This first section deals with the history of the Southampton Anglo-German Society itself. Further down the page there follows a second section dealing with the involvement of the Society in the twinning arrangements between the City of Southampton and the Rems-Murr district in the south of Germany.
The Southampton Anglo-German Society (SAGS) was established in 1967 with its origins in a German Circle, dating back to the late 1940s. This was created by German ladies who married English servicemen after World War II and by some German ex POWs who married British ladies. This new society was open to the public who shared much interest in Anglo-German relations. The inaugural meeting was held at the Albany Hotel in Southampton. The principal founder members were Liselotte & Norman Wood and Prof. Lucas of the University when the Society was closely linked with the German Department of the University of Southampton. Film and speaker events formed the main activities, but these were later extended to social events.
In 1968 SAGS held its first "Oktoberfest" at the Marlands Hall and stimulated considerable interest in the city, creating over 250 members. The Society also became involved with the earlier European Movement.
Later, SAGS became less reliant on the University and became affiliated in 1981 to the Anglo-German Association (now the British-German Association) in London. A result was that their major events then became incorporated in the SAGS annual programme. At the 1984 AGM Karl-Heinz Röse, BVK was elected as chairman, bringing in significant changes to the Society including the revision of the constitution and significant enlargement of the membership.
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In 1996 the Society was presented with "the Medal of Honour" by the British-German Association's president, the Rt Hon Lord Watson of Richmond, CBE at a special reception arranged by the German Embassy in London. The picture on the left shows our chairman Karl-Heinz Röse, BVK wearing the medal which he accepted on behalf of SAGS. Shown with him in the photograph at the same event are Herr Jürgen Gehrels, KBE of the Siemens Group and writer Muriel Hammond(†).
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The International Port of Southampton has helped the Society to foster close relationships with the Deutsche Marine (German Navy) and was able to welcome many of their ships, including the 3-masted sail training ship "Gorch Fock" during April 2004. SAGS arranged for The City of Southampton Albion Brass to play onboard and at the quay. Courtesy visits were extended to many sailors to visit the New Forest with receptions and dinner, usually held at the Hythe Sailing Club. SAGS members enjoyed numerous receptions onboard hosted by the ship's captain or his Excellency the German Ambassador. |
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Over many years, SAGS has supported other Anglo-German societies and organisations in Andover, Fareham, Winchester, the British-German Association in London, the Bayreuth German-English Society, Southampton University Staff Club, as well as music groups from Schwaikheim, Fellbach, Plüderhausen, the Albion Brass and last but not least the James Last Appreciation Society. Happy "Hansi", alias James Last accepted the Society's Honorary Membership in 1973 on the occasion of his 4th concert at the Gaumont Theatre (now the Mayflower) in Southampton.
Many SAGS members attended the popular musical interpretation evenings arranged by the so-called 'James Last Appreciation Society'. This group was formed by SAGS member Bert Worthington. |
SAGS & Southampton / Rems-Murr-Kreis Twinning
In 1986 it became the wish to strive towards the setting up of a twinning link between Southampton and a town in Germany. SAGS got in contact with the International Twinning Organisation (ITO) in London and the response was very sobering. All of the ports on the North Sea as well as on the West German part of the Baltic Sea were taken and already had ties with coastal towns in the UK. A partnership with one of the ports of the former German Democratic Republic (East Germany) was counted out on political grounds. From the list produced by the ITO it became known that the river ports of Neuss am Rhein, Saarbrücken and the Rems-Murr-Kreis (on the outskirts of Stuttgart) were endeavouring to set up twinning links. Of these three interested parties Neuss failed stay in contact with SAGS for unexplained reasons. Saarbrücken was then rejected on the part of SAGS due to its location on the border with France - Southampton was already maintaining a close and active partnership with Le Havre.
The decision by SAGS in consultation with Southampton City Council was then to go for the Rems-Murr-Kreis in Baden-Württemberg. Looking at the infrastructure one could see a region containing medium sized industry contributing to nearby car manufacturers like Mercedes, Porsche and NSU. Directly in the area are the well known industrial concerns like Bosch, Stiehl and Kärcher. Amongst many other things Rems-Murr-Kreis is fairly agriculturally orientated. Besides the large wine production there is arable crop and fruit growing, as well as livestock breeding. The number of inhabitants is almost the same as Southampton and the Rems-Murr-Kreis offers good schooling and educational opportunities. There are, however, neither universities nor engineering institutes due to the fact that the area lies right on the periphery of the state capital, Stuttgart. Therefore SAGS struck up an enthusiastic first contact with the local authority in Waiblingen, where the so-called District and Administrative Machinery of the Rems-Murr-Kreis is situated. The larger towns besides Waiblingen include Fellbach, Backnang and Schorndorf plus another 16 communities with a somewhat smaller population count. |
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The first visits of specially selected delegations started on both sides. Twinning committees were formed and the visits of both sides came up with positive evaluations. After almost three fruitful years of visits to one another, discussions and then the joint evaluations, the foundation stone was laid that would finally lead to a twinning of communities.
SAGS was involved in a major way in leading the way to a twinning between Southampton and Rems-Murr-Kreis since 1988. With the formation of a twinning sub-committee under the then leadership of Dr. David Findlay and with the close cooperation of City Councillors Pat Bear and Eddy Read (both served as Mayor), the anticipated approval from the City Council was reached to establish a twinning with the Rems-Murr-Kreis. After much effort on the part of Alan Davies (Southampton City's head of tourism and leisure) on one side and, on the other side by Rems-Murr-Kreis Council Chief (Landrat) Horst Lässing, council representatives Kurt Bauer, Karl Ziegler and the Lord Mayor of Fellbach Friedrich W. Kiel (MdL), the twinning agreement was officially certified in the chambers of the Mayor and Sheriff of Southampton on 16 October 1991 in the presence of a representative from the German Embassy.
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After the official signing of the twinning agreement in 1991, the SAGS sub-committee was dissolved and future activities organized by SAGS in conjunction with Southampton City Council. For the first five years areas of responsibility with regard to twinning matters were arranged and carried out by the City Council in full agreement and coordination with SAGS, whereby the priority for SAGS itself was to support and carry through projects relating to culture, travel and sport. On the other hand, official visits by delegations of both sides as well as eventual commercial pursuits were primarily led by the City Council. |
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The guidelines for these exercises and for the related field of activity of the Society are demonstrated by the support of article number three of the SAGS constitution:
"The aim of the 'Society' shall be to promote the closest possible understanding between Germany and the United Kingdom in all appropriate fields of interest and activity."
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The first projects were in connection with visits from orchestras. We knew the music associations of Plüderhausen and Schwaikheim as well as the town orchestra of Fellbach from invites to SAGS organised Oktoberfests in Easteigh, Winchester and also Southampton. These events took place in the respective civic halls. SAGS put on concerts and also well attended Oktoberfests in Eastleigh, Fareham, Southampton and Winchester. Our visitors got to know not just Southampton and its surroundings - the conclusion was an extensive sightseeing tour of London organized by SAGS Chairman K.H. Roese, BVK and our London Blue Badge Guide Jeanne Roese. From the Southampton side the Youth Brass Band as well as the Southampton City (Albion) Band went several times to Rems-Murr-Kreis, each time for a one week stay at the RMK's splendid country school facility (Landschulheim Mönchhof) near Kaisersbach. |
A close sporting link was formed thanks to the initiative of the RMK Sport Dezeruend Erich Hägele and SAGS Chairman K.H Roese, BVK. This link was taken up by youth sports leader Eugen Holzwart with the youth football teams of Backnang and surrounding areas. Weekend tournaments were organised with several teams from the Rems-Murr-Kreis and the participation of the Southampton Sparks under the management of Les Richie and John Cassel. All of the young participants from both sides were put up by families. Adults were usually accommodated in hotels.
On the educational side, many successful school exchange visits between renowned schools from Schorndorf and Southampton have taken place. The pupils were accommodated with respective host families. The youngsters got to know not only the country and the people, but also got to experience the 'different' native cuisines, as well as the Swabian culture and customs.
In 1992 the City of Southampton organised an international 'browsing' market. The familiar annual stalls from France were joined by stalls from Spain and, of course, the Rems-Murr-Kreis. The market lasted for a whole weekend and made an extremely interesting change for Sotonians.
On the occasion of the SAGS 25th Anniversary celebrations in May 1993 at Netley Hall, the Chairman Karl-Heinz Roese was awarded with the German order of Merit, the "Bundesverdienstkreuz am Bande", presented to him by the "Chargé d'Affaires" of the German Embassy in London, Dr. F Kreuneck on behalf of the German President Prof. Richard von Weizäcker, for the Chairman's efforts to further relations between the 2 countries.
Other activities included for instance, an international exhibition of paintings organised by the Rems-Murr-Kreis in the foyer of the council offices in Waiblingen in 2002. The Southampton artists Marlin Lihou (a SAGS member) and Justin Heath were able to display their works with due success. The artists taking part in this competition came from all of the twin towns of the Rems-Murr-Kreis, therefore from the countries of Russia, Hungary, France, Romania, Italy, the former German Democratic Republic and the United Kingdom. David Dawkins and Karl-Heinz Roese, BVK travelled to Stuttgart for the weekend for the purpose of supporting both our artists. The exhibition took place over four weeks and received high attendance from local residents. The response in the local press was impressive.
In all exchange projects, long-lasting friendships were forged between many of the hosts and visitors.
