Besuch aus Portsmouth 2014



Gedenkveranstaltung "Bomben auf Duisburg - Umkehr in die Zukunft" am 14.10.2014


70. Jahrestag des schwersten Bombenangriffs auf Duisburg

Zur Gedenkveranstaltung zum 70. Jahrestag des schwersten Bombenangriffs auf Duisburg am 14. und 15. Oktober 1944 kamen am 14. Oktober 2014 englische Gäste ins Duisburger Rathaus.


2000 englische Bomber verwandelten die Stadt am 14. und 15. Oktober 1944 in eine Trümmerwüste, die Zahl der Toten ist nur zu schätzen. Über 6000 Gebäude waren total zerstört, über 10 000 Menschen obdachlos. Oberbürgermeister Sören Link, Mitte 2012 erst gewählt, erinnerte an 28 Weltkriegsbomben, die in seiner noch kurzen Amtszeit gefunden wurden, gesprengt oder entschärft werden mussten. Am Ende des Krieges, erinnerte der OB, waren 25000 Duisburger tot, fast alle Häuser zerstört.


"Die Bomben auf Duisburg sind nicht ohne Grund gefallen", mahnte Link aber auch, die Ursachen des Krieges nicht zu vergessen, den Deutschland und seine Nazi-Führung begonnen hatten. Gleichwohl sei zwischen den kriegszerstörten Städten Portsmouth und Duisburg eine bewährte und dauerhafte Partnerschaft gewachsen. "Aus der Zerstörung entstand unsere Freundschaft", sagte Links englischer Amtskollege Steve Wylie.


Lord Mayor Steve Wylie aus der englischen Partnerstadt Portsmouth trug sich ins Goldene Buch ein

Lord Mayor Steve Wylie aus der englischen Partnerstadt Portsmouth trug sich ins Goldene Buch ein.


Portsmouth Portsmouth


Weiterführende Infos unter: Der Westen: Duisburgs Katastrophe fiel nicht vom Himmel






Dokumentation des diesjährigen Besuchs einer Delegation aus der englischen Partnerstadt Portsmouth



Portsmouth

The Right Worshipful

The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth

Councillor Lynne Stagg

Lord Mayor’s Parlour

Guildhall

Guildhall Square

Portsmouth PO1 2AJ

Great Britain

17 March 2014



Dear Lord Mayor, dear Lynne


It was my great pleasure to meet you, Lady Mayoress Anne Taulbut and Councillor David Fuller on your civic visit to Portsmouth's twin city Duisburg, 28 February - 4 March 2014.

Portsmouth

Incidentally, it was quite exceptional for me to accompany such distinguished guests on official business from abroad in Duisburg during the Carnival period. I thought you coped amazingly well and with your speach including a typical Carnival "hello" cry and wave you impressed Oberbürgermeister Link and everyone in the Mercator Chamber at Duisburg City Hall during the official reception in honour of yourself and your delegation.



For those of us dedicated to promoting German-British understanding in particular and peace and democracy in Europe in general such a visit symbolising trans-European, cross-border friendship is every bit as important as it was in the immediate post-war years when the first twinning links were created between Portsmouth and Duisburg, Leeds and Dortmund and Reading and Düsseldorf. Many more were launched consequently emulating these successful models.



v.l.n.r: Lily Clark, Robert Tonks, OB Sören Link, Bob Clark, Lord Mayor Lynne Stagg

Let me extend our sincere thanks to you and the City of Portsmouth on behalf of the German British Society Duisburg for helping to keep this twinning link so vibrant. My wife Iris has very fond memories of your company on Friday and "Rose Monday" and Lily, Bob, Margret, Alison, Ray, Andreas and Andrea really enjoyed meeting you at the reception in your honour on Tuesday when we witnessed your signing Duisburg's "Golden Book", the city's book of honour.






Ray Jones took some photographs which he has kindly put at our disposal and we will post on our Website in due course.





v.l.n.r: Lord Mayor Lynne Stagg, Robert Tonks, OB Sören Link

Futhermore, I was only too glad to chat with you about possible future exchanges. You may remember Iris and myself telling you about a Duisburg comprehensive school attended by young people from various ethnic backgrounds looking for an exchange with a school in Portsmouth. The initiator would be very grateful if you could pass on the concept to the school in Portmouth you mentioned which was keen on such co-operation.


v.l.n.r: Councillor David Fuller, OB Sören Link, Lady Mayoress Anne Taulbut, Lord Mayor Lynne Stagg, Robert Tonks

















Finally, please let me know if you require assistance regarding the many other points of potential co-operation we touched on, such as police, fire service, musems (Mary Rose / Mercator).




Yours sincerely

best regards




Robert Tonks

(Chairman British German Club Duisburg / Vorsitzender Deutsch-Britische Gesellschaft Duisburg)


Duisburg, 17 March 2014





Lady Mayoress Anne Taulbut

Lady Mayoress Anne Taulbut

Lord Mayor Lynne Stagg

Lord Mayor Lynne Stagg

Robert Tonks, Jürgen Hordt, OB Sören Link, Lord Mayor Lynne Stagg, Councillor David Fuller, Lady Mayoress Anne Taulbut

v.l.n.r.: Robert Tonks, Jürgen Hordt, OB Sören Link, Lord Mayor Lynne Stagg, Councillor David Fuller, Lady Mayoress Anne Taulbut

v.l.n.r.: Robert Tonks, Alt OB Josef Krings, OB Sören Link

v.l.n.r.: Robert Tonks, Alt OB Josef Krings, OB Sören Link

v.ln.r.: Robert Tonks, OB Sören Link

v.l.n.r.: Robert Tonks, OB Sören Link

v.l.n.r.: Alt OB Josef Krings, Robert Tonks, Lord Mayor Lynne Stagg, OB Sören Link

v.l.n.r.: Alt OB Josef Krings, Robert Tonks, Lord Mayor Lynne Stagg, OB Sören Link

v.l.n.r.: Margret Cascio, Councillor David Fuller, Lily Clark

v.l.n.r.: Margret Cascio, Councillor David Fuller, Lily Clark

Lord Mayor Lynne Stagg, Guess who?

v.l.n.r.: Lord Mayor Lynne Stagg, Guess who?







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