of this partnership.
It all began shortly after the opening of the border in the fall of 1989, when Mayor Heidemarie Kettner welcomed the first delegation from Gerbrunn to Themar Town Hall in February 1990. In her memories of this meeting, she speaks of “love at first sight”. The town and municipal councils of the two municipalities saw it no differently. The twinning certificate was then signed on September 28, 1990 by Klaus Rönick on behalf of Themar and his counterpart from Gerbrunn, Hans Lorke.
The fact that this partnership has not just remained a council resolution, that it is constantly being revitalized, is primarily due to the fact that there are committed associations in both municipalities. In Gerbrunn, this is the Initiativkreis Gerbrunn für Europäische Städtepartnerschaften, or IGEP for short, while in Themar the association “Themar trifft Europa” or TtE has been working on this for five years now.
Both association names make it clear that it is not just about the two German towns, but about contacts within Europe. While Themar took the first step towards a partnership with Gerbrunn, the town representatives in Gerbrunn got to know their other twin towns. They have long maintained friendly contacts with them. For example, with Molsheim in France, Lesnica in Poland and Cernosice in the Czech Republic.
Grassroots partnership
There were soon reciprocal visits not only with Gerbrunn but also with the other partners. Thuringia’s former Minister President Bernhard Vogel once called them “grassroots partnerships” because he saw them as a network of relationships in all directions. Or as Peter Thiel, one of the fathers of this partnership, put it: “My friend is also your friend.” Peter Thiel has now published an informative commemorative publication to mark the 25th anniversary, which reports on this quarter of a century from various perspectives. Witnesses from the past and the creators of today describe their personal experiences and motivations. “There are no partnerships unless you live them,” concludes Thiel.
The meeting on Saturday morning showed that they are not resting on their laurels and that they want to keep tackling new projects. Heads were spinning for three hours in the town hall as the French presented their ideas for the coming year and coordinated them with the plans of the Czechs, Poles and Germans.
Citizens’ trips are to be organized again, in different directions (“So that not only our association members, but also many residents get to know their twin towns”). A school exchange is important to everyone, because it is the young people who need to be involved in good time if there really is to be a “golden wedding anniversary” in 25 years’ time.
Sabine Müller, teacher at the “Anne Frank” state secondary school and chairwoman of TtE, is encouraged by the fact that a number of pupils from her school exchange letters with young people from Cernosice in the Czech Republic – which they do in English. That is why the association organizes workshops in English or French, because language is a bridge between countries.
The results of an art workshop this year, which was very well received by the young people, were presented by the pupils to the mayors of the twin towns during the festive event. Far more than the usual gift of friendship, it was more a sign that they too had been inspired to look beyond their own horizons and into another country. Having your own world view presupposes that you can also look at the world. Until 1989, this was more of a pipe dream than a reality.
Appeal for action
The 25-year anniversary with Gerbrunn was not the only focus of the celebratory event in the Schützenhaus. Of course, the 25 years of German unity were also commemorated, which Hans-Jürgen Salier acknowledged in an impressive speech. A further highlight was a ceremonial act: Philip Korinek, the mayor of Cernosice in the Czech Republic, and his counterpart from Themar, Hubert Böse, signed a highly official document. They had already signed a friendship agreement on April 2, 2011, which they have now elevated to the status of a partnership. They ended their “engagement”, which had lasted a good four years, and entered into marriage, as they said in the relaxed manner of the evening.
“Many young people only know Europe without borders, only with the euro, only peacefully.” The two mayors Hubert Böse and Stefan Wolfshörndl (Gerbrunn) remind us of this in their joint greeting in the commemorative publication. But also the words of Willi Brandt: “Nothing comes by itself. And very little is permanent.” An urgent appeal for action, addressed to all partners.
