Looking back on 60 years

May 27, 1964

Signing of the partnership agreement in Erlangen by Lord Mayor Dr. Heinrich Lades and Mayor Victor Janton (standing in for Lord Mayor Henri Fréville)

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and Rennes 1 and 2 are already in contact before the partnership is established.

July 1964

15 young members of the Rennaiser trade union Force Ouvrière come to Erlangen for a week and visit facilities of the Erlangen trade union youth as well as industrial plants and cultural institutions.

August 1964

A group of Erlangen athletes travels to Rennes for the first time, and the Erlangen District Youth Council also visits the French twin town.

January 1966

Franco-German Friendship Week in Erlangen with athletes from Rennes (swimming, fencing, gymnastics), official delegation, several exhibitions and the inauguration of Rennesstrasse.

1973

Partnership agreement between the two universities in Rennes and FAU

1974

10th anniversary is celebrated in October with a twinning week in Rennes.

First meeting of the Erlangen and Rennes police motorsport groups; an exchange that continues to this day

1976

First student exchange between the Büchenbach elementary school and the Duchesse Anne school in Rennes

1977

The Erlangen Chamber Orchestra travels to Rennes for the first time; the artistic exchange with Ars Juvenis continues to this day.

1981

Partnership between the districts of Bruck and Maurepas

1983

First visit to Erlangen by a delegation of professors from the Rennes Faculty of Medicine; further expansion of the existing cooperation is agreed.

1984

20th anniversary of the partnership - 400 Rennais citizens travel to Erlangen on a special train

1986

Foundation of the Comité de Jumelage at the MIR (Maison International de Rennes)

1988

Rennes is awarded the title "Most dynamic city in France"

1989

25th anniversary of the partnership; more than 600 Erlangen residents celebrate the anniversary in Rennes; a joint declaration is signed at the celebrations; the previous content of the partnership is to be supplemented by further aspects, including cooperation in the field of environmental protection, municipal development cooperation and promotion of the European idea.

1991

Start of the exchange of drainage companies as part of the European program "Energy and Environment in Urban Areas"

1994

30th anniversary of the partnership, including the first basketball tournament between the twin towns

1999

35th anniversary of the twinning - celebrations during the "Les tombées de la nuit" festival

2004

40th anniversary with events throughout the year. During the visit of a delegation from Rennes, a cooperation agreement is signed, which includes the areas of education, health and sustainable development.

2008

Farewell visit by Edmond Hervé and introduction of his successor Daniel Delaveau

2009

"5 before 50" - series of events in Erlangen to mark the 45th anniversary

2013

50 years of the Elysée Treaty - During the visit of Mayor Roselyne Lefrançois, a declaration is signed to mark the anniversary of the Elysée Treaty, in which the town twinning is reaffirmed.

2014

50th anniversary of the Erlangen-Rennes town twinning; celebrations in Rennes from January 22 to 24 and other events throughout the year.

2015

Nathalie Appéré's first visit to Erlangen. One of the focal points of the visit program is medical technology. The Erlangen Alliance for Peace visits Rennes and signs a memorandum of understanding with the Rennaiser Mouvement de la Paix. Various meetings in the cultural and youth sector.

2016

Meetings and exchanges in various areas. Erlangen hosts the "Francophonie Day", which is organized by the consular representations of francophone countries in Bavaria. In September, Anabel Marie (city councillor and European representative of the Rennais city council) takes part in the panel discussion on Anti-War Day in the Margrave Theater.

2017

Inaugural visit of Lord Mayor Dr. Janik to Rennes. The focus of the visit program is on civic engagement, e-health, cybersecurity and Rennes as a business location for start-ups

2018

Continuation of numerous exchanges: comic artists, bus drivers, student union, police motor sports club, KAB-Erlangen and Marcel Callo Freunde-Rennes, student exchange, rowers. Erlangen participation in the "Marathon Créatif" in Rennes: "New ways to talk about Europe"

2019

Erlangen and Rennes celebrate the 55th anniversary of the town twinning. Comic/urban sketching project by Michael Jordan and Etiou "At the edges of Erlangen", Eltersdorf Music Association at the Fête de la Musique in Rennes; further cultural encounters (EKO twinning concert, Dañserla Festival, Fiesta de Arte)

2020

First Corona year: shortly before the lockdown, La Gâpette plays at the E-Werk, in summer: open-air Jour de France with the theme of Brittany and Rennes; postcard campaign to keep in touch during the pandemic; regular exchanges on the situation in the twin cities

2021

"Ille & Regnitz" event trip organized by dFi and CEFA Rennes in cooperation with the City of Erlangen and the City of Rennes: webinars, citizens' talks and exhibition at the Long Night of Democracy. Two Rennaiser bands at the Dañserla festival

2022

Excursion of Romance Studies FAU and German Studies Rennes 1 with meetings in Rennes and Erlangen, continuation of the Ille&Regnitz event series, resumption of exchange measures (e.g. rowing club, student union and CROUS), musicians from Rennes at Fête de la Musique and Dañserla

2023

Resumption of major student exchanges (ASG, MTG, Ohm, EvBG with Lycées Jean Macé and V.&H. Basch), band exchange as part of the Newcomer Festival, comic/urban sketching project with Michael Jordan and Etiou in Rennes, celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty, musicians from Rennes at Fête de la Musique and Dañserla

2024

60th anniversary of the town twinning. Nathalie Appéré visits Erlangen with a delegation and celebrates the twinning anniversary together with Lord Mayor Dr. Janik and over 200 guests at a ceremony in the Redoutensaal on February 8, 2024.