This relationship began via two girls - who were pen pals - one in the town of Arlington and the other in what was then known as Koenigshofen, in the Bavarian region of Germany. It became a humanitarian liasion in 1951 under Arlington Mayor Tom Vandergriff, when the Arlington community sent 4 train loads of needed supplies including food, clothing, toys, etc. - between 1951 and 1954 - to the small town that was close to the east-west German border being constructed. This town of approximately 7,000 people, about the same size of Arlington in that era, had been unindated with refugees from the east so Arlington stepped up with support. Many in Bad Koenigshofen still share stories of how they or someone they know had received their first pair of shoes from Arlington, or their first dress or doll, etc. To this day this community remains appreciative and rolls out the red carpet when someone from Arlington visits. Only days after 9/11 they had particular opportunity to return support when a large delegation from Bad Koenigshofen traveled to Arlington to commemorate and celebrate our 50th anniversary together, for which we remain grateful beyond measure.
We celebrate the relationship annually with an Oktoberfest at S.J. Stovall Park around our September 17th anniversary date. Other activities include participating in the Fourth of July parade, but our biggest activity is participation in the Texas Christkindl Market. Expanding to cover the Christkindl market at Christmas, our Sister Cities organization has additionally partnered with Rothenburg ab der Tauber, Germany to enhance knowledge of this Christmas tradition. Interest in the two communities and our relationship has grown over the last decades and we plan our trips together with the City of Bad Koenigshofen.
While our Sister City relationship precedes Sister Cities International, which was founded by President Eisenhower at his 1956 White House conference on citizen diplomacy, we are proud to be a recognized member of Sister Cities International and share their mission to "Promote peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation - one individual, one community at a time."
Our Needs
Our current needs are two-fold: We need more members and volunteers to man our booth during our Texas Christkindl Market during the Christmas holidays, because this is not just our major fundraiser for hosting our visitors, and supporting exchanges and projects, but is also educational outreach and informs our community. We currently have a large in-bound delegation coming to Arlington to celebrate our anniversary in early fall, and a smaller delegation also coming for the opening of the 2023 Texas Christkindl Market.
Donations (in-kind or other) help sustain our relationship through major projects and events, keeping forefront the awareness and significance of this very important relationship. We are appreciative of all levels of support and invite you to come join us!