A Place for Friends – and Good Ideas

Martin Luther Square in Schrobenhausen is to become a stage for their twin towns

Our twin town of Schrobenhausen is planning a "Friendship Square". When we visited in June we took part in a planning workshop along with our friends from Thiers making suggestions around what the garden might include. It is wonderful to see it is continuing to develop.

Well done to our great friend Karlheinz Stephan for all his hard work on this.

Please see below the full translation of the published article by Isabel Ammer:

"What makes a good Friendship Square? A sculpture? Flags? Trees, benches and lots of greenery? Something that connects people from Schrobenhausen with its partner towns? Answers to these questions are currently being sought. This is because Martin Luther Square, in front of the Protestant church, is to become a special place as part of the 2031 Bavarian State Horticultural Show. Both friends from the partner towns and the people of Schrobenhausen themselves are to have a say in its design.

For now, the focus is on the planning, which could receive funding through the LEADER programme. The city council adopted the necessary resolution in March, following a motion by former town-twinning officer Karlheinz Stephan (CSU). The board of the Town Twinning Association has also adopted the project and is working closely with the city. Citizen participation is particularly important for the project. Karlheinz Stephan, who is a member of the association’s board, is actively promoting this aspect. Workshops have already been held with participants from Bridgnorth, Thiers, Schwetzingen and Perg, including during the Schrannenfest weekend. “And the workshops have produced some good results,” Stephan says with satisfaction. He is all the more curious to see what ideas emerge from the workshop specifically aimed at the people of Schrobenhausen, who will be most directly affected by the project. A Friendship Square is to be created at Martin Luther Square in Schrobenhausen. Workshops have already been held with participants from Bridgnorth and Perg. The people of Schrobenhausen are now also being invited to contribute their ideas. There are already many ideas, particularly in the areas of nature, sustainability and integration. “Some are realistic, while others are rather ambitious,” Stephan says with a smile. One example? Electronic information points through which people could communicate directly via video and audio with people who happen to be standing at a corresponding station in one of the partner towns. The workshops focus particularly on four thematic areas. In the area of encounter and community, the aim is to encourage people to “get into conversation with one another,” Stephan explains. One possibility would be a small amphitheatre or appropriately arranged seating groups. Shade structures and design ideas involving water are also being considered. In the area of greenery and climate, the surroundings of the square are also to be taken into consideration, Stephan explains. Interactive elements could also be incorporated to encourage play and physical activity on the square. And, of course, a very important aspect is the partner towns themselves – for example, through typical plants from the four partner cities, as well as through art and culture, artistic arrangements and many other elements. “The aim is to rediscover the identity of the cities.” The organisers are also in discussions with the board of the Protestant church. Stephan says that the church community, whose building directly borders the square, could also hold its own workshop. Other groups and associations interested in holding their own workshop on the Friendship Square are also welcome to contact him. “Every resident of Schrobenhausen should have the feeling that they are being heard.” The process is intended to remain completely open-ended. What happens next? The collection of ideas will be passed on to the planning office Geskes.Hack, which is responsible for the State Horticultural Show in Schrobenhausen. Interestingly, it was the planners themselves who came up with the idea of transforming Martin Luther Square into a Friendship Square, since the square is also part of the horticultural show area. “It’s a wonderful idea; it is ideal and representative,” Stephan says enthusiastically. He is already looking forward to the design plans from Geskes.Hack. What will ultimately be implemented at Martin Luther Square will once again be decided by the city council. The workshop on the Friendship Square in Schrobenhausen will take place on Thursday, 26 November, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the Blue Hall of the Volkshochschule (Adult Education Centre)."