Trostyanets in Ukraine and Hofstetten in Germany have been twinned since 2019. Martin Assmuth, Mayor of Hofstetten, describes how the cooperation benefits both.
What persuaded you to enter into a municipal partnership with Trostyanets?
Trostyanets was an obvious choice for us. It’s largely rural, consisting of several villages and with a lot of agriculture. It was important to both towns that we should be similar in terms of culture and the topics that are important to us, and that we could learn from one another. We identified the topic of broadband internet and mobile telephony, because in this area we’re somewhat behind our Ukrainian partners. Another focus was on water and wastewater, because here we can supply input to Ukraine. The last topic on the agenda was soft tourism – holidays on farms, hiking and cycling.
How did the start of the war change your partnership?
When the war started, it changed everything overnight. We immediately switched from mutual advice and joint project planning into support mode. Two weeks after the war began, we sent our first truck with relief supplies to Ukraine. Alongside the donations from people in Hofstetten, we received donations in kind, for example via the BMZ project Supporting civil protection and reconstruction coordinated by GIZ. In addition, we’ve taken ambulances, medicines, medical equipment, transformers, a fire service turntable ladder and many other things to Ukraine. So far, we’ve sent 650 tonnes of supplies worth 1.6 million Euros to our twin town and to other affected areas.
What, for you, is special about this municipal partnership?
The very close ties, even friendships, that have grown up between our volunteer helpers from Hofstetten and the people in Trostyanets. For me personally it’s the friendship with my Ukrainian counterpart. This friendship would never have developed without the municipal partnership. But the same applies to numerous volunteers here in our town, who maintain close contacts with the people there.
Has the municipal partnership been positive for your town despite the war?
Definitely! The great benefit is that many citizens here have realised just how valuable and important friendships and solidarity are. They know that their donations arrive undiminished with the people who need and appreciate them. The people here join in the activities to support Ukraine. When we see the pictures showing children in Trostyanets opening our gifts at Christmas, or the turntable ladder being used to put out a fire, or a dentist in our mobile dental practice – a converted bus – treating soldiers at the front, it’s very moving.
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The partnership between Trostyanets and Hofstetten is one of 230 municipal partnerships that the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has been supporting on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
