Bregenz - Austria
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Bangor has a history stretching back 1400 years while the Austrian town of Bregenz is some 600 years older. The common factor in the two towns history – and a key factor in the twinning relationship is St Columbanus.
St Columbanus was a member of Bangor Abbey founded between 555 and 558 AD by St Comgall. It achieved world-wide fame as a monastery and missionary school. Later exiled in France and without a base, St Columbanus travelled from place to place finally reaching Metz where he was welcomed by Theudebert, King of Austria. From there he embarked on a long arduous journey by boat to Bregenz. The community of St Columbanus established itself in Bregenz, building a small monastery.
How the Twinning Link Originated and Developed
The initiative for the twinning link was taken by Bregenz when Monsignor Albert Holenstein wrote to North Down Borough Council to ask whether Bangor would present Bregenz with a suitable stone to commemorate the opening of the Church of St Columban in Bregenz. The Council responded by locating and arranging the transportation to Bregenz of a stone, weighing nearly 2 tons, which was removed from the Long Hole in Bangor.
On 18th December Bregenz stated its intention to form a twinning link with Bangor. In October 1985 a joint party from North Down Borough Council and South Eastern Education and Library Board travelled to Bregenz to assess the compatibility of the two towns and to explore scope for twinning between them.
The link between Bangor and Bregenz was finally formalised by the signing of a Twinning Charter by the Mayors of both towns at a ceremony in Bangor Castle on 21st October 1987.
The Charter pledges
“To maintain borders between our two municipalities, to promote exchanges of all kinds between their inhabitants with the aim of fostering through greater mutual understanding the true spirit of European Brotherhood”.
Since the formal signing of the Twinning Charter the main aim has been to develop, social educational and cultural links between Bangor and Bregenz.
In the last thirteen years there have been numerous exchanges of school parties, youth groups and civic delegations from which young and not so young have benefited.
October 1989 saw the launch of “Bangor Week” in Bregenz when Councillors, Officers, Musicians, Dancers and Chefs travelled from Bangor to share with the people of Bregenz their culture and lifestyle. October 1992 was the occasion for “Bregenz Week” in Bangor when Bangor was the venue for a similar festival.
October 1995 again saw the staging of “Bangor Week” in Bregenz with a programme every bit as ambitious and successful as that in October 1989.
October 1997 saw the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Twinning Link when senior civic leaders from the Austrian town along with a number of musicians visited Bangor for a four day series of events including a major concert, shop window competition, live musical performers in the Bangor two main shopping centres etc.
Moving onwards into the new Millennium the Year 2000 saw a visit by Bangor Ladies Choir to Bregenz and a visit by Cantores Brigantini (a school based choir) from the Austrian town to Bangor. During 2001 a group 30 students from Bregenz to learn about their twin town and the wider community of North Down. In August 2001 the Bregenz youth soccer team participated in the Council's International Youth Soccer competition and played very well.
Looking forward there will be many more years of friendship and cooperation between the peoples of the two towns, separated by both land and sea, but joined together in a bond of mutual interest and understanding.