Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1960-03-17
Sister City from !
Pinneberg
Welcome Told

Welcome Told
pronounced fit, does the waiter
fill the glasses. Nor is one
glass raised until the host raises
his. When he does, others join
him and each glass is held high
as the toast is given. Then all
participants take a first sip.
For a teetotaler it is rather
hard in Germany" Gus Alters
meier was to say later. And he
was so right. But we never
saw anyone during our stay
who was even close to inebria-
ton. Both the wine and "bier"
of Pinneberg are quite low in
alcoholic content. And everyone
practices moderation.
The dinner started off with
rather stiff formality but soon
became more relaxed and con-
vivial. Before the evening end
ed we were all fast friends.
Customs and habits of the two
cities were discussed. The food
was delicious, the company was
good. It is difficult to imagine
q more delightful experience.
Before we left Rockville, SEN
tinel Staff Photographer Hugh
Gillespie, who is here to take
pictures of the trip, had taken
a series of photographs of typi-
cal Rockville scenes. These
were formally presented in an
album. A formal resolution
from the Mayor and Council
of Rockville expressing "the
warmest of greetings" from the
people of Rockville was formal
1y rendered.
After dinner, and the
speeches, chairs were rear
ranged and a color film of Pin
neberg's famed Rose Garden
was shown. The city's princi-
pal industry is the raising of
flowers, shrubs and trees on
hundreds and hundreds of acres
or in hot houses. They call it
Industry without smoke"
The city has poured all of It's
@green thumb" skill and deyo-
ton into its beautiful 'ROsen-
garten." And the film showing
the garden at Its most beauti-
full, during July and August,
was projected for our benefit
by the photographer who took
it, Herr Liefke, a city inspector.
At 1890, taking cognizance of
the fact that we had had little
sleep during the preceding SO
hours, our hosts suggested that
we retire. We were to get used
to this during the ensuing four
days. Each hours activity was
neatly scheduled. A daily type
written itinerary was prepared.
Carbon copies were distributed
to affected individuals. Respof1-
sible for this was the mayors
extremely efficient assistant,
Hans-Hermann Kath, who was
to bend over backward during
our stay to accommodate our
slightest wish.
The next morning, promptly
at 8, we got down to the seri-
GUS business of learning about
the city. Waiting for us at the
Pinneberg 'Rathaus" CITY
HALL were most of the same
officials with whom we had
banqueted. The days busy
rounds were launched at City
Hall with another toast and
more formal expressions of
good win between Rockville and
Pinneberg.
After a tour of City Hall, we
sat at the table reserved for
members of the city ''Parlia-
ment," a Remember legislative
body whose president Is Will
Wulf. And there to explain the
workings of city government
was Herr Wulf himself.
Wulf was first elected in 1928,
then deposed by the Nazis when
they seized power. Now he is
back In office, having been re-
stored by the British following
the war.
Pinneberg, incidentally, es-
capped damage during the war.
But nearby Hamburg took a
FASTING from American and
British. bombers. Great open
spaces still abound in the heart
of the city although busting,
ultra modern metropolis of
1,750,000 persons is rising out of
the rubble.
In 1920, Herr Wulf explained,
Pinneberg had only 5000 inhabi-
tants. BY 1899, the population
had risen to 1900. And then,
in 1945, a wave of 10000 refu-
gees, most of them fleeing from
the advancing Russians, hit the
city. For five years inhabitants
of Rockville's Sister City were
hard-pressed to find basic food
and lodging. But in 1850, part
ly due to Marshall Plan aid,
the recovery began. And now
the people, generally, are pros
porous and happy.
frhax1 49, ..,.,...t..l L-.A a.