19 members of Bognor Twinning Association including three young people part funded by Bognor Town Council, and a similar number from another of our twin towns Weil Am Rhein visited Trebbin from the 13th to the 18th June as part of a three way exchange.  We were also joined by and entertained 20 youngsters from Bonds Big Band from Weil Am Rhein.

The party from Weil Am Rhein included their Lord Mayor Woolfgang Dietz, their deputy Mayor Rudolf Kruger, Head of office (Town Clerk) Annette Huber and her deputy, Clerk of Central Services Daniella Kaiser.  Bognor Town Council were representative from past Mayor and Town Councillor Stephen Goodheart who along with his wife Andrea are members of our Association.

On the first full day we were entertained to a full programme as guests of their Town Mayor Ronny Haase with a visit to  the historic village of Blankensee (Within Trebbins jurisdiction) and a farmers museum, which demonstrates life and economy of the time.  The museum is based in the oldest house in the village dating from 1649;  Markish Centre-floor house covered in a reed thatched roof.  Following a light lunch courtesy of the town council we visited Schlos Blankensee palace dating back to 1446 the originally home of Hans von Thumen. The property is used for Conferences and events.  Finally we visited the architectually interesting The St. John's Church (formerly: Evangelical Johannine Church after the Revelation of St. John) is a religious community founded in Berlin in 1926 by the religious and church reformer Joseph Weibenberg 

Since 1975 it has borne the name Johannische Kirche. Their we were entertained by the town Mayor Ronny Haase, on the church organ.

That evening their was a Civic Reception held at Schonhagen Airport.  The airport is around the size of Farnborough with two tarmac and one grass runway catering for executive jets and light aircraft.  A range of Aviation related industries are based at the airport. Gifts were presented by Lord Mayor Wolfgang Dietz representing Weil Am Rhein (a range of locally produced goods) and Stehen Goodheart representing Bognor Regis (A Tin of Sunshine)

The second day involved a Coach Trip to the Lusatian Lakes created out of former lignite (brown coal) open caste mines and a visit to one of the last remaining mines. The Lusatian area is also home is also home to the Sorbs, an indigenous slavik race and most signs were in both languages.  The day ended at ScharfesGelb producers of Eierlikr (German Egg Liqueur) essentially alcoholic eggnog  produced in a range if flavours included classic.

On the Friday we visited Potsdam and the Museum Barberini which has the largest collection of Monets outside Paris, as well as pictures by Renoir, Morisot, Sisley, Pissarro, Cross, Signac and other impressionist artists.   We also visited the Cecilinhof,. It was in this English Tudor manor house  was the location of the Potsdam Conference in 1945 where the leaders of the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States made important decisions effecting the shape of post war Europe.  We then returned to Trebbin stopping at an Asparagus Farm for Lunch. having been joined by the town mayor Ronny Haase.  In the evening the Twinning Reception a dinner and party with entertainment provided by young musicians from a local Music School.  Their were also speeches and votes of thanks from Christian Leitherer, Chairman of Weil Am Rhein Twinning Association and Ray Hagger, Chairman of Bognor Regis.

The Saturday was a free day with most members and their hosts visiting Berlin.  In the evening we were entertained by Weil Am Rhein's Bonds Big Band in a local park

We welcome both Trebbin and Weil Am Rhein to Bognor Regis in late July 2024.