The town twinning between the city of Dresden and the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg was established in December 1987 and set a much-noticed sign of German-German rapprochement. Above all, the cleanup of the totally polluted Elbe was on the agenda at the time. It was only after the fall of the Wall that the citizens of Dresden were able to take part in the twin town partnership. And they took advantage of the new opportunities immediately and to this day. In November and December 1989, hundreds of Dresden and Hamburg residents visited each other on special trains.
After reunification, Dresden was also primarily concerned with a far-reaching administrative reform, in which Hamburg provided great support. The large-scale operation of the Hamburg fire brigade during the flood disaster in Dresden in 2002 will also remain unforgotten. The fire departments still maintain close contacts today and these are just one example of the diverse exchange. Today this includes sporting events, artist exchanges, smart city projects, collaborations between universities and research institutions and, last but not least, the regular Hamburg-Saxon evenings of the Friends of Dresden – Hamburg e. V. became the trademark of this town partnership.
