Madam,

Twin town partnerships are not automatically successful! They are certainly changing and quite a few are “untwinning”.

After the Second World War motives for twinning were turning enemies into friends mainly by getting to know each other and by fighting prejudices.

For decades mainly young people met on school exchanges and university courses. This in many cases, like with Kronberg and Aberystwyth (Altkönigschule and Penglais), led to official partnerships between the towns.

What has changed is the fact that presentday generations did not experience the cruelty and casualties of war and the feeling of hate and contempt among nations. Particularly young folks take it for granted that travelling, working and studying abroad is everyday reality.

However, in the light of Brexit it is as important as ever to keep up friendship and mutual understanding. Town twinnings are the greatest peace movement, currently undergoing change, and citizens of twin towns have to find new ways of cooperation.

It takes people who are ready and enthusiastic and ready to sacrifice time and energy to keep contacts alive. Thirty years of school exchanges with Penglais and 20 years of group visits to our Welsh twin town make me rather confident that the friendship between Kronberg and Aberystwyth will continue. I do really hope so!

Yours etc, Fritz Pratschke, Freeman of Aberystwyth, Homburg.

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