The Bad Homburg Kurhaus and the train station shine blue and yellow in the evening, and the flag of the same color has been waving in front of the town hall since Monday: Mayor Alexander Hetjes (CDU) leaves no doubt about the solidarity with Ukraine and the condemnation of the Russian invasion as contrary to international law.

He agrees with Peter Braun, Chairman of the Bad Homburg Partnership Association, and Irina Gerybadze-Haesen, Honorary Chairman of the German-Russian Bridge.

The "bridge" takes care of the partnership with Peterhof near St. Petersburg, which has existed since 1994.

According to a joint statement, it is now particularly important to continue the dialogue and exchange with the Russian friends in Peterhof.

Bernhard Biener

Correspondent for the Rhein-Main-Zeitung for the Hochtaunus district.

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That's why all three refuse to lower the Russian flag at the Europakreisel, although corresponding demands have been received in the town hall.

According to Hetjes, it is a war by Vladimir Putin against Ukraine and not a dispute between the two peoples.

"The flags at the Europakreisel are a symbol of our friendly relations with our partner cities, not for the respective nations." Braun refers to anti-war demonstrations in Russia, and Gerybadze-Haesen to people in Peterhof who also hoped "that this nightmare will be over soon".

"Exchange is important right now"

The war in Ukraine nevertheless affects German-Russian relations at the city level.

And these are still narrow between Bad Homburg and Peterhof even after 30 years.

They once started with aid deliveries.

Today, the German-Russian Bridge and its partners in Russia organize language courses in the other country every year, and there are regular citizen trips.

Even Corona did not let the work fall asleep.

"The Russians have even adapted faster and have adapted flexibly to video conferences," says Heike Wehner, chairwoman of the "Brücke".

They met regularly for online conferences to talk about various topics in German and Russian.

The next language course is planned for September.

"But now everything has rolled over us." Wehner had just regained hope.

"Until recently, I thought the pandemic would be the biggest challenge for the partnership."

In Oberursel, too, people are thinking about the relationship with the twin town of Lomonossow.

Like Bad Homburg and Oberursel, Peterhof and Lomonosov are neighbors and belong to the same administrative district.

Mayor Antje Runge (SPD) wants to propose to the magistrate that the partnership be formally suspended.

Runge's impression is that there hasn't been much interest at the Russian district level in the past three years.

The situation is very different for the citizens.

"The partnership is very lively there and the exchange is important right now." You shouldn't interrupt that under any circumstances.

The relationship between Oberursel and Lomonossow also has its own character due to the support provided by the International Union (IB).

She supported a Russian parents' initiative in setting up a day care center that was able to open in 2009.

The goal was achieved and the direct cooperation soon ended.

Anna Weckler, who was involved as IB department manager at the time, visited the day care center several times, which had meanwhile moved from the city center to another building, when she later made contact with a theater group from St. Petersburg.

Grounded on an interpersonal level

She was last there in 2018.

"The candle workshop that started it is still there," says Weckler.

A computer workshop was added, which is managed by a man with a disability.

Also an employment agency.

"The day care center in Lomonosov has become a role model for others throughout the region."

But now the association for the promotion of the Oberursel town twinning (VFOS) has to cope with the new situation.

In a statement, he condemned the Russian army's invasion of Ukraine and was appalled that war was once again raging in Europe.

But a town twinning is characterized by the fact that it is not based on a political but on an interpersonal level.

That's why they don't want to lose contact with the partners in Lomonosov.

"At the moment, however, this is only possible through individual members," says VFOS Chairman Helmut Egler.

Even on previous visits, they avoided talking about politics.

After all, most Russians could only find out about Putin-friendly television.

The chairwoman of the German-Russian Bridge in Bad Homburg has also preferred to ask her friends in Peterhof innocently how they are doing over the past few days.

Wehner wonders whether the consequences of the sanctions and the correspondingly prepared reports on German rearmament could not damage the relationship.

"Right now it would be important to be on site." She was all the more pleased about a message from the Peterhof partnership association on Tuesday.

There they are worried that the friendship might not be continued.

Wehner then sent the joint statement from the city and club to Peterhof.

In which it is confirmed that the Russian partnership flag should continue to fly at the Europakreisel.