Netzwerkstelle Städtepartnerschaften

Workshop 3: The British Army in North Rhine-Westphalia: Approaches to a future-oriented network rooted in a shared local and regional past
(Moderator: Silvia Werner, Head of Europe Direct Dortmund) 

Note: Strictly speaking, the workshop title should be „British Forces“—referring to the British armed forces as a whole, of which the Army is only one component. 

Time and again, the connections surface: links between the decades-long British military presence in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the town twinning partnerships between NRW and the UK that have emerged across the state during this period. Of the approximately 142 such partnerships existing today, more than a dozen were established in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War—that is, prior to 1955. Whether in the survey of municipalities and associations that was conducted at the end of 2025/ the beginning of 2026 in preparation for this project, during anniversary celebrations, in newspaper articles, or through personal accounts—these connections have left their mark on the British soldiers stationed in NRW, their families as well as on the local population.

The aim of this workshop was to trace these connections, grasp their historical significance, and examine their potential for the future of NRW-British relations. The following questions—by no means exhaustive—served as a guide:

• What connections developed over the decades between the British personnel stationed in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and their German neighbours? To what extent are these connections linked to the establishment of town twinning partnerships between NRW and the UK?
• What experiences did British military personnel and their families take away from their time in NRW, and what have they perhaps missed since leaving? Are there networks for Britons with a past connection to NRW? If not, why? If so, who could share insights about them? What purpose could they serve—perhaps with a view to current relations between the United Kingdom and Germany?
• The British people have always had a unique relationship with their military. Similarly, the German relationship with the Bundeswehr has been complex from the outset. Has there been—or is there currently—any exchange, reflection, or discussion between British military personnel and their German neighbours regarding the differing status of the military in their respective societies? Perhaps changes are also emerging against the backdrop of the current geopolitical situation and the renewed debate in Germany about conscription?
• Building on the previous question, the scope might be broadened to consider issues of societal resilience and the role of the military—or the Bundeswehr—in the public perception. What lessons might be drawn for the future?
• And returning to the topic of town twinning: could the partnerships between NRW towns and their British counterparts provide a suitable forum for this discussion? What potential synergies exist between the issues raised, the NRW-British town twinning partnerships, and the various military networks in both countries?

The invited panellists contributed a wealth of fascinating perspectives and deep expertise to these discussions. The exchange was moderated by Silvia Werner, head of Europe Direct Dortmund; in the autumn of 2026, the center will host a series of events dedicated to the debate on military conscription as well as issues of societal resilience.

The discussion opened with historian Dr. Bettina Blum, who—notably through a DFG-funded project—has produced a scholarly analysis of the British armed forces in Germany, detailing their impact on local communities. She is the author of the book „British Forces in Germany: A Transnational History of Soldiers, Families and German Communities, 1945–2019“ (to be published by Routledge on July 27, 2026). Her other research interests include comparative studies of military occupation, gender history, and the history of policing.

Paderborn is home to the last remaining British military base in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW); through Colonel Thomas Jefford, there are close ties to the local town-twinning association dedicated to the partnership with Bolton. Colonel Jefford commands the NATO Support & Training Centre—the British military unit stationed in Paderborn-Sennelager—and is responsible for cooperation with German authorities and institutions. As patron of the German-English Club Paderborn, he fosters cultural and social exchange between Germany and the United Kingdom and supports projects that strengthen relations between the two countries.

Susan Speller serves as the British Honorary Consul for the East Westphalia-Lippe region. Based in Paderborn, this position was established by the British Embassy in Berlin to mark the 75th anniversary of „Operation Marriage.“ The role symbolizes the United Kingdom’s enduring commitment to German-British friendship within NRW, and specifically in the East Westphalia-Lippe region. Speller’s primary role is to assist the British Embassy in supporting British nationals in the region during emergencies or crises. She is committed to strengthening the German-British partnership across a wide range of areas, particularly by fostering connections between businesses, educational institutions, and local stakeholders. Previously, Speller served as, among other roles, British Consul General in Düsseldorf and Press Spokesperson for the British Embassy in Berlin.

Professor Dr. Patrick Sensburg offered yet another perspective on the topic; a lawyer, reservist, and former Member of the Bundestag (where he served on various committees including the Defence Committee), he was the President of the Reservist Association (serving a seven-year term which ended in April 2026) and has chaired the Europa-Union NRW since 2025. Sensburg was thus able to speak from the perspective of the German military as well as from a pan-European viewpoint. Having completed the Advanced Command and Staff Course in Shrivenham (2023), Sensburg also maintains personal ties to the United Kingdom.

During the subsequent discussion, members of the audience contributed a wide range of personal experiences and insights. Participants included a representative from the British Armed Forces „Germany Enabling Office,“ a representative from British Armed Forces schools located in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), a representative from the Duisburg Reservist Association, and various representatives from the Royal British Legion, which maintains several branches in NRW. Founded in 1921, the Royal British Legion (RBL) is the largest charity supporting British armed forces personnel, veterans, and their families. With over 180,000 members and approximately 2,100 branches (including several in Germany), it provides financial, social, and emotional support. It is also well known for organizing Remembrance Day commemorations and selling „poppies.“ While long-standing connections exist between the RBL and British-German town twinning partnerships, these have not yet been developed systematically.

At the conclusion of the workshop, all participants agreed that the integration of these two topics—town twinning and the military—with a specific focus on German-British relations, should be continued through further exchange formats involving the various stakeholders..

Workshop 4: Culture in All Its Facets – Best Practices and Inspiration
(Moderator: Astrid Vogelheim, Member of the State Parliament, Deputy Chair of the NRW-Great Britain Parliamentary Group)

Cultural ties are a central component of cooperation in many town-twinning partnerships between North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the UK. The term „culture“ typically brings to mind the visual and performing arts, music, literature, and media. For this workshop, however, the concept was broadened to encompass much more of what is actually lived out in local practice—namely, the totality of ways of life, values, traditions, and civil society coexistence. This includes, for instance, the culture of remembrance, socio-culture, religion, music, the culture of democracy and institutions, education, and science. Particularly since Brexit, cultural ties have taken on a significant role as a form of „soft power,“ helping to keep exchange alive directly at the citizen level, independent of purely economic or political EU frameworks.

Accordingly, the panel featured a diverse group of people from a wide range of fields. The workshop was moderated by Astrid Vogelheim, Deputy Chair of the NRW-Great Britain Parliamentary Group, who herself gained firsthand experience in the United Kingdom during her school years through her home town’s twinning partnership.

Dr. Susanne Jaschko, Head of Arts at the British Council Germany, reported on the „Cultural Bridge“ initiative and the “Fonds Soziokultur” (Fund for Socio-culture); under the 2026–2027 program, this fund is supporting over twenty British-German social art partnerships, including several in North Rhine-Westphalia. Local cultural associations from partner cities often get involved in these initiatives to implement innovative, socially relevant programs—addressing topics such as diversity or climate change—even though not all collaborations originate from established twin-city relationships. Current examples of funded projects include collaborations between Sheffield and Duisburg, Middlesbrough and Oberhausen, Portsmouth and Pulheim, Shropshire and Cologne, Belfast and Schermbeck, Leicester and Krefeld, and Leeds and Dortmund. The British Council Germany (founded in 1959) is the official representative body in Germany for the British Council—the UK’s global organisation for international cultural relations and educational opportunities. Headquartered in Berlin, it serves as the British equivalent to Germany’s Goethe-Institut. Following Brexit and the consequent  loss of access to European mobility programs (such as Erasmus+), the British Council’s strategic role in Germany has further evolved and intensified. Its core activities are divided into three pillars: bilateral youth and school networks; the cultural and creative industries, and science and higher education. The British Council has once again been designated as the national agency responsible for implementing the Erasmus+ program with the UK’s planned re-entry in 2027.

Dagmar Benedix is ​​the Managing Director of the “Orchester der Landesregierung Düsseldorf e.V.” (Düsseldorf State Government Orchestra), which has long maintained a friendly partnership with the Reading Symphony Orchestra in their twin city of Reading. The “Orchester der Landesregierung Düsseldorf e.V.” acts as a cultural ambassador for the State government and regularly collaborates with international partners. The cooperation with the Reading Symphony Orchestra includes joint concerts, musician exchange programs, and the promotion of music projects that link the two orchestras. The friendship between Reading and Düsseldorf began immediately after the Second World War. The British Army had occupied Düsseldorf, and the Royal Berkshire Regiment was stationed there. The mayor at the time, Phoebe Cusden, initiated a highly successful youth exchange program that has continued ever since. Many cultural ties developed as a result. The official town twinning agreement was signed in 1988. Together with the state capital Düsseldorf, the Düsseldorf-Reading Association supports civic projects within the framework of the partnership, including initiatives in the fields of sport and music.

Ursel Rudolph spoke about the long-standing ties rooted in religion and the church; she has served for fourteen years as chair of the church district partnership between Dortmund/Lünen and Salford. While church partnerships between North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and British cities have not been documented as systematically as civic town twinnings, they certainly do exist. Churches and congregations in both countries often maintain individual partnerships that go beyond official city-to-city links. Examples can be found in ecumenical work—such as collaborations between congregations in the UK and NRW—involving reciprocal visits, joint worship services, and social projects. Ursel Rudolph played a pivotal role in developing the church partnership between Lünen (in the Unna district of the RVR – Ruhr Regional Association) and Salford (part of Greater Manchester). What began as a partnership between the congregation of Brambauer (Lünen’s largest district) and congregations in Salford evolved into a church district partnership in 1984; Rudolph was instrumental in establishing and shaping this initiative. She works closely with the Protestant congregation in Lünen and their partners in Salford to build bridges between the communities—whether through youth exchanges, social projects, or joint services. Climate change and sustainability have recently emerged as new areas for exchange; delegations from both cities have learned about their respective partner’s climate protection measures, and the British delegation had the opportunity to visit the Lower Rhine lignite mining region.

The area of ​​expertise covered by Dr. Maria Hohn-Berghorn—partnerships between botanical gardens—fell somewhat outside the general cultural scope of the event. While garden culture is certainly a form of culture—especially in the United Kingdom, with its long-standing enthusiasm for gardens—this particular subject opens up a vast field of topics. These range from nature and environmental conservation and the preservation of biodiversity to urban green spaces and changing climatic conditions. While this topic matter could easily warrant a workshop on its own, this session offered an insight into this expansive field. Since 1995, Dr. Maria Hohn-Berghorn has played a pivotal role in developing Bonn as a UN city and an international hub. She initiated the establishment of new organizations and activities within international networks, as well as the expansion of municipal development cooperation. In 2013, she took charge of the „Liaison Office for International Science,“ aiming to build networks and strategic partnerships between Bonn’s scientific institutions and international organizations. She brought this wealth of international experience with her when she assumed the honorary role of President of the “Freundeskreis Botanische Gärten der Universität Bonn e.V.” (Friends of the Botanical Gardens of the University of Bonn) a few years ago. Bonn has maintained a city partnership with Oxford since 1947. Given that a partnership agreement has also existed between the University of Bonn’s Botanical Gardens and the Oxford Botanic Garden since 2012, it was a natural step for the Friends of the Botanical Gardens to support this agreement as well. The association has over 1,500 members and uses its funds—derived from membership fees, donations, and other sources—to support garden initiatives that cannot be financed by the North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Science. For instance, it provides significant funding for the „Grüne Schule“ (Green School), an initiative dedicated to environmental education, particularly for children and young people. Around 35 volunteers design excursion programs and the like to raise funds for various initiatives benefiting the gardens. From these funds, €1,500 is made available annually for a gardener exchange program with Oxford.