This is a follow up blog which offers a tourist trail around Bologna city centre. On my visit to Bologna I took part in an organised walk around the city centre. Of course, you can make your own way around the city quite happily, but on my last day I decided to give a guided… Continue reading Our twin city of Bologna: the tourist trail
Our twin city of Bologna: the memorialisation of the recent past
We recently visited Bologna to attend a conference on memory cities. This posts describes how the city remembers its history of resistance and suffering. Coventry was formally twinned with Bologna in 1984. No-one seems entirely sure why this particular partnership came about, but in some ways it was not surprising that the two cities should… Continue reading Our twin city of Bologna: the memorialisation of the recent past
Irmgard Rode and Coventry friendship
In September 2026 Dave Hirons spoke to Coventry German Circle about CAIF on the 80 anniversary. The talk was centred on Irmgard Rode’s story. The story takes place in Germany in the turbulent years between the two world wars. Born into a Catholic and strongly pacifist family, she grew up as the Weimar Republic gave… Continue reading Irmgard Rode and Coventry friendship
Friendship between Meschede and Coventry
This piece accompanies our earlier article on the life of Irmgard Rode, whose commitment to peace and reconciliation helped build lasting links between Meschede and Coventry. Here, her daughter Angelika Rode looks back at how that friendship began after the Second World War and how it developed through youth exchanges, family hospitality and a shared… Continue reading Friendship between Meschede and Coventry
From Dresden with Love
We are pleased to publish these memories of Andrea’s visit to Dresden (and beyond). In this first part of the blog she recalls eating pierogi – Polish dumplings covered in quark – a tour of Zitau, a performance at the Lonesome Lakes Festival, a family arts festival on the German Czech-Polish border, and more besides. The visit took place… Continue reading From Dresden with Love
From Dresden with Love
We are pleased to include these memories of Andrea’s visit to Dresden (and beyond). In the second part of the blog she visits Dresden meeting many new friends, has a guest teaching session at Dresden university and meets Patrick, Annika, Lucas, Reiner She performs at the FrauenKirche and visits some of the local landmarks. Click here to… Continue reading From Dresden with Love
So what better place to be?
Pia Schmeckenbecher is a very welcome visitor to Coventry. She has been working as a volunteer with Coventry cathedral since September 2025 and here she tells us about the organisation that has sponsored her stay and the early links between Germany and Coventry. Out of all places - why would you choose to come to… Continue reading So what better place to be?
Coventry MotorFest: Celebrating the City’s Automotive Heritage
Coventry has many claims to fame, but one of the strongest is its place in Britain's automotive history. From Daimler and Standard to Jaguar and the modern JLR era, the city has long been associated with car manufacture and engineering innovation. Each year, Coventry MotorFest celebrates that heritage by bringing vehicles, enthusiasts and the public… Continue reading Coventry MotorFest: Celebrating the City’s Automotive Heritage
In Monty’s Footsteps
Viscount Henry Montgomery, the Grandson of Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery (Monty), has been in Coventry for the past three days. This visit was part of his ‘In Monty’s Footsteps’ journey to recreate Monty’s travels throughout Britain in April and May 1944 in the build-up to D-Day in June of that year. Henry met the Lord… Continue reading In Monty’s Footsteps
Dresden visit February 2026
Several members and friends of CAIF met German colleagues in Dresden, this in the week leading up to the remembrance of the blanket bombing of Dresden on 13 February 1945. Visitors and hosts included Claudia, Clive, Dave, Linda, Paula, Rainer, Reinhard, Sabine, Sinclair, Stefan, Ulrich and Emilia. Some of the events and visits in Dresden included:… Continue reading Dresden visit February 2026
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… Continue reading Urban conversations
Welcome visitors to Coventry
We were very pleased to welcome Marc Lalonde (Lektor) and students from 'The Tudors' - this is the name of the drama group within the Institute for English and American Studies at the Technische Universität in our partner city of Dresden. This was the group's fourth visit and this time around they were reading 'Poems for… Continue reading Welcome visitors to Coventry
Trusting the Air: A Poet’s Dresden Sojourn: Part 1
Amy Rugg When you are 90 feet in the air, it focusses your mind. One week after returning from Dresden, I found myself on the edge of the roof of Coventry Cathedral, where I was abseiling to raise money for a local charity. The abseil coach rolled his eyes as I began shaking uncontrollably. His response… Continue reading Trusting the Air: A Poet’s Dresden Sojourn: Part 1
Trusting the Air: A Poet’s Dresden Sojourn: Part 2
Amy Rugg In part 1 Amy describes first impressions of Dresden, the Frauenkirche, meeting artists and working in school. In part 2 she tells us about working with students in a high school, leading a workshop at Veranderbar, a community radio invite, and an unexpected evening meal. Volkshochschule After a brief respite, Annika returned from… Continue reading Trusting the Air: A Poet’s Dresden Sojourn: Part 2
The Spirit of Dunkerque
Inhabiting Modernity: Model Cities of Post-War Reconstruction in Europe Sabine Coady Schäbitz Inhabiting Modernity was the title of a very successful symposium which I attended in September this year in Dunkerque in France. The symposium marked the culmination of an exhibition with the same name which was running from April to September 2025. Both the… Continue reading The Spirit of Dunkerque
At the Priory Undercroft: Photographs from Dresden
Christine and Gunter Starke are renowned photographers from our partner city of Dresden where they have been documenting people and places for over 45 years. They are visiting Coventry this month and in advance they sent over sets of photographs which are now on show in the LTB’s St Mary Priory Undercroft near the cathedral. Christine and Gunter’s particular concern has been… Continue reading At the Priory Undercroft: Photographs from Dresden
Documenting the past
CAIF, the Coventry Association for International Friendship, and CDE, the Coventry-Dresden Exchange, are bringing Günter Starke and his partner, Christine, to Coventry from our twin city of Dresden in October this year. Now more than 80 years old, Günter is a legend in photographic circles in Saxony, having survived as a documentary photographer during the… Continue reading Documenting the past
