In the past year, the Association for the Promotion of International Relations (VzFIB) Neu-Anspach again had a positive development. As chairwoman Helga Feller reported, there were finally numerous events again in the year of the celebrations with 40 years of town twinning with the French Saint-Florent-sur-Cher and 15 years of ring twinning with the Slovenian Sentjur. Above all, the citizens’ meeting, which had been postponed several times because of Corona, and the youth project in France finally took place.

The cooperation between VzFIB and Adolf-Reichwein-School (ARS) was officially sealed by contract. In Neu-Anspach, several actions and especially the large German-French caricature exhibition in cooperation with the city and the trade association aroused interest for the association.

Also via Facebook and the new homepage, the VzFIB is constantly raising awareness of the European idea and how it is lived in Neu-Anspach. Not only did the number of members rise again to 149, but the number of boules players is also on the rise.

Contributions are increased

After the cash report by Christa Malik and the discharge of the board, supplementary elections were on the agenda. Helga Feller remains chairwoman and Andreas Braum one of her two deputies. After the retirement of Christian Scheer, Oliver Dittberner and Mario Glaser were elected as new assessors.

After a brief discussion on whether children and young people should pay dues at all, the members decided on the new dues regulations with one vote against and one abstention. This provides for an increase in annual dues to 20 euros for adults, 10 euros for children and youth, and 40 euros for families. Since the founding, this is only the second increase in dues, since 2002 adults paid 15 euros annual dues.

In the already started year, after the presence at the Open Day of the Adolf Reichwein School in January, the participation at the Europe Day in Kronberg on May 6 is on the program. The focus this year is the meeting over Ascension Day with the French and Slovenian friends.

The adults will travel to Sentjur from May 18 to 21, and the young people will leave already on May 14 for a youth project. On August 26, the boule tournament will take place in Neu-Anspach and on October 3, a joint trip of the club members to Hambach Castle. As in the previous year, a lecture with Christophe Braouet, the managing director of the Franco-German Society, is being planned.

Big birthday party with partners

The board also looked ahead to next year. Then the VzFIB will invite its French and Slovenian friends over Ascension Day to the partnership meeting and youth project in Neu-Anspach. The Thalgauer should be there then also. The partnership with the Austrians, which has its origins in Westerfeld, will have existed for 50 years next year, but Thalgau had not joined the ring partnership.

Mayor Thomas Pauli (SPD) told the board that the big anniversary celebration for 750 years of Anspach and Westerfeld in 2024 is also to take place over Ascension Day, from May 9 to 12. The document of the first mention of Anspach dates back to May 8, 1274. It is planned to plan the big anniversary in the context of the partnership meeting. The associations are to find out more details at a meeting the week after next.

From the town twinning community: Marie-Line Cirre is the new mayoress

Following the resignation of Mayor Nicole Progin in mid-January, the municipal council of Saint-Florent-sur-Cher elected Marie-Line Cirre, who had been the eighth deputy until then, as mayor at the end of February. The new head of the town hall was previously responsible for cultural affairs in the Neu-Anspach partner community. She now received 24 of the 29 votes cast and prevailed over a competitor from the left camp.

Marie-Line Cirre has also been a departmental councilor in the canton of Chârost since 2021 and is associated with the Union of Right and Center. The cornerstone of her policy will be the continuation of the even closer cooperation sought by Progin with the Fercher Pays Florentais association of nine municipalities founded in 2000. This has its administrative headquarters in Saint-Florent-sur-Cher. The partner community is also struggling with the effects of inflation. One of Cirre’s tasks will be to reduce the town’s operating costs. In doing so, according to press reports from the municipality, it plans to launch an ambitious investment plan with a strong environmental focus. A possible use of the tax lever for is unthinkable for her.

Several VzFIB members already got to know the new mayor of the partner municipality last year in France and at the second anniversary celebration in Neu-Anspach. Mayor Thomas Pauli (SPD) has since also established personal contact with her and her family and is convinced: “She will do our town twinning good.” evk

Source reference: Usinger Neue Presse from 18.03.2023, page 21

Mayor John Grubinger and Head of International Relations of the City of Neu-Anspach Jürgen Strempel (from right to left) agree on a partnership exchange.  

Jürgen Strempel (CDU), First Councillor of Neu-Anspach, used his traditional visit to the Advent market in the partner community of Thalgau to talk to Mayor John Grubinger. The focus was on an exchange of experiences about integral flood protection in Thalgau. 

The last major flood in 2002/2003 led to a large-scale project in Thalgau, which is now in its final stage. 

Mayor Grubinger handed over an overall documentation of the project to Councillor Strempel. It was also agreed that responsible persons from the administration of the town of Neu-Anspach could meet with the responsible staff in Thalgau to learn about the measures on site. “After all, these experiences from the partner community must flow into the municipal decision-making process,” Jürgen Strempel hopes.