Promoting sporting, cultural and educational links across Europe
Latest News
A new ferry across the Bodensee
26th June. The new ferry which will operate between Konstanz and Meersburg arrived in Konstanz for fitting out. With its Rolls-Royce gas turbine engines it will be one of the most environmentally friendly ferries in the world. At 80 metres in length it can transport up to 62 vehicles & 700 passengers on each crossing. If all goes to plan it will begin operation in early 2021.
To see a short film about the new ferry please click on the following link.
Two new high quality, state of the art information boards about our beautiful twin towns are currently being manufactured. Once completed they will be installed in the Terrace Garden in Richmond & in the garden of Orleans House, Twickenham. It is hoped that there will be an official unveiling of each one later this year & that they will raise awareness of our European partnerships for decades to come
Orleans House
Fontainebleau Ferry
The actual ferry, moored in Konstanz.
5th May 2020. The popular ZDF programme “Bares für Rares” featured a 1970s motorised model of Fontainebleau, one of the car ferries which crossed the Bodensee regularly from Konstanz to Meersburg.
You can see the programme, which is like Cash in the Attic, by clicking on the following link: The ferry is featured 6 minutes into the programme. The sale takes place after 13 minutes.
On 26th April 1945 at about 3 p.m. French troops entered the Markstätte of Konstanz. The Konzil building with the red cross can be seen in the background. Photo: Stadtarchiv Konstanz
26th April 2020. The 75th anniversary of the occupation of Konstanz by French troops near the end of WW2. There had been a negotiated surrender & many locals cheered the troops as they entered the town distributing cigarettes, chocolates & confectionery. The war ended 2 weeks later on 8th May.
The rapport with the French grew & this led ultimately to the twinning of Konstanz with Fontainebleau in 1960.
For further details (in German) please click on the following link.
Konstanz from above. The old town lies to the left of the Rhine. The university overlooks the garden island of Mainau on the right. The island of Reichenau can be seen in the background. Photo: Achim Mende
Our chairman came across this stunning bird’s eye view of Konstanz during his recent visit. Permission was sought from the photographer, Achim Mende, to use the photograph on the two new information boards which are being installed in Richmond to celebrate the reaffirmation.
A Royal Visit to York House
The Duke & Duchess of York with their daughter, the future Queen Elizabeth II, in 1926.
REA committee member, Anthony Bailey, recently drew our attention to archive footage of the Queen’s parents, the future King George VI & Queen Elizabeth, visiting the town hall in Twickenham in 1926. They are accompanied by King Manuel II of Portugal who was living in exile in Twickenham.
For more information about King Manuel’s links with Twickenham and The Portuguese Appeal, a new local charity fostering Richmond’s ties with Portugal, please click on the following link.
Uli Burchardt (left) with the REA chairman in the town hall in Konstanz.
February 2020. REA has two new patrons. Both the Mayor of Fontainebleau & the Oberbürgermeister of Konstanz have agreed to become joint patrons of the Richmond in Europe Association. (The mayor of Richmond has always been our President.)
In his letter of acceptance Oberbürgermeister Uli Burchardt wrote that he was pleased to accept the position of patron as a visible sign of the bonds between the towns. His acceptance was confirmed in a brief ceremony in the town hall in Konstanz.
It is hoped that a similar ceremony can be arranged with the mayor of Fontainebleau in the near future.
The REA letterhead will now be amended to reflect the triple endorsement of the three mayors. Their support will also confirm the intention of all three towns to maintain & strengthen the ties between us.
