The History of Sister City Relationship Cologne-Indianapolis:

The first contact between Cologne and Indianapolis took place in 1985 when the Wallraf-Richartz Museum had an exhibition at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. This led to a desire for further contacts. First talks were held when Mayor Hudnut of Indianapolis visited Cologne in September 1985 and Mayor Burger of Cologne returned the visit to Indianapolis in 1986. The two mayors were convinced that, due to the similarity of the two cities, many experiences could be exchanged. In addition, they both believed that it was important to promote relations between the German and American people, and especially between the citizens of Cologne and Indianapolis, at the local level.

In May 1988, Mayor Hudnut, along with a delegation from Indianapolis, delivered the formal declaration of the city council of Indianapolis to enter into a partnership with Cologne at the meeting of Cologne’s twin cities. After the Council of the City of Cologne had agreed to the city partnership, the partnership documents between Cologne and Indianapolis were signed by the Mayors Burger and Hudnut in the Historical City Hall on 28.11.1988 and countersigned in Indianapolis in 1990.

Purpose of the sister city relationship:

In general, town twinning aims to promote mutual understanding and reduce prejudices. This is intended to make a contribution to lasting peace at the local level.

However, the sister city relationship with Indianapolis has also been established for other reasons. In the final phase of the Cold War, Cologne wanted to make a contribution to the process of communal détente between the two power blocs and therefore concluded not only a sister city relationship with Indianapolis, but also with the Russian Volgograd at the same time. So it was a kind of west-eastern divan on the municipal level.

Joint activities:

The city partnership between Cologne and Indianapolis has been in existence for over 30 years. The Freundeskreis Köln-Indianapolis e.V., whose founding member, former chairman Volkmar Schultz, gave the partnership important impulses, also existed for a long time.

The fathers of our partnership are Norbert Burger and Bill Hudnut. Both have left us in the meantime, but their respective successors in office have appreciated the relationships.

Indianapolis_-_Cologne_Sister_City_Partnership