On Thursday 21 September 2023, 38 Cheltenham twinning enthusiasts set off by coach for their twin town of Göttingen, Germany. With an overnight stop in Antwerp the group made it to Göttingen in the late afternoon the next day.
A programme of events had been drawn up by the German hosts, but unfortunately the discovery of 2 unexploded bombs in the centre of town, near the railway station, meant that the Goose Girl Festivities planned for the weekend had to be cancelled. Instead a steam train journey to the Brocken, the highest point in the Harz mountains was arranged, and the following day a visit to the Bergpark at Kassel, one of the UNESCO World heritage sites with its man-made cascade of water and fountains was organised, both providing spectacular views of the nearby countryside.
Having detonated and removed the bombs, Göttingen city centre was once again open to explore and the group took part in guided tours of the city and gardens; a visit to the Forum Wissen, the new science museum of Göttingen University, a walk in the Göttingen forest, the unveiling of a plaque to honour the founder of the Youth Sports Exchange and enjoyed the local cafe culture of the pedestrianised area of the town.
The Cheltenham group, together with the Mayor of Cheltenham and his wife, were welcomed by the Mayor of Göttingen, Göttingen ‘twinners’, friends and host families at an evening reception, when speeches and gifts were exchanged; the bi-lingual book, 13 More Short Stories was launched and Göttingen’s Twinning Officer was presented with a citation recognising her 40 years of service.
On another evening, the Göttingen Twinning Association invited the group to a convivial social evening to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the establishment of the Twinning Association started in 2003. This provided a great opportunity to catch up with friends, network and make new contacts and to practice one’s German! The Syncopators Jazz band provided musical entertainment, having themselves played in Cheltenham on previous visits.
It was a very successful visit, further cementing good relations with our EU hosts, some of whom actually accommodated members of the party and have become good friends. The trip was rounded off with an overnight stop in the pretty Belgian town of Leuven and everyone arrived safely back in Cheltenham having enjoyed a stay in their German twin town that Travel Guides cannot provide.
Cheltenham International Partnerships 