Berichte

Grußworte der Präsidenten

President’s Message

I am very proud of being a member of the “Class Act” known as Belleville Sister Cities.

My thanks to each of you who successfully carried out in such a quality manner the 20th anniversary event, Oktoberfest, and Taste of Germany.

I am equally as proud of our relationship with Deutsch-Amerikanischer Freundeskreis Paderborn.

Tom

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News from Paderborn

Dear Friends in Belleville and Around:

These past weeks we had two wonderful celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the friendship documents on the 2nd of September 1990, one in Belleville and one in Paderborn.

Referring to the anniversary celebration on September 2nd at City Hall Belleville, Buergermeister Heinz Paus (Paderborn) wrote to Mayor Mark Eckert (Belleville)

“Dear Mayor Eckert, dear colleague: Twenty years ago the late Mayor Rich Brauer of Belleville and Mayor Willi Lueke of Paderborn signed the documents of friendship at the City Hall of Paderborn.

We now can proudly emphasize that the goals which were declared on that day and again confirmed on October 20th, 1991, in Belleville, Illinois have been reached during the last twenty years.

On the basis of the common cultural heritage of both our cities and regions the mutual understanding of the citizens of Belleville, Illinois and Paderborn, Germany has been constantly developed. The bonds of friendship and respect between the sister cities have been strengthened through the exchange visits of adults and young people. Most of all, we can point with pride to the success of the Sister City Youth Exchange Program which has been going on since 1990.

We appreciate the time and effort that has been expended throughout the years on our sister city relationship by Belleville Sister Cities, Inc and Deutsch-Amerikanischer Freundeskreis Paderborn – Belleville Illinois e. V. This commitment of the boards and members of both organizations has also contributed to promoting the relations between the United States and Germany.

With great gratefulness we remember the late Mayor Rich Brauer and late DAFK-President Ellen Rost as well as Mayor Lueke, Dottie Brauer and Friedel Schuette who did a great job initiating the sister city relationship between our two cities and regions. We warmly thank everybody who has been involved in this wonderful project during the last twenty years.

We are very much indebted to those who are now keeping the functions in both organizations. We encourage them to carry on with their work and with their enthusiasm to the benefit of the people of both our cities and regions.”

On October 8th , Paderborn celebrated the 20th anniversary at the Rathaus of Paderborn. 180 people were present when BSC-Past President Rich Berkel, accompanied by his wife Sally, read the letter of congratulations from Mayor Eckert to Buergermeister Paus:

excerpt of the Mayor’s letter :”It is my sincere desire to continue to encourage and foster that relationship, especially through our youth exchange program that has forever changed the lives… of our entire family.
… The exchange of people, cultures and experiences that have come from our Sister Cities relationship have truly enriched all of our lives”.

BSC-President Tom Heiting had also sent a letter to DAFK which Rich read to the audience; excerpt
“… Throughout these twenty years we in Belleville are very proud of the affiliation with Paderborn residents whom we have come to know well. During the following twenty years, we people of the Belleville region look forward to making new acquaintances and friends with people from the Paderborn region….”

For pictures, please see:
http://www.dafk-paderborn.de/archiv/2010/101008_20jahre_vertrag.html

The youth exchange (starting in August) has been going on with a 10-week stay of Pauline Kleinschloemer, Willi Luke’s granddaughter, with Family Eckert and Tim Sifrin, staying with Family Peters. They will have gone home when this newsletter is published. Many thanks to their host families and to the High Schools where they were attending courses.

Josefine Hoischen stayed with Family Zimmermann for 4 weeks in summer. Many thanks to them, too.

DAFK is looking forward to this year’s Thanksgiving Dinner.

We wish our friends in Belleville and region all the best for this holiday.

 

Bernd Broer
President

Dr. Otmar Allendorf
Secretary

Festakt am Freitag, 8. Oktober 2010, 18 Uhr im Rathaus Paderborn

„Auf nach Amerika“ lautete das Motto vieler Tausender ostwestfälischer Auswanderer im 19. Jahr-hundert, auch aus dem Raum Paderborn. Besonders die Region um St. Louis in Missouri und Illinois auf der östlichen Seite des Mississippi zog sehr viele Ostwestfalen an.

Hier liegen auch die Stadt Belleville und nicht weit davon entfernt die Orte Paderborn und St. Libory.

Durch die Initiative der damaligen Ratsherrin Ellen Rost wurde Mitte der 80er Jahre die Aufmerksamkeit der Paderborner auf die Wiederbelebung der historischen Beziehungen zwischen dem Paderborner Raum und dem Gebiet um Belleville/Illinois gelenkt.

Nach Gründung des „Deutsch-Amerikanischen Freundeskreises Paderborn-Belleville e.V.“ (DAFK) am 23.09.1988 und ersten gegenseitigen Besuchen, fassten der Rat der Stadt Belleville am 18.04.1990 und der Rat der Stadt Paderborn am 07.06.1990 ein-stimmig den Beschluss, einen Freundschaftsvertrag zu schließen.

Am 02.09.1990 unterzeichneten der Paderborner Bürgermeister Wilhelm Lüke und der Mayor von Belleville, Richard Brauer, die Freundschaftsurkunde im Rathaus zu Paderborn. Aus diesem Anlass hielt sich auch eine 47 Personen umfassende Delegation aus Belleville und Umgebung in ihrer neuen „Sister City“ auf.

Im Rahmen des Empfangs hat Dr. Otmar Allendorf, der langjährige Geschäftsführer des DAFK, mit einem Bilderreigen an diese Begegnung in Paderborn erinnert.

Heute können beide Städte mit Stolz auf eine lebendig erfahrene Partnerschaft zurückblicken, geprägt vor allem durch einen jährlich stattfindenden Jugendaustausch und durch die gegenseitigen Besuche von Erwachsenen.

Einladung: Zur 20jährigen Jubiläumsveranstaltung (PDF-Datei)

Ankündigung: Westfälisches Volksblatt am 07.10.2010

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Bilder von der Feier

Bildwand mit Bildern vom Besuch der Delegation aus Belleville im September 1990

DAFK-Präsident Bernd Broer, Friedel Schuette (Löhne) Pate der sister city Verbindung,
Rich Berkel (Belleville), Altbürgermeister Willi Lüke , Bürgermeister Heinz Paus

Blick auf die Festversammlung

Erinnerungsgeschenk von Mayor Eckert an Bürgermeister Paus,
übereicht von BSC-Past-President Rich Berkel

von links:
Herr und Frau Lüke; Friedel Schuette, Ehrenmitglied des DAFK;
Maria Thomalla , langjährige DAFK-Vizepräsidentin
und Ehrenmitglied

Altbürgermeister Willi Lüke erinnert an Begegnungen mit der neuen sister city Belleville in den Jahren 1989 bis 1991

alle Fotos: Dr. Otmar Allendorf

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Berichte aus örtlichen Presse:

 

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Die Geschichte der Beziehungen zwischen Belleville und Paderborn

Larry Pearson von Belleville Sister Cities, Inc. hat aus Anlaß der 20. Wiederkehr der Unterzeichnung der Freundschaftsurkunden die Geschichte der Beziehungen zwischen Belleville und Paderborn aufgeschrieben.

Mit Genehmigung von BSC wird der Beitrag hier aufgeführt.

Download oder öffnen der PDF-Datei

Grußworte der Präsidenten

President’s Message

2010 International Convention Theme –
COMMUNITY DIPLOMACY:
EMPOWERING PARTNERSHIP AND PROGRAMS.

Summer goes by so quickly. I now understand my father’s words, “The older one gets – the faster time goes.” On the horizon is:

20th year anniversary will begin on Thursday, 2 September at 4PM, with a proclamation at Belleville City Hall by Mayor Mark Eckert and other dignitaries. Contact person is our President Elect Jerry Reilmann jreilmann@rsdo.net who has volunteered to take-on this momentous year-long celebration.

Oktoberfest Beer Tent Chair Ron Fritz rntfritz@sbcglobal.net and Food Booth Chair Doris Roach jodoroach@charter.net need your calls to volunteer.

I am hopeful you will attend the Taste of Germany Dinner and possibly join Gail and my- self by inviting someone who hasn’t been to this wonderful Belleville event. Chair is Rich Berkel.

Thanks to all who took time to arrange preparations and clean-up for our annual membership appreciation event and to Theresa – for securing and not charging rent for a brief case I left behind. Games which Norma came prepared with added immensely to the joyous time shared by all. A special appreciation to those who invited guests to our event! Please inform them of our appreciation for the time they shared with us.

German Clubs of Belleville East and West and those members who performed the lion’s share of assistance for the June 4th Shiners‘ Parade float are to be applauded. At the risk of leaving key people out I wish to identify Keith Brauer, Theresa Fritz, Bill Jacobus, Norma Bergkoetter, as well as Marie and Wayne Reichling.

Please inform Jerry during the August 19th meeting or as soon as possible if you might attend the Thursday afternoon celebration at City Hall of our 20th anniversary mentioned above.

We have received tentative plans for a delegation from Paderborn to arrive on 12 May 2011.

Tom Heiting

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News from Paderborn

Dear Friends in Belleville and Around: At the time when this contribution to the Newsletter was written most of the events mentioned here are still to come, but by the time this newsletter will be published the youth group is back home, so are the four high school exchange students. We hope that all of them are full of great memories of their stay in the sister city and their travelling around Germany.

On July 18th DAFK-Vice-President Heiner Sprenkamp, Secretary Dr. Otmar Allendorf and Uta Hoischen, member of DAFK-Board, welcomed 14 young people from Belleville (and around) and their chaper-ones Andy Gaa and Jena Hollinshead with an open air all-you-can-eat dinner. They’ll stay thru August 6th (arrival July 16th) and will have an exciting program, arranged by the youth department of the City, chaperone Norman Hansmeyer. He is assisted by Andrea Hermes teaching at the school for vocational training in Paderborn. On July 19th, Mayor Heinz Paus gave a reception for all of them and their German peers at City Hall. Some of the host parents were also present. In a PowerPoint presentation, Mayor Paus showed the different economic and cultural aspects of Paderborn. He said that about 10% of the population had a migration background.

For their first tour, the youth group and the German students will go to Cuxhaven by the North Sea, the city of Bremen and the German Emigration Center in Bremerhaven focussing on emigration to the US
(http://www.dah-bremerhaven.de/english/english.html).

On the weekend of July 24th and 25th, the “Libori-Fest” will start and the young people will experience what it means for a whole region to pay tribute to the diocese’s patron saint, St. Liborius, as well as being in the center of one of Germany’s biggest fun fairs.

From July 26th thru 29th, they will be in Germany’s capital, Berlin, where they’ll do some sight-seeing and also attend lectures about political issues.

Before leaving for home, they’ll have a day tour to Essen, a big city in North-Rhine West- phalia, which is the European Capital of Culture in 2010 http://www.essen.de/english/Aktuell_E/PortalAktuell_E.asp?navibereich=eeutd

DAFK is happy to also be responsible for the farewell gathering for guests and hosts on Au- gust 5th.

Jackie Bassler, Crystal Zimmermann, Christopher Crawford and Kevin Schaefer from Belle- ville are here for four to six weeks. They hosted Paderborn students last year. They had a chance to look at school life here before the German school holidays started and they’ll take individual tours with their host families.

This summer three Paderborn students will come to Belleville: Pauline Kleinschloemer, staying with the Eckert family, Tim Sifrin (Peters family) and Josefine Hoischen (Zimmermann family). They are looking forward to experiencing American family hospital- ity, city life and culture. They’ll also get an impression of high school atmosphere and learn- ing. Many thanks for the hospitality of the host families and to everybody involved in this exchange.

This year, there’ll be the 20th anniversary of signing the friendship documents at the City Hall of Paderborn on September 2nd, 1990. Today we are fully aware and can be proud of what has been achieved: Mayor Brauer of Belleville and Mayor Lueke of Paderborn started a great era of friendship and respect between the sister cities, wonderful programs and ac- tivities have been initiated and were realized by Belleville Sister Cities Inc. and Deutsch- Amerikanischer Freundeskreis Paderborn-Belleville e.V. during the last 20 years. We grate- fully remember those in various functions who did a great job of building bridges across the Atlantic but we also encourage those who are still in office or are great supporters to go on with their activities furthering the friendship between our two cities and regions. DAFK is looking forward to a visit of a delegation to Belleville next May during Art on the Square to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the countersigning of these documents in Belle- ville which occurred on October 20th,1991.

Bernd Broer
President

Dr. Otmar Allendorf
Secretary

Mit diesen Worten begrüßte Bürgermeister Heinz Paus junge Leute aus Paderborn und der amerikanischen Partnerstadt Belleville im Rathaus. Den Teilnehmern der internationalen Jugendbegegnung stellte der Bürgermeister Paderborn und seine Geschichte vor. Am Empfang nahmen außerdem auch die Paderborner Gasteltern teil, anwesend waren außerdem Austauschschüler, die derzeit auf Einladung des Deutsch-Amerikanischen Freundeskreises in Paderborn weilen. Für den herzlichen Empfang bedankte sich im Namen der Gäste Kurt Heiner Sprenkamp, Vize-Präsident des Deutsch-Amerikanischen Freundeskreises Paderborn.

Die jungen Amerikaner, die an der vom städtischen Jugendamt gemeinsam mit dem Deutsch-Amerikanischen Freundeskreis veranstalteten Jugendbegegnung teilnehmen, werden noch bis Anfang August in Deutschland weilen. Auf dem Programm stehen unter anderem ein Besuch im Pader-Kletterpark, eine Wanderung durch den Nationalpark Wattenmeer Duhnen-Neuwerk, eine Tagesfahrt nach Bremen, ein Berlin-Besuch mit einer Führung durch den Deutschen Bundestag sowie ein Tagesausflug in die Europäische Kulturhauptstadt nach Essen.

Amt für Öffentlichkeitsarbeit und Stadtmarketing
Jens Reinhardt
Stadt Paderborn
Internet:www.paderborn.de

Am 18.7.2010 lud der DAFK die Jugendlichen aus Belleville, die zurzeit in Paderborn weilen, in den Haxtergrund zu Weyher zu einem Empfang ein.

Eingeladen waren sowohl die Jugendlichen des dreiwöchigen Sommeraustauschs (siehe dort) als auch die 4 Jugendlichen, die im Gegenbesuch zum 3-Monate Austausch im vorigen Jahr in Belleville waren.

Auf dem Foto von rechts die Gäste und ihre Gastgeber und die Vertreter des DAFK:
Chris Crawford (Belleville), Dr. Otmar Allendorf, Kevin Schaefer (Belleville), Jackie Bassler (Belleville), Philipp Dueker, Amelie Kroeger, Laureen Gertzen, Chrystal Zimmermann (Belleville), Michael Wilmsmann, DAFK-Vizepräsident Heiner Sprenkamp, Lukas Zimmermann.

Am 15.7.2010 flogen 14 Jugendliche und ihre zwei Betreuer aus Belleville vom Flughafen St. Louis nach Frankfurt, wo sie von Norman Hansmeyer und Andrea Hermes zu ihrem 3-wöchigen Aufenthalt in Paderborn abgeholt wurden.

Grußworte der Präsidenten

President’s Message

Recent remark by Patrick Madden, CEO, Sister Cities International,

“I think of all the remarkable work done by average people every day to bridge the gap of cultural understanding world- wide. People like sister cities members in small towns and big cities who have opened their homes, wallets and minds to cre- ating long-lasting peace through partnerships.”
We all need to consider how the small part we each play as members of Belleville Sister Cities is key to the Sister Cities purpose.

Although our busy time of year appears to be months away – the preparation for September and October begins NOW:

On the horizon is 20th year anniversary to begin on Thursday, September 2nd with proclamation by Mayor Mark Eckert with additional information to be distributed as we near that date. President Elect Jerry Reilmann has volunteered to take-on this momentous year-long celebration. He is ea- gerly looking forward to support from you.

Oktoberfest sign-up for numerous duties will move into full swing by the publication of the August edition of this newsletter. Immediate Past President Ron Fritz rntfritz@sbcglobal.net has volunteered to manage the Beer Tent and Doris Roach jodoroach@charter.net volunteered to manage the food booth.

Rich Berkel is preparing for Taste of Germany on 3 Oct. Contact him at reb31@att.net For our immediate future I look forward to our membership appreciation event to be held at St Luke Catholic Church in Belleville. Please contact Theresa Fritz rntfritz@sbcglobal.net with your desire to assist.
German Clubs from Belleville Schools will enter a float in the Shriner’s Parade to be held on Friday evening of 4 June. Come out and support the students who will be representing Belle- ville Sister Cities and German Clubs. Those adults wishing to lend a hand but not knowing who to contact feel free to contact me.

On March 23rd members of your board met with members of surrounding boards of Columbia, Millstadt and Waterloo for a very cordial meet and greet event. We took the opportunity to chat over the events offered by each club which reaffirmed the commitments members have within each of our clubs.

On April 9th and 10th the Illinois convention was at Carbondale. People attending the confer- ence shared much information with regard to the various programs and how our societies work with partner cities from around the globe. There was a great ice breaker session with snacks during registration at mid-day on Friday and a very nice welcome dinner that evening. On Saturday we had options of 2 sessions for sharing information, however I stayed only with the youth exchange and learned how each society has different programs suitable in their partnership. It was educational to learn how one school communicates electronically, that some have no student exchanges, and to learn what extent some go to plan activities for stu- dents and adults. From my perspective I was surprised that Josephine from Columbia and I were the only participants from Southern Illinois, other than our gracious hosts from Carbon- dale and the folks of the Southern Illinois Tourism bureau. The Illinois Sister Cities Conven- tion for 2011 will be held in Tinley Park, a short distance south of Chicago.

Stammtisch events for March and April were Very Nice – Thank You to all who planned the events and participated.

Tom Heiting

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News from Paderborn

Dear Friends in Belleville and around:

Travelling to and from Europe was not so easy at the end of April. Fortu- nately the air traffic has become normal again. People living thru the hardship of being stranded somewhere in the world started to make jokes around the problems the volcano had caused – just as a comic relief:
Dear Icelanders: You misunderstood. We said: Give us cash. Not: Give us ash.

DAFK had the pleasure to welcome the two brothers Schuyler and Damian Sandheinrich and Damian’s daughter Sahra on March 29th and 30th. Schuyler lives in Cooper City, Florida, Damian in O’Fallon.

It was Norma Bergkoetter who had asked our member Marieluise Hoyle to show them Paderborn. Marieluise was supported by Wilhelm Boekamp and Robert Voss.

Marieluise wrote in a report about their visit: “Whilst touring Germany it was on their agenda to visit their ancestors, namely the Sandheinrichs at Delbrueck near Paderborn. I guided them to the location the German family resides at. The German Sandheinrich family had already been informed about their visit and expected them. What a lovely afternoon. Shortly after our arrival a hectic conversation about their ancestors started. Both parties produced written evidence and photographs about their ancestors. From the very beginning of their meeting there appeared to be close links between the relatives.”

Looking back at their visit to Paderborn and Germany Schuyler wrote to Norma appreciating the hospitality and friendship of the people they had met: “They will remain in my fond memories for the rest of my days.”

In 1989 Josef Sandheinrich had visited Belleville with the DAFK group. And Otmar remembers him saying, “Here I have found more Sandheinrichs than I have at home.”

Another highlight in recent weeks was Wolfgang Stueken’s lecture in Powerpoint about “Paderborn Traces in Midwest USA” on April 16th. He talked about Cardinal Mundelein of Chicago (1872-1939) whose ancestors had come from the Paderborn region. Wolfgang had travelled to the town of Mundelein, Illinois where the Archbishop had founded the “University of St Mary of the Lake”, the seminary for the formation of priests in the Archdiocese of Chicago. He also fol- lowed the traces of the Flying Priest, Father Paul Schulte (1895-1974), the co-founder of the “National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows”. He could even use material from the archives of the CIA in Washington. Schulte was not allowed to return to Germany during the war but had to stay under observation in the monastery of the Oblates in Belleville. After the war having the American citizenship he had lived in Paderborn for several years.

In summer a group of youths from Belleville and their chaperones Andy Gaa and Jena Hollin- shead will come to Paderborn for three weeks. Norman Hansmeyer who has been responsible on the Paderborn side for the exchange program for several years has organized a wonderful pro- gram with visits to Berlin, Bremen, German Emigration Center in Bremerhaven (web site: www.dah-bremerhaven.de/english/english.html), etc. They’ll also be here during the Libori Fest. From Belleville we’ll also expect the students: Jackie Bassler, Crystal Zimmermann, Chris Crawford and Kevin Schaefer in response to last year’s High School Exchange. Tim Sifrin and Pauline Kleinschloemer will come to Belleville in August.

DAFK has started to work on a group trip to the US and Belleville in May 2011. We are looking forward to the stay.

Bernd Broer
President

Dr. Otmar Allendorf
Secretary