Barcs / Hungary

Following the eastern bloc’s orientation toward the West, in 1985 Sinsheim began to build connections to the east. Based on the initiative of Georg Werkmann, Chairman of the Wind Instrument Association, his birth city Barcs expressed interest in a partnership. In his letter to the Chairman of the District Council dated 15 July 1985, Lord Mayor Dr. Sieber spoke of building bridges between the power blocks of the East and West.

In the summer of 1986, the Sinsheim Wind Instrument Association visited the Barcs Wind Orchestra as a first step. Since then, the two orchestras have developed a friendship, celebrating the 10th anniversary with a music festival in June 1997

On 2 December 1988, the Circle of Friends of Barcs was founded, which continues under the chairmanship of Georg Werkmann today. On 27 May 1989, Mayor Ferenc Feigli and Lord Mayor Dr. Sieber signed the partnership certificate.

Following the signing, representatives from the District Council and the community, the Sinsheim Fire Department, the Youth Wind Orchestra, members from four church communities, the boy scouts and other groups traveled to Barcs. Since 1991, annual donations of clothing, toys and other objects have been sent to Barcs.

At the 5th anniversary of the city partnership, on 1 May 1994, Lord Mayer Dr. Sieber was awarded the status of Honorary Citizen of the City of Barcs.

Business contact has also been made between Hungarian and Sinsheim companies several times.

The Theodor Heuss School and the Aranyi Janos Iskola in Barcs celebrated the 10th anniversary of their school partnership in May of 1997. Students from the high schools in Barcs and Sinsheim also had several opportunities to encounter each other.

In 1998, the City of Barcs celebrated the 200th anniversary of its right to hold markets, the 20th anniversary of becoming a city and the 10th anniversary of its city partnership with Sinsheim.

Barcs, in numbers

Location: In southern Transdanubia in the district of Somogy, on the Croatian border.

Population: 13,000

Economy:

• Largely agricultural structure
• Smaller industry facilities and medium-sized companies, commerce, trade
  (opportunities for retail based on the Croatian border)
• Wood processing
• Construction and building industry
• Metal processing
• Textile industry