The town twinning between Bruchsal and Cwmbran was, as it were, awakened with a kiss from its Sleeping Beauty slumber when a diverse group from Bruchsal travelled to its Welsh twin town. To mark both the 45th anniversary of the partnership and the 75th anniversary of the founding of Cwmbran, a large delegation from Bruchsal set off for the county of Gwent in south-east Wales.
After an 18-hour coach journey, the group arrived in Bruchsal’s Welsh twin town of Cwmbran. Some participants stayed at a hotel, while others were accommodated by host families.
The delegation was led by Mayoress Cornelia Petzold-Schick, accompanied by Raphaela Ganter, Deputy Head of the Central Administration Department, and Annette Mandel, Bruchsal’s Town Twinning Officer. The core of the group consisted of singers from Bruchsal police choir Chorus Delicti, together with members of the Friends of Cwmbran Society, chaired by Bernd Fibinger.
A varied programme awaited the visitors from Bruchsal. It had been prepared in advance through the joint efforts of Veronika Crick, Bernd Schestag, Chris Morgan and, in a leading role, Annette Mandel. In addition to two choral concerts, the programme included a visit to the open-air museum at St Fagans, which takes visitors back through the history of Welsh life. The travellers experienced a distinctly English atmosphere during a day trip to Bath, with its impressive Georgian architecture. Some also visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Blaenavon, which tells the story of coal mining and the steel industry in Wales.
With its impressive and moving performances, police choir Chorus Delicti captivated its audiences and made a major contribution to the trip’s outstanding success. Under the direction of conductor Rigobert Brauch, the choir won the hearts of Welsh concertgoers with a mixture of thought-provoking and uplifting songs.
From the melancholic “I’m Dreaming of Home”, featuring Andrea Brauch’s breathtaking soprano solo, to the pop song “One Moment in Time”, the police choir showcased the full range of its abilities. With its message that all obstacles can be overcome, the latter song in particular reflected the situation of the two twin towns, whose relationship had lain dormant for many years and had effectively come to a standstill because of Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Performing alongside the police choir, both the Harmonize Choir, with its engaging and imaginative contributions, and the traditional Croesyceiliog Male Choir played an equally important part in relaunching the town twinning.
The audience experienced a truly spine-tingling moment when the choirs joined together to sing the German and Welsh national anthems. The visitors from Bruchsal confidently joined in with the Welsh anthem before receiving a farewell to resounding applause.
Valuable personal connections were made after the concerts over evening buffets, followed by the customary visits to traditional British pubs for a pint of beer.
It is thanks in no small part to our wonderful choir that the town twinning was renewed not only formally, with the signatures of Mayor Cornelia Petzold-Schick and her Welsh counterpart, Chris Morgan. The police choir also breathed new life into the partnership on an emotional level.
A particular highlight of the trip was the unveiling of a commemorative plaque on Gwent Square in Cwmbran Shopping Centre, home to 170 shops. The plaque marks both Cwmbran’s 75th anniversary and the 45th anniversary of the town twinning. Speakers included Chris Morgan, Chair of Cwmbran Community Council; Mayor Cornelia Petzold-Schick; Stewart Matthews, Chair of Croesyceiliog and Llanyrafon Community Council; and Nick Thomas-Symonds, Member of Parliament for Torfaen, the constituency that includes Cwmbran. A special welcome was extended to Lord Paul Murphy of Torfaen, former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Our police choir, Chorus Delicti, provided a fitting musical setting for the ceremony.
Naturally, gifts were also exchanged, including the award-winning Penderyn whisky. Small samples will soon be available for purchase from our H7 Tourist Information Centre on Hoheneggerstrasse.
Following the successful visit to Cwmbran, there is every reason to hope that the partnership, established on 3 October 1979, will continue to flourish. This optimism is supported by the many new friendships formed, numerous ideas for future encounters and the Harmonize Choir’s return visit, which has already been firmly scheduled for 2025. The mission to awaken the partnership from its Sleeping Beauty slumber was more than accomplished – mission accomplished!
Klara Langer / Hans-Jörg Betz
