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40-year partnership: Hankensbüttel delegation visits Le Mesnil, France. German and French flags erected.
“/>In Le Mesnil, the Hankensbüttel delegation celebrated German-French friendship on the occasion of 40 years of local partnership. © Private
Hankensbüttel/Le Mesnil – On the occasion of the 40-year partnership between Hankensbüttel and the French town of Le Mesnil St. Denis, 38 people from Hankensbüttel or surrounding towns set off by bus to the neighboring country last Thursday – in order to stay until Monday remain.
The passengers also included ten young people. They all spent exciting days in Chambord Castle, Paris or playing badminton, as Julia Lucker says. She was there on the trip.
In the magnificent Loire castle
So the bus arrived at the parking lot in front of the town hall at the castle late on Thursday evening: and the French didn’t miss a chance to warmly welcome the German guests.
“The young people had previously made contact with their host families via social media, but it was still a journey for them into a completely unknown new world,” remembers Lucker, who saw the young people go to Paris with Lutz Petzold on Friday drove – while the French students had to go to school.
Meanwhile, a large group of Germans and French people made a pilgrimage by bus to Chambord Castle: the largest and most magnificent of all the Loire castles, as she says. With the help of a histo-pad (i.e. an interactive tablet guide), the interior of the castle was then explored in small groups. There is also the roof terrace with many small towers.
And at lunchtime? “There was a typical French banquet for everyone in the castle, which started happily with French drinking songs.”
Saturday was then spent in the spirit of the Olympic Games in Paris. According to Lucker, the aim of this day was to do something together and to introduce the young people to values such as friendship, solidarity and fair play. And all of this without any discrimination.
It was about contributing to a peaceful and better world. Accordingly, the badminton club from Le Mesnil St. Denis prepared a tournament for which tandem partners were drawn. Mixed groups of Germans and French, young and old, beginners and professionals.
The grove of friendship
Lucker reflects on the event, in which all participants received a certificate and the winners each received a T-shirt: “Between two sets, all teams were treated to a ‘picnic’. Since a pastry teacher also took part in the game, the dessert was lavish.” So there were some sweets.
According to Lucker, Saturday evening was dedicated to the festive event in front of the castle in Le Mesnil – with a ginkgo tree being planted in the newly created “Forest of Friendship” before the official part began. The two partnership committees for which Le Mesnil’s mayor Christophe Buhot and the former history teacher Günter Dickmann cut the ribbon were “to blame”.
In his following speech, Buhot emphasized how important the German-French friendship is, namely “as a very important component of a strong, common and peaceful Europe, on a large political level as well as in the lived friendship between the communities,” said Lucker.
Everything was very solemn, as you can hear from her words. For example, there was a piece of the tricolor for those present. Meanwhile, the German flag was carried to the lectern by the young people of the local delegation. Together with the French and European flags, it was part of the ceremony.
Just like the choirs, who provided the musical background with their performance, and the gift from Hankensbüttel: a Herrnhut star.
Closing with a choir concert
But that’s not enough. Mary-Ellen Gauche, President of the French Partnership Committee, received the silver ginkgo leaf. An entry in Le Mesnil’s golden book was also a must. “Afterwards there were cocktails with ‘bites’ and a party with crepes, waffles and Quiche Lorraine,” says Lucker, summing up the entire range of French cuisine.
However, the archery event scheduled for Sunday and the young people fell victim to the heavy rains that had occurred in the previous days. “Many of them then simply took a trip to Versailles with their hosts,” reports Lucker.
The day ended with a German-French concert in which the district choir and the Choir du Mesnil took part. On Monday we finally went back – and Lucker draws a satisfied conclusion: “Everyone really enjoyed the trip.”
