Twinning : Saint-Germain-Des-Prés / Hamburg
After the success of the twinning with Chengdu, the Saint-Germain Committee has accepted, at their request, the twinning with the BID Neuer Wall district in Hamburg, in order to establish cultural, economic and tourist exchanges between our two districts.
The city of Hamburg is a symbol of Germany's outstanding development and its ability to innovate in city centres through architecture and a welcoming attitude towards design and creation.
The BID Neuer Wall shopping area and its remarkable development is a fantastic showcase for French fashion and luxury brands, a symbol of innovation and creation, just like Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
Hamburg is Germany's second largest city after Berlin in terms of both size and population, and is home to one of Europe's largest ports, which allows it to enjoy economic and cultural independence.
Ravaged by the bombings of the Second World War, it was rebuilt in concrete but is very lively and full of charm:
- Green spaces
- Channels
- Bridges and a beautiful lake
- Prestigious museums
- Exciting nightlife
The Hafen City renovation project is further evidence of this dynamism.
Saint-Germain-des-Prés, which is home to many artists and cultural events, is delighted to support the establishment of cross-collaborations with exchanges allowing Parisians and Hamburgers to better discover our cities and neighbourhoods in the form of exhibitions and cultural events.
The Twinning between the Comité Saint-Germain-des-Prés and "BID Neuer Wall" was signed on November 25, 2019 at the Hamburg-Mitte District Hall under the patronage of the City Hall of the 6th arrondissement of Paris and the Bezirksamt Hamburg-Mitte District Hall, with the presence of :
- Monique Mouroux, General Delegate of the Comité Saint-Germain-des-Prés
- Jean-Charles Bossard, 1st Deputy Mayor of the 6th district
- André Cardinali, Ambassador of Saint-Germain-des-Prés
- Sebastian Binger, Managing Director of Otto Wulff BID
- Claire Piqueret, Director of the BID Neuer Wall
To celebrate the twinning and the friendship between the two districts, a commemorative plaque was inaugurated by Monique Mouroux, Jean-Charles Bossard, André Cardinali, Sebastian Binger and Claire Piqueret:
To give credibility to this twinning, several event projects were envisaged in Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Hamburg, such as Operation Swan.
Operation Alster Swan
Similar to Operation Panda in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, a charity action with a sale of stuffed swans in a chalet in BID Neuer Wall was imagined.
All proceeds will be donated to the Sternbrücke Hospice for terminally ill children.
By combining twinning and art with charity work, we are convinced that a beautiful project could be born, after the Coronavirus crisis.
The artist Richard Orlinski spontaneously responded by designing a sketch of a giant Swan especially for this event.
The swan will be exhibited at BID Neuer WallIt was installed in the Alster lake and permanently set up in the Sternbrücke hospice.
The swan is a strong symbol in Hamburg.
Hamburgers' affection for swans goes back to the 14th century, when Hamburg became an independent city.
The authorities of the time decided to grant themselves the right to own swans, a privilege previously reserved for the nobility.
In 1664, the city council went even further with a decree that it was forbidden to offend, insult, injure or kill any swan in Hamburg.
The Alster is a river in northern Germany, which flows through Hamburg and into the Elbe.
The waters of the Alster feed an artificial lake, also called Alster, in the heart of Hamburg.
