By Toby Peter, Resident of Spalt
A Spalter delegation of 17 members visited the new Sister City of St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA, to
help celebrate the City of St. Cloud’s 150th birthday. Both cities signed the official agreements in
a public ceremony in the St. Cloud City Council Chambers announcing the newly formed Sister
City relationship. The connection was formed to develop friendship between the two cities and to
establish an international connection that offers educational, cultural, and economical
developments and opportunities for both cities.
The 17 ambassadors were warmly welcomed into the St. Cloud community. Ten local families
hosted the members during their six-day visit in June. The American open-mindedness,
friendliness, and the down-to-earth qualities of the residents were displayed through out the stay.
The direct and personal contact between the St. Cloud host families and the delegates provided a
good basis for bonding.
St. Cloud mayor Dave Kleis scheduled many tours and exciting events for the guests. Highlights
of the trip included an evening at the Lemonade Concert at St. Cloud State University; a trip to St.
Paul, the state capitol of Minnesota; a visit to the Mall of America, the largest shopping mall in the
USA; and an opportunity to participate in the WWWFest parade.
Cultural concerts from classic to country, the visit and tour of the St. Cloud Regional Airport, as
well as a visit to the Chamber of Commerce office and many companies in St. Cloud topped off the
list of scheduled events.
St. Cloud, located on the Mississippi River, has its economical origin in the lumber and granite
industry. St. Cloud is increasingly becoming an expanding healthcare center and the area is one
of the state’s popular destinations for recreation and tourism. There are approximately 15,000
students attending three universities located in St. Cloud.
With 63,000 residents, St. Cloud is one of the fastest-growing cities in Central Minnesota.
Mayor Dave Kleis, the host families, and the citizens of St. Cloud provided a heartfelt welcome and
enjoyable stay for the Spalter delegation. The Sister City relationship events were covered by
three local newspapers and four local radio stations. St. Cloud graciously accepted gifts from the
Spalt municipal brewery.
The friendship will be reinforced in a few weeks. A delegation from St. Cloud, including Mayor
Dave Kleis, will be visiting the City of Spalt at the end of September. Since forty percent of the
people of St. Cloud have German ancestry, a close connection between the two cities is quickly
developing. A lot of people are interested and excited about experiencing first-hand the
international relationship.
The impression of St. Cloud was outstanding. The spirit and the weather were at their best, and
the many new and interesting experiences created a good foundation for friendship between the
people of St. Cloud and Spalt.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SISTER CITIES
(from www.spalt.de)
SPALT, BAYERN, GERMANY
The Hops and Beer Town
In the Frankonian Lake District
Spalt is a charming little town located in the middle of the Franconian Lake District
(Fränkisches Seenland). It originally grew up around a Benedictine abbey founded in 800
AD. Parts of the original medieval town walls, towers and gates still bear witness to
Spalt´s eventful history. The well-preserved Old Town is a lovely place for a stroll, with
winding alleys and lovely Baroque town houses. Among the most prominent features are
the old half-timbered “hops houses” with their mighty gabled roofs. These roofs were used
for drying and storing the hops grown in the surrounding region, which used to be the
town´s most important trading commodity.
Just outside the town the idyllic Igelsbach Lake and the larger Grosser Brombach Lake
and the beautiful surrounding countryside provide plenty of opportunities for outdoor
holiday activities, including swimming, cycling, hiking, keeping fit with Nordic Walking or
just enjoying nature and culture.
