Schaumburg coalition to celebrate silver anniversary of Sister City
The celebrated silver anniversary of the sisterhood of two similar towns will take place in Germany, the area from which 1850s era settlers emigrated from Lower Saxony to lay their roots in Schaumburg Township.
The trip and the official events Sept. 26 to Oct. 1 will mark the happy occasion 25 years ago when Schaumburg and Schaumburg County, Germany, an comprising small towns, joined forces under the mantel of Sister Cities International with its call to promote peace one person at a time.
Representatives of the Schaumburg Sister Cities Commission, its companion the Schaumburg Sister Cities Association (the fundraising arm), the village and the Rev. David Hudak, pastor of St. Peter Lutheran Church founded by the early settlers, will witness the unveiling of a companion piece to a one-ton friendship stone given to Schaumburg two years ago by the Schaumburger Deutsch Amerikanishchen Geseltschaft the German organization twinned with Schaumburg.
Housed at the bottom of the grand staircase in the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center, it is a concrete sign of the two cities' friendship and was dedicated during Schaumburg's 50th anniversary.
Continuing that gemultlichkeit, or amicability, the Westerners will present a 7-foot sculpture depicting a sail on one side, coats of arms of the two cities and engraved names of the original families who left for America from 1840 to 1870.
Officials here directed craftsmen in Germany to construct a companion piece as a gift to the German citizens using the same Obernkirchen sandstone, which is known worldwide for its luxurious whiteness and beauty. Obernkirchen is a beautiful town near the Weser River the point two years ago where Schaumburgers assembled to see their gift stone sent on its journey.
Jean Tucknott, commission chair, and Mary Nagy, chairman of the German subcommittee, will represent the community in Germany. Nagy said that while there the two organizations will hold their annual meeting to discuss future exchanges. German organization's President Egon Krombach, Vice President Juergen Waterman and Secretary Anne Koert will host the gathering.
Nagy, who acknowledged she developed "lifelong friendships" with the Germans, said during Septemberfest six German guests visited here to hail the 25th. She related that 13 participants would go to Germany "to continue this special celebration." The twinning was conceived at the urging of the late Mayor Herb Aigner who promoted music, health, business, teacher and general exchanges.
"I learned how small our world is and the commonality of our hopes and needs for humanity," Nagy said. "During these years relationships developed and were enriched to promote peace."