The History of Münster's Town Twinning

Town twinning consists of student exchanges and administrative assistance, higher education scholarships and sporting competitions, cultural projects and social initiatives, flying visits and friendships. Münster's ten partnerships to cities within and beyond Europe thrive on the meetings between people, the openness, curiosity and interest in the respective partner city, its language, its culture and residents.
But even as coincidental as the partnership points appear on the map, and as apparently random the unrelated pairs come together - city partnerships are also always a reflection of history. The story of these partnerships also begins in Münster in the years following the Second World War. In 1957, England's York established the first link to the Westphalian metropolis, with Orleans from neighboring France signing a city partnership certificate with Münster in 1960.

Reconciliation After the War

Most of today's some 4,000 partnerships with German cities and communities emerged in the 50's and 60's, with many of the first ones consisting of British-German partnerships. Former enemies in war carefully stretched out their hands to one another. Their aims were reconciliation, understanding and the assurance of peace. The wounds struck by the war were deep. Mistrust and prejudice cannot be swept away in one or two quick visits. Norway suffered as well from the German war atrocities. In 1967, as the first Norwegian city, Kristiansand approached a community in Germany - Münster. Another 14 years would pass until the German city was able to count an Israeli city amongst its partners (1981: Rishon Le-Zion).
Right from the beginning, youth and cultural exchange, along with sporting meetings, played a large role in the partnerships. And this remained the case in the 60's even as 'Reconciliation and Understanding', the guiding idea of the city partnerships, was further developed into 'European Integration'. The European Economic Community (EEC), predecessor of today's European Union (EU), took care of the mediation function of the communities between the citizen and the city. The cities were regarded as starting points for social, cultural and political change.

New Themes in Dealings With One Another

From the 70's onwards, local administrations intensified their work in the partnerships. Development collaboration and economic advancement were significant areas of activity that also occupied Münster. In 1970, the city was awarded the 'European Flag' by the European Council for its commitment. In this regard, it had already reached out beyond the European borders of multicultural understanding in the previous year by sealing its partnership with Monastir in Tunisia. In 1986, California's Fresno was added to the list. A piece of not just European, but also municipal history, tells the tale of the partnership with the French city of Beaugency. This partnership was originally entered into with the independent community of Hiltrup. As Hiltrup then became the city district of Münster-Hiltrup in the wake of the communal annexation of 1975, Beaugency was then accepted into the circle of partner cities.

Geographical Change of Direction

In the 80's, the countries of Eastern Europe opened up following the end of the Cold War. The concept of city partnerships in Western Europe then underwent a geographical change of direction. Germany experienced this political transformation in historical dimensions: The countries of the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic, separated since the end of the Second World War, fused into one country.
Only from 1990 can Münster realize its long-desired city partnership with Mühlhausen in Thuringia. Ultimately, Münster's most recent partnerships, with Rjason in Russia (1989) and Lublin in Poland (1991), are evidence of the European development now possible, from which Münster cannot and has no desire to refrain.
With construction and administrative assistance, and primarily with humanitarian aid, Münster's citizens contribute to the reform processes in their new partner cities.
With each meeting, the people of Münster and of its partner cities provide evidence of their readiness for understanding and their capacity for tolerance. The trust between one another grows with the friendships, and these are no longer only entered into between two cities at a time. As a result of the solidarity and, more than anything else, the affectionate dealings with one another of the eleven partner cities, two 'triangle relationships' have already emerged in the meantime: Münster-Orlean-Kristiansand and Münster-Lublin-Rishon Le-Zion.

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