Urban conversations

During our visit to Dresden we were able to attend a conversation around twinning organised by Dresden Technical University as part of their Urban Conversations programme. Those taking part included:

Tine & Günter Starke – photographers whose work provided the visual framework for the evening

Sabine Coady Schaebitz from Coventry University, editor of Heritage and Democracy – Introductory Thoughts

Rainer Barczaitis – Coventry Coordinator and translator

Johannes Schütz – historian, Dresden University of Technology

The Urban Conversation web site explains the context of the conversation by asking:

What remains when cities confront their wounded history – and listen to each other in the process?

In our 40th episode, we explore the dialogue between Dresden and Coventry – two cities whose names are inextricably linked to the destruction of the Second World War. The bombing of Coventry in November 1940 and the destruction of Dresden in February 1945 are not isolated events but, rather, exist within a historical context that continues to resonate today – politically, culturally, and emotionally.

Click the university web site for more. The site also contains a link to a sound recording.

A summary of key points

This was a long discussion, but I will attempt a summary of the key themes.

The clear suggestion in the discussion was that city twining was not a formal arrangement, but about human relationships. Dresden and Coventry are two cities linked by the destruction of the Second World War, yet marked by very different cultures of remembrance. Rather than comparing suffering, the conversation reflects on how cities remember, how individuals carry history, and how exchange between communities can create new ways of understanding.

A major theme was  the legacy of wartime destruction. Both cities carry their history of bombing and rebuilding, but they have responded differently, at least in respect to restoration. Coventry’s ruined and new cathedral stand together: the ruins are preserved, not erased, and the new building looks forward. This, at least to some, creates a culture of remembrance grounded in openness and reconciliation. Coventry’s approach preserves visible traces of trauma creating what Sabine calls a kind of urban ‘palimpsest’ (a palimpsest was back in the day a parchment from which text had been scraped off so as to be re-used). The phrase ‘Father Forgive‘ is a refusal to dwell only in blame and instead points to a shared human responsibility. Dresden has a burdened and contested memory, shaped not only by wartime destruction but also by later political controversies, especially in the GDR and after reunification. Dresden’s Frauenkirche, symbolises renewal and democratisation after the GDR and offers an example of international solidarity. However, it is cleansed of visible scars.

The conversation also highlights the importance of personal stories within larger historical events. Individual biographies, letters, family memories, old objects, and friendships all show how history is transmitted across generations. Rainer’s story of an Englishman who came to Dresden before the war, later reconnected with a German family, and eventually built a family bond across former enemy lines exemplifies this. Johannes, the historian, stresses that private memory and public history are always intertwined; one cannot understand large historical stories without the personal experiences that carry them forward.

Another key theme was town twinning as active citizenship. Dave’s reflections are especially clear on this point: town twinning began as a people-led project rooted in peace-building and mutual understanding, not just official politics. He argues that such partnerships only matter when they remain active, reciprocal, and meaningful. In this sense, twinning is about friendship, exchange, lifelong learning, and resistance to racism, nationalism, and false historical narratives. Dresden–Coventry is presented as one of the few partnerships that still embodies this spirit.

Finally, the discussion emphasises hope through small acts and human encounter. Encounters between photographers, historians, artists, workers, and ordinary residents show that reconciliation is not a finished achievement but an ongoing process of listening, travelling, remembering, and being open to others. The story of Coventry volunteers helping clear rubble in Dresden in 1965 is especially powerful, showing how practical solidarity can change lives and institutions. Overall, the discussion presents town twinning as a fragile but vital practice through which cities can transform memory into dialogue and shared responsibility for the future.

The transcripts of this conversation can be accessed here:

Part 1; Part 2; Part 3