75 years Elbe meeting (Part 3)
The invitation from Jerusalem and the realization: Torgau is more than a handshake
In a four-part series, Dr. Uwe Niedersen, member of the board of the Förderverein Europa Begegnungen deals
with the Elbe meeting on its 75th anniversary. His thesis: Torgau remains well below its potential, both internally and externally.
Within the series Niedersen draws a blueprint based on how a better Torgau can be created.
Torgau.
What happened with the invitation by the city of Jerusalem to the citizens of Torgau?
Once more:
The Ukrainian Jewish architect of the Monument of Encounter, Abraham Miletsky, who has visited Torgau during Elbe Day in 2000, brought an invitation letter from Jerusalem with him and handed it over to our mayor. The content: "We send you and the inhabitants of Torgau warm greetings from Jerusalem. We hope to establish friendly relations between our cities in the name of prosperity - today and in the future.
With kind regards
Ehud Olmert
Mayor of the City of Jerusalem".
To initiate a city-wide brainstorming process, we in the Förderverein Europa Begegnungen e. V. asked the question: Are we in in a position to enter such an international stage? A convincing answer to this question did not cometo us immediately.
However, I personally would like to answer it: We should!
After all, being international is not new for Torgau. It is certain:If we want to achieve something new in Torgau, we must continue to be prepared considering not only the commonly thought possible, but also what is - at first glance - "impossible", the almost "unattainable".
Let us take up the search for a better Torgau!
Is there anything in Torgau that the cities of Jerusalem, Chicago and St. Petersburg might be interested in?
Yes, of course!
Let's take a look back for a moment: Before the war, in the Prussian Torgau, ten highlights were connected with the name of our city: Besides the Hartenfels Castle, there is the parade of the Torgau Armorists and the (Prussian) cavalry regiment that have been stationed here. The Torgau March is still known today. It originated as Saxon march, developed from a traditional Prussian march. It belongs to the national cultural heritage.
We, the citizens of the Saxonian Torgau, do not tend to disregard our Prussian heritage. We honor Frederick the Great and the Battle of Torgau in 1760, as well as Frederick William III and the Torgau Fortress, which was built in the New Prussian style, around 1850.
Torgau feels comfortable to have beenearly Saxon, then Prussian and now Saxon again!
Yes, we are Saxon and "pious" about it. Some in the Christian sense, others are more secular.
This is how we are!Let's move on to the present: Today, when people from Torgau are out of town, they are asked about the the meeting of Soviets and Americans at the end of the war. There has been international recognitionof the Elbe handshake, even without our direct involvement.
The fact that the Elbe River flows through Torgau brought awareness to Jerusalem. However, reflecting about Torgau with regard to Jerusalem, St. Petersburg and Chicago must be made beyond the Elbe Encounter with all other aspects of the town.
Torgau is more than a handshake.
The wholehistorical and current Torgau must be considered.
If we look at our present city there is (A): the economy, and (B): the cultural history.
What will probably be currently noteworthy, i.e. clearly memorable?
This is again a question difficult to answer. If you look at the most recognizable things of Torgau, i.e. those with an international reach, you should consider not to ,mention some of them, those who would disappoint.
Let us put it this way:
Because we were once a garrison town, we still have distinct, traditional trades, which have been the basis for the establishment of new companies.
Fruthermore, we have a healthy, pleasantly environment around Torgau. Here we do have several foreign contacts, hence we can consider trying to achieve an internationality with Jerusalem, Chicago and St. Petersburg. Taking into account these international Torgau topics, would demand a great effort.
Here are some institutional and associative institutions: The sports clubs, urban historians in the history club and the museum, numerous cultural and leisure clubs with committed members, too, the Förderverein Europa Begegnungen e. V. and the Ost-West Verein zur Förderung internationaler Wirtschaftskontakte e. V., furthermore the Johann-Walter-Kantorei, a city big band, adaily newspaper as well as of course a number of public schools, as well as other institutions and associations and many medical facilities, a high level district hospital and last but not least the citizens of Torgau and their hospitality. In a phase of initial consideration, we are certainly not thinking of establishing real city partnerships!
Let us take the case further and ask questions: What are the innovative and internationally significant developments in the economic sector (A)?
The Köllitsch teaching and research facility and the Adelwitz Technology Centre GmbH research centre come to mind; also Saint-Gobain Glass Flachglas Torgau GmbH, AVANCIS GmbH, Torgauer Maschinenbau GmbH and Villeroy & Boch AG. Furthermore, I think that the "Glass Campus", will start to pick up speedThe imminent entry of the town into the international grouping "Liberation Route Europe", a contract that Mayor Romina Barth will sign for Torgau, comes to mind as well.
Tourism is an important economic sector of the city. Our Torgau Information Center is busy throughout the year.
A lot of things have been left unsaid, you may complete the list yourself.
As far as the cultural area (B) is concerned, we can take a look at the history of Torgau considering several themes. That is, we reach (sometimes enriching) the cities of Jerusalem, St. Petersburg and Chicago (at least partially) with the historical Torgau monuments and buildings and the corresponding urban history fields.
In addition to the encounter with the Elbe, the Lutheran Reformation should also be mentioned here, representing Saxony's contribution to world history. Torgau as the political centre of the Lutheran Reformation we are significant worldwide. However, it is doubtful whether we are sufficiently networked internationally and perceived worldwide in connection with the Reformation. At the moment we do not have a group of reserachers in Torgau up to date with international research on the Renaissance and Reformation city of Torgau, and we also do not have any experts permanently working in the town who would be able to put Torgau’s contribution into the scientific community or into international journals.
Nationwide attention to Torgau came after German Unity with the "Jugendwerkhof" a youth prison, and specialists researched the "Wehrmachtsgefängnis", a Third Reich Prison in Torgau.
Thus, with regard to the Reformation or the Lutheran Church in conjunction with the Electoral State as well as the Renaissance buildings, the Torgau city festival "Luther's consecration of the church" (Torgau leuchtt) is an annual target orientation.
And that is important! With Torgau being the political centre of the Lutheran Reformation, we are the only place in the world where faith and power, religion and politics, secular and clerical, are interwoven. The castle Hartenfels is a castle of God where you have this connection.
The word belongs to the group of Alliance terms, and these have long been discussed internationally as a special feature.
The district(with connections to Dresden) and the town administration as well as the Protestant parish of Torgau and with a couple of Torgau associations have taken the first steps to reach out into the "Great History". There are opportunities to "play along" at the front.
I think that we have a wide-ranging but not yet fully exploited urban potential for such external appearances.
Torgau is richer!
In the last part of the series you can read about independence as the basis for a better Torgau.
Once more:
The Ukrainian Jewish architect of the Monument of Encounter, Abraham Miletsky, who has visited Torgau during Elbe Day in 2000, brought an invitation letter from Jerusalem with him and handed it over to our mayor. The content: "We send you and the inhabitants of Torgau warm greetings from Jerusalem. We hope to establish friendly relations between our cities in the name of prosperity - today and in the future.
With kind regards
Ehud Olmert
Mayor of the City of Jerusalem".
To initiate a city-wide brainstorming process, we in the Förderverein Europa Begegnungen e. V. asked the question: Are we in in a position to enter such an international stage? A convincing answer to this question did not cometo us immediately.
However, I personally would like to answer it: We should!
After all, being international is not new for Torgau. It is certain:If we want to achieve something new in Torgau, we must continue to be prepared considering not only the commonly thought possible, but also what is - at first glance - "impossible", the almost "unattainable".
Short review
Let us take up the search for a better Torgau!
Is there anything in Torgau that the cities of Jerusalem, Chicago and St. Petersburg might be interested in?
Yes, of course!
Let's take a look back for a moment: Before the war, in the Prussian Torgau, ten highlights were connected with the name of our city: Besides the Hartenfels Castle, there is the parade of the Torgau Armorists and the (Prussian) cavalry regiment that have been stationed here. The Torgau March is still known today. It originated as Saxon march, developed from a traditional Prussian march. It belongs to the national cultural heritage.
We, the citizens of the Saxonian Torgau, do not tend to disregard our Prussian heritage. We honor Frederick the Great and the Battle of Torgau in 1760, as well as Frederick William III and the Torgau Fortress, which was built in the New Prussian style, around 1850.
Torgau feels comfortable to have beenearly Saxon, then Prussian and now Saxon again!
Yes, we are Saxon and "pious" about it. Some in the Christian sense, others are more secular.
This is how we are!Let's move on to the present: Today, when people from Torgau are out of town, they are asked about the the meeting of Soviets and Americans at the end of the war. There has been international recognitionof the Elbe handshake, even without our direct involvement.
More than a handshake
The fact that the Elbe River flows through Torgau brought awareness to Jerusalem. However, reflecting about Torgau with regard to Jerusalem, St. Petersburg and Chicago must be made beyond the Elbe Encounter with all other aspects of the town.
Torgau is more than a handshake.
The wholehistorical and current Torgau must be considered.
If we look at our present city there is (A): the economy, and (B): the cultural history.
What will probably be currently noteworthy, i.e. clearly memorable?
This is again a question difficult to answer. If you look at the most recognizable things of Torgau, i.e. those with an international reach, you should consider not to ,mention some of them, those who would disappoint.
Let us put it this way:
Because we were once a garrison town, we still have distinct, traditional trades, which have been the basis for the establishment of new companies.
Fruthermore, we have a healthy, pleasantly environment around Torgau. Here we do have several foreign contacts, hence we can consider trying to achieve an internationality with Jerusalem, Chicago and St. Petersburg. Taking into account these international Torgau topics, would demand a great effort.
Here are some institutional and associative institutions: The sports clubs, urban historians in the history club and the museum, numerous cultural and leisure clubs with committed members, too, the Förderverein Europa Begegnungen e. V. and the Ost-West Verein zur Förderung internationaler Wirtschaftskontakte e. V., furthermore the Johann-Walter-Kantorei, a city big band, adaily newspaper as well as of course a number of public schools, as well as other institutions and associations and many medical facilities, a high level district hospital and last but not least the citizens of Torgau and their hospitality. In a phase of initial consideration, we are certainly not thinking of establishing real city partnerships!
Let us take the case further and ask questions: What are the innovative and internationally significant developments in the economic sector (A)?
The Köllitsch teaching and research facility and the Adelwitz Technology Centre GmbH research centre come to mind; also Saint-Gobain Glass Flachglas Torgau GmbH, AVANCIS GmbH, Torgauer Maschinenbau GmbH and Villeroy & Boch AG. Furthermore, I think that the "Glass Campus", will start to pick up speedThe imminent entry of the town into the international grouping "Liberation Route Europe", a contract that Mayor Romina Barth will sign for Torgau, comes to mind as well.
Tourism is an important economic sector of the city. Our Torgau Information Center is busy throughout the year.
A lot of things have been left unsaid, you may complete the list yourself.
As far as the cultural area (B) is concerned, we can take a look at the history of Torgau considering several themes. That is, we reach (sometimes enriching) the cities of Jerusalem, St. Petersburg and Chicago (at least partially) with the historical Torgau monuments and buildings and the corresponding urban history fields.
Contribution to world history
In addition to the encounter with the Elbe, the Lutheran Reformation should also be mentioned here, representing Saxony's contribution to world history. Torgau as the political centre of the Lutheran Reformation we are significant worldwide. However, it is doubtful whether we are sufficiently networked internationally and perceived worldwide in connection with the Reformation. At the moment we do not have a group of reserachers in Torgau up to date with international research on the Renaissance and Reformation city of Torgau, and we also do not have any experts permanently working in the town who would be able to put Torgau’s contribution into the scientific community or into international journals.
Nationwide attention to Torgau came after German Unity with the "Jugendwerkhof" a youth prison, and specialists researched the "Wehrmachtsgefängnis", a Third Reich Prison in Torgau.
Thus, with regard to the Reformation or the Lutheran Church in conjunction with the Electoral State as well as the Renaissance buildings, the Torgau city festival "Luther's consecration of the church" (Torgau leuchtt) is an annual target orientation.
Torgau is richer!
And that is important! With Torgau being the political centre of the Lutheran Reformation, we are the only place in the world where faith and power, religion and politics, secular and clerical, are interwoven. The castle Hartenfels is a castle of God where you have this connection.
The word belongs to the group of Alliance terms, and these have long been discussed internationally as a special feature.
The district(with connections to Dresden) and the town administration as well as the Protestant parish of Torgau and with a couple of Torgau associations have taken the first steps to reach out into the "Great History". There are opportunities to "play along" at the front.
I think that we have a wide-ranging but not yet fully exploited urban potential for such external appearances.
Torgau is richer!
In the last part of the series you can read about independence as the basis for a better Torgau.
The Jerusalem Invitation (excerpt).
Photo: Repro Förderverein Europa Begegnungen
Youth from Torgau and the Ukrainian architect Abraham Milezkij from Jerusalem at the Monument of Encounter. Photo: Leipziger Volkszeitung / Wolfgang Sens