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Diessen am Ammersee -

Twinned with Windermere & Bowness

 

AGM Minutes | Chairman's Annual Reports | Committee Minutes

Committee Members | Newsletter | Officers | Town Twinning

 


Back in the mid 1990's, the late Windermere Parish Councillor, Gillian Hubbard was approached by the then Mayor of Diessen am Ammersee to look at the possibility of the two communities 'twinning.'  Under her guidance and leadership a group of interested local people formed the Windermere/Diessen Town Twinning Association.  In 1998, the two communities 'twinned' at ceremonies held in both Windermere and Diessen.    

Our twin town of Diessen am Ammersee in Bavaria takes great pride in being twinned with Windermere and all visitors from Windermere are treated to superb hospitality.  The purpose of twinning is to bring people together, and the groups of both towns embrace that.

The article below has been provided by Sheila Ricketts, the past Chair of the Association, to whom the Chamber acknowledges grateful thanks.


The Market Town of Diessen lies at the south-west end of the Ammersee with the Bavarian Alps as its backdrop.  Together with its surrounding villages Diessen has a population of approximately 10,000.

The Ammersee is the third largest lake in Bavaria and offers swimming, sailing, surfing and passenger steam-boats, including the remarkable paddle steamer 'Diessen', built in 1908.  Fishing still provides a living for several family businesses.

Marianmunster

The most outstanding feature of the Town is the baroque 'Marianmunster' built in the 18th century.  This impressive church charms everyone with its wonderful decoration; high altar, ceiling frescoes, stucco work and paintings, all very beautiful.  Traditions are still valued and practiced; craftsmen in pottery and pewter, bands, traditional costumes, a Maypole erected in the square depicting every trade and a deep sense of community and belonging.  It all makes Diessen an interesting and exciting place to visit.  You can even make a call from a red 'English' telephone box!  Diessen is also a good place from which to explore Bavaria.  The fairytale castles built by King Ludwig II, the Andechs Monastery (where Benedictine Monks brew every shade of beer!), the towns of Landsberg, Ausberg, Oberammergau (of the Passion Play fame) Garmish Partenkirchen and of course the capital Munich, all with a fascinating history as well as being vibrant modern day places.

Above all, the people of Diessen are warm and friendly and know how to give hospitality to visitors from their Twin Town of Windermere, ask anyone who has had the privilege of visiting there.

Why not experience it for yourself?

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Windermere/Diessen Town Twinning Association Officers

 

Chair

Jenny Borer  

Tele No:   015394 44995
Vice Chair Vacant  
Treasurer Norman Borer Tele No:   015394 44995
Minutes Secretary Joan Jones  

 

 

Committee Members 2012/13

 

Name

Organisation/Function Represented

Peter Bayliss Music & Band Groups
Tony Blaney Windermere & Bowness Chamber of Trade
Liz Blaney Catering & Events
Katrin Hertel Windermere School
Hazel McFarlane Wenzel - Schools Liaison
Rosemary Park Interpreter
Annette Pearson Catering & Events
Cllr. Joan Stocker Community Liaison
Jermaine Willan Lakes School
   
Cllr Allan Winrow - Ex Officio Mayor - Windermere Town Council

 

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Chairman's Annual Reports

Chairman's Report - 2011
Chairman's Report - 2010

 

Constitution

Committee Meeting Minutes:

 

AGM Agenda and Minutes

 

 

Newsletter

 

 

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Town Twinning - 2010

 

6th Diessen "British" Week

A very special event took place this year in Bavaria in  that every 10 years sees the dramatic presentation of the Passion Play in Oberammergau which is performed by hundreds of the residents of the Bavarian mountain village. Fourteen members and friends of the Windermere – Diessen Twinning Association joined a group of Diessen residents to attend the performance on 18th September and found the whole colourful experience uplifting  with the quality and vastness of the production, and  extremely moving in terms of the telling of the Easter story.

This event was followed by Diessen’s British week and once again a number of members of the Windermere-Diessen Twinning Association enjoyed the warm hospitality of our Bavarian twin town from 19th to 25th September. The week included a variety of themed activities and events all aimed a fostering greater understanding of the British way of life for members of their own Twinning organisation, the Freundeskreis Ammersee-Windermere. The week opened with a Sunday Market  which included a stall selling some English biscuits and Kendal mint cake. Other events through the week included an English film, readings from books and poems  and a visit  for the English visitors to the museum recording the life and works of Carl Orff and his influence on teaching music to children.  

In contrast a  performance by ‘Wallstreet Theatre’ gave their version of British humour !

A slideshow of various school exchange activities illustrated the benefits gained through Twinning for young people from both Diessen and Windermere. Our ‘Veterans’ football team gave a splendid performance at the ‘Sportplatz. when they beat the home side with 3  goals to 0 earning themselves a visit to the Oktoberfest in Munich later in the week.  An enjoyable evening meal with musical accompaniment by members of the  ‘Blasergruppe’ gave the English visitors a sample of  Bavarian tradition and culture.  The week’s events were capped of by a splendid fireworks display. 

Finally a visit to the Wengen Autumn Market on September 26th was highlighted by the impressive display of old tractors and farm machinery, and demonstrations of traditional crafts still practised in the rural areas in Bavaria. Stalls selling local foods and many people in traditional costumes  added up to a colourful country show, similar in its purpose to agricultural shows in the  English Lake District.  

Anyone wishing to know more about our Twinning activities is invited to contact the Chairman, Jennifer Borer, by telephone on Windermere 44995.

Past Chair's 'Thank You!'

The Windermere Town Twinning Association held its 12th Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 17th March at the Burnside Hotel during which Sheila Ricketts 'retired' as Chairman.  Sheila would like to thank everyone who has helped in anyway, over the past 11/12 years, to make the Town Twinning thrive. Whenever there has been an event, and whenever we have welcomed our  friends from Diessen, local businesses, schools, churches, clubs and individuals have always helped. It has been a privilege to work with the other members of our Committee to cement friendships/contacts with our 'Twin'. Thank you all and I trust you will continue to support your Town's Twinning in the future.

 

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Town Twinning - 2009

Newsletters:

 

 

July:

40 students and 4 teachers from the Lakes School have recently returned from a trip to Diessen.  This was made in association with the Windermere Town Twinning Association.  The trip included a visit to the Carl Orff School, a water feature park, a visit to Munich, Neuschwantein Castle (Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang fame) and a boat trip on the Ammersee.  A lakeside barbeque was laid on by the Diessen Town Twinning Association and the students of Carl Orff School.

Holly Santamera.

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10th Anniversary Celebrations - 2008

 

The complete 10th Anniversary Celebrations - photographs, articles, acknowledgements etc can be found by clicking on the above.

 


 

Town Twinning Events Dairy - 2007

 

Twinning Association Events

 

(Click on any of the photographs below to get an enhanced image.)

 

Rose Planting - April 2007

Unvailing of signpost to DiessenCouncillor Chris Tewksbury, the Mayor of Windermere and Bowness unveiled a ‘finger sign’ erected in the park by the Baddeley Clock in Windermere, pointing out the direction and distance to the twin town of Diessen-am-Ammersee.  This sign was a gift from the people of Diessen to the town of Windermere and Bowness.  The sign matches a corresponding sign in the town of Diessen.

Also planted beneath the sign and at the same, were ten rose bushes given to the people of Windermere and Bowness by the Lions group of Diessen.  This special rose is a species created for the Lions, and has a Planting of the 'Lion' rosecharacteristic white and yellow flower.  The roses are planted in a bed shaped in the ‘D’ of Diessen and serve to give pleasure to all who walk in the area.

During the previous evening at a gala reception at The Hydro Hotel in Bowness, given for the visiting Diessen Lions, a twinning agreement was signed by the two Lions chairmen in front of members of the Lions groups of Windermere and Diessen as well as Barrow, and Kendal whose party included John Hadley the chairman of Kendal Lions and also the Kendal Twinning Association.

Diessen's Signpost to Windermere

 

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Garden Party.

The annual garden party was held in June at the Fairfield Guest House,Garden party at the Fairfield Guest House Brantfell Road, Bowness, to raise funds for the Town Twinning Association was again a success, generating nearly £200 to go towards the funds.  The weather held out, and was even sunny.  Fund-raising will be going on over the coming months to help with the preparations for events to be held in 2008 to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the twinning of Windermere with Diessen-an-Ammersee, near Munich in Bavaria. 

 

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"Frauenbund" Visit

Cutting of the 'Welcome Cake'The month of May saw a visit from the ladies friendship group, the "Frauenbund" from Diessen who spent several days in the area taking advantage of the better weather to enjoy a variety of activities.  These included a lake cruise on Windermere, and a trip on the 'La'al Ratty in Eskdale.  The ladies had a wonderful time which ended in a garden party where they were joined by local ladies of the WI, and St. Herbert's Catholic women's League.  A full English afternoon tea was provided including a 'welcome cake', to the delight of the visitors who thanks the people of Windermere for their hospitality.

 

More pictures of the "Frauenbund" visit

 

 

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English Week In Diessen

10th - 17th September 2006.

September 2006 saw the 4th ‘British’ week in Diessen with many events marking the friendship of the two towns.  The theme of the week was Robin Hood. 

Pupils from both the Diessen ‘Volkschule’ (children’s school) and our own Lakes School visited one another last year, which was described by some of the pupils during an enjoyable presentation at the Burnside Hotel in November.  This was a very pleasant evening with Hot Pot and Apple Strudel served.  Twinning members, old and new, shared their experiences with photographs.

There were various activities and entertainments organised by the Diessen Twinning Committee including a football match.  We had 16 footballers going from Windermere for three days and a match against a team from Diessen took place on Tuesday 12th September, which I am led to understand was narrowly lost by Windermere.  On the Wednesday the team went on to the Brewery in Munich then onto the Munich Football Stadium. This is a new venture!

12 other Twinning Members are also going.

Brigitte and Wolfgang Haugg have just returned to Diessen after a ten day holiday, staying in Langdale.

On the 4th August, two families were self catering at Bowness Methodist Church for a month.  Uli and her three daughters were here in 2001.

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Town Twinning Events Dairy - 2004

 

Christmas Market

 Bowness-on-Windermere

 

 

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