35 years of friendship: Laer and Badersleben celebrate their partnership

35 years of friendship: Laer and Badersleben celebrate their partnership

In Laer, not only is the landscape cared for, but friendly relationships with distant places are also promoted. The 35th anniversary of the partnership between Laer and Badersleben was celebrated on October 3rd this year. The delegation from Laer, led by Mayor Manfred Kluthe, traveled to Saxony-Anhalt for this solemn occasion. What makes this exchange so special? The roots go back to 1957, when the Protestant Women's Aid Laer sent food to Badersleben. Since then, a deep friendship has developed between the two communities. The contract for the community partnership was finally signed in October 1990, with the aim of setting up the administration in Badersleben according to Western standards. wn.de reports on the numerous activities that were launched as part of the partnership.

Badersleben, with fewer than 900 residents, is known for its functioning parishes and active club life. Similar to Laer, there is a club area with a post mill and a leisure center as well as a local museum in which historical documents and everyday objects from the GDR are shown. These cultural institutions help keep history alive and promote local identity. In recent years there have been regular visits and return visits between the two partner communities, with the Laer local association intensifying contact with the Badersleben local association. heimatverein-laer.de provides an overview of these activities.

Celebrations and shared experiences

The ceremony began with an ecumenical service in the Protestant church, followed by joyful joint activities that celebrate the cohesion and joy of this long-standing partnership. After the service, we met at the elementary school, where homemade cakes were served and the children were able to demonstrate their skills at archery. A highlight was the visit to the aviation museum in Wernigerode, where the participants were able to marvel at historical aircraft.

Gisela Köster, the deputy district administrator, praised the voluntary commitment of both sides and the support of the clubs that keep the partnership alive. Mayor Kluthe reported positively about the trip and highlighted the activities such as the exchange of letters between the children of both communities. At the remarkable conclusion of the celebrations, a review of 35 years of partnership took place in the Badersleben Singers' Home, with Laer handing over a financial contribution for future tree planting.

A future for partnership

Another important point of the anniversary celebration was the invitation to the groundbreaking ceremony for the new development area “Am Bosseberg”, which is finally to be realized after a long planning period. To do this, complicated ownership relationships had to be clarified, which significantly delayed the process. But the joy about the progress in the construction project is palpable: the children even designed the first letter of the new address with bricks, while the community representative and scout leader gave the church blessing.

In summary, this partnership not only enriches both communities economically and culturally. It also offers space for personal exchange and making friends - a great example of successful European neighborhood that could also inspire other communities to emulate. The ongoing cultivation of these relationships shows how valuable such community partnerships are in learning from history and looking into the future together. Wikipedia shows the diversity and importance of such partnership contacts, which promote not only social but also economic exchange.