About Rothenburg

Rothenburg lies in the middle of Germany’s famous Romantic Road, which is a series of picturesque villages that have retained their medieval character. Rothenburg reached its heyday between the 13th and 16th century. During World War II more than 40 percent of the town’s buildings were destroyed; however, the people put forth a great effort to restore the town’s old buildings. Rothenburg is now one of the most popular destinations on the Romantic Road. Click here for Rothenburg’s homepage.

The Beginning of the Relationship Between the Two Towns

The topic for the Uchiko Symposium of 1986 was the restoration and preservation of the old buildings in Uchiko. The mayor of Rothenburg at that time, Oskar Schubert, took part in the symposium. Rothenburg’s experience with the restoration of historical buildings was a success; so, Rothenburg’s mayor’s insight helped Uchiko begin to realize its goal of restoring the old street. The mayor’s visit during this symposium marked the beginning of the relationship between the two towns.

The Signing of the Partner City Treaty

Following the Uchiko Symposium of 1986, the people of Uchiko and Rothenburg made efforts to build friendly ties between the two towns. In 1993, some representatives of Uchiko visited Rothenburg and deepened the relationship. Additionally, a few Uchiko citizens have lived and worked in Rothenburg to learn the language, witness the workings of the Rothenburg administration and, of course, build ties with Rothenburg. One Uchiko citizen actually studied as an apprentice under a German sausage master and butcher before returning to Uchiko to work as a German meat specialist. The number of students visiting Rothenburg as exchange students has increased over the years, and a homestay program has been implemented for the exchange students. Fifteen years of joint activities between the two towns prompted the signing of the Partner City Treaty in August of 2001.