Strengthening Bonds Through Cultural Exchange: The Bergisch Gladbach-Joinville-le-Pont Partnership
Allocated budget for European Schools staff education and professional development in education and training sectors.
A recent visit to Runnymede saw the strengthening of the long-standing city partnership between Bergisch Gladbach, Germany, and Joinville-le-Pont, France. This partnership, established in the post-World War II era, has played a significant role in promoting reconciliation, cultural exchange, and peace between former adversaries.
Historical Context and Origins
After the devastation of World War II, many European towns sought to build bridges to overcome hostility and mistrust. The twinning movement began as a grassroots effort to promote understanding and friendship, particularly between Germany and France. The partnership between Bergisch Gladbach and Joinville-le-Pont was established around 1960, reflecting these wider European efforts. It was among numerous Franco-German town twinnings initiated during this period, inspired partly by the broader political framework of reconciliation, including the 1963 Élysée Treaty.
Significance of the Partnership
The twinning is much more than formal protocol; it symbolizes reconciliation between former enemies by creating sustained people-to-people contacts. The partnership enabled cultural and educational exchanges, including school visits, joint cultural festivals, and sports events, allowing citizens—especially young people—to experience and appreciate each other’s traditions and lifestyles. These interactions helped break down prejudices and foster mutual understanding, contributing to broader European integration and peace.
Beyond cultural events, the partnership often involved the exchange of ideas on local governance, economic cooperation, and social issues, strengthening local democracy and cooperation at the municipal level.
Contributions to Reconciliation and Rapprochement
Over more than six decades, the relationship has maintained continuity, helping successive generations of citizens to build friendships and reshape perspectives on national identity and historical narratives. The Bergisch Gladbach–Joinville-le-Pont partnership exemplifies how local initiatives can reinforce international diplomacy by embedding reconciliation at the community level. This kind of grassroots diplomacy has been critical in stabilizing post-war Europe.
The town twinning aligns with the larger European project of unity and peace by promoting citizen-level engagement across borders, thus facilitating a sense of shared European identity. The partnership often includes commemorations of historical events, joint ceremonies fostering remembrance, and dialogue about the past, which contribute to a frank yet respectful approach to history.
Recent Developments
On Tuesday, June 17, 2025, the third meeting took place in Bergisch Gladbach between the Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Gymnasium and the Collège Jules Ferry from Joinville-le-Pont. The students experienced a colorful program together in Bergisch Gladbach and the surrounding area, with the central thematic focus this year being the cities of Joinville-le-Pont and Bergisch Gladbach on the Rhine with their location on the banks of significant waterways - the Marne and the Rhine.
The Rhine harbor was visited and its special history was explored, and the students were sensitized to the importance of water and the ecological challenges. Last month, in May 2025, the mayors of the three cities met in Runnymede to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
The exchange program between the schools has been established, and the visit to the town hall was a special highlight of the recent exchange program. Long-lasting friendships sometimes arise from these visits. Everyone is looking forward to the city festival in Bergisch Gladbach in September, where there will be a reunion among friends.
The event was a special experience for the young participants as they improved their language skills and got to know the family and school life of the Germans and the French. The next visit by the students from Bergisch Gladbach is already planned: from September 25 to October 2, 2025.
The meeting was officially welcomed at the historic town hall in the city center. The chairman of the German-French Friendship Working Group, Klaus Wohlt, and the coordinator for the city partnerships in the mayor's office, Anne Linden, welcomed the guests in the large council chamber.
Germany, post-World War II, found it crucial to reconcile with other European states and establish friendly relations. City partnerships, such as this one, were instrumental in achieving this. Joint workshops and activities were intended to strengthen interpersonal relationships alongside the thematic focus. From the partner school Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Gymnasium, the educators Kerstin Witzleben and Sabine Ophuisen participated.
This city partnership between Bergisch Gladbach and Joinville-le-Pont continues to strengthen, fostering peace and friendship not only between the two cities but also as part of the larger post-war European rapprochement.
- The city partnership between Bergisch Gladbach and Joinville-le-Pont, established in 1960, has supported lifelong learning and cultural exchange, bridging the gap between former adversaries, as seen in educational exchanges like the one between Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Gymnasium and Collège Jules Ferry.
- In the post-World War II era, policy and legislation, such as the 1963 Élysée Treaty, played a pivotal role in promoting reconciliation, but grassroots initiatives like city twinning, such as the one between Bergisch Gladbach and Joinville-le-Pont, have also contributed significantly to the establishment of a shared European identity and peace.
- The Bergisch Gladbach-Joinville-le-Pont partnership extended its focus beyond cultural events to address topics related to education, local governance, economic cooperation, and social issues, exhibiting the importance of these aspects in the general news and self-development of the citizens involved.
