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Town Twinning/Städte-Partnerschaft |
Thirtieth Anniversary Celebrations in Bebra
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Town Twinning/Städte-Partnerschaft |
Thirtieth Anniversary Celebrations in Bebra
A party of Knaresborians travelled to our twin town Bebra at the beginning of October, 1999. The trip to Kirmes - the Harvest Festival Celebrations - was viewed with even greater anticipation than usual, as this year is the thirtieth anniversary of the signing of the twinning document in Bebra.
On Friday morning we all gathered in the Rathaus (Town Hall) to be welcomed officially by the Bürgermeister of Bebra, Horst Gross. We were all presented with a cap commemorating 30 years of town twinning.
Presentation of the anniversary weathervane
From left to right: Nortrud Hoffmeister - Chairman Bebra Town Twinning Club, Pat Tankard, David Tankard, Horst Gross - Mayor of Bebra, Mavis Clemmitt - Chairman Town Twinning Committee, Richard Hall - Mayor of Knaresborough
©Pat Tankard
Friday evening saw the usual concert evening, with entertainment provided by various groups from Bebra and the surrounding villages. We contributed to the evening with a very short version of the pantomime Cinderella, with Mayor Richard Hall and ex-mayor David Tankard as the ugly sisters, in wigs! The evening also celebrated 30 years of town twinning with slides showing the beginning of the association between the two towns. Our Mayor Richard Hall, and Chairman of Town Twinning Mavis Clemmitt presented the Bebrans with a specially commissioned weather vane depicting the keep at Knaresborough Castle
Saturday evening began with an ecumenical harvest festival service at the Evangelical Church in Bebra, immediately followed by the Children's Lantern Procession through the town. The children carry paper lanterns containing candles - something the would probably be frowned on in England! Many of the group then danced the night away, either at a local hotel, the Hessischer Hof, or in the Festival Tent - both with live music rather than discos.
The highlight of Sunday was the Grand Parade through the streets of Bebra. Our Mayor and Mayoress, Richard and Rachael Hall (second from left and right) lead the parade together with the Bürgermeister Horst Gross (second from right) and the Mayor of Friedrichroda (left). |
The Grand Parade |
 Bebra's Bed in the Grand Parade ©Pat Tankard |
Twinning was well represented in the parade, with a Bebra Bed pushed by various members of the Bebran teams from the 90's, and town twinners from both Bebra and Knaresborough. The parade ended at the Festival Tent, where the eight bands who had taken part in the parade provided live music into the early evening. |
Town Twinners (Bebran and Knaresborian) about to start in the parade
©Pat Tankard
On Monday morning, many of us returned to the Festival Tent for the traditional "Fruhschoppen", a breakfast of pork and sauerkraut, also accompanied by live music, this time a "Tirolean" band. The festival ended with a magnificent fireworks display on the Monday evening, and more dancing in the Festival Tent.
Bebra's Town Twinning Club hosted us all at a farewell supper on Tuesday evening, held at the Friedrichshütte, an ancient country inn just outside Bebra. It provided a very friendly end to our visit, and an opportunity to look forward to Knaresborough's celebrations next year, when we will be commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the signing of the twinning document in our town. We are expecting a visit for the last week in July from the Bebran Concert Band, TSV Musikzug, and many other people.
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Town Twinners with the Thirtieth Anniversary Gift to Bebra Back Row, left to right Jo Hudd, Richard Wilkins, Colin Lacey, Geoff Waite, Peter Turner, David Tankard Front Row, left to right Jason Westwood, Pat Tankard, Mavis Clemmitt, Andy Hetherington, Anne Hetherington, Pat Jenner ©Pat Tankard |