Hof and Ogden celebrate 70 years of town twinning

A warm welcome

"Town twinning depends on politics and urban society getting to know each other again and again." This sentence was repeated several times during the visit of the Hof delegation to the twin town of Ogden in mid-January. In this case, the relationship that has grown into a friendship between the two cities has already lasted 70 years.

To mark the occasion, Mayor Eva Döhla traveled to the state of Utah with a city council delegation to strengthen existing ties and forge new ones: "Our task today is to keep opening up new areas for cooperation. The respective interests of the cities and their citizens are constantly changing and are strongly influenced by social developments and local circumstances. Direct encounters break down prejudices and promote trust between the cities."

During the welcome reception in the former Ogden train station, the newly elected mayor Ben Nadolski, city council chair Angela Choberka, employees of the city of Ogden and the Ogden city council greeted the guests from Hof. A document renewing the partnership between Hof and Ogden was ceremoniously signed.

Mayor Ben Nadolski: "It is an honor to have Hof in our community and to maintain this partnership. We're excited to have them here and celebrate the relationship and cultural exchange."

Council President Choberka: "We are delighted to be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the twinning of Ogden and Hof. This long-standing connection has enriched our cultural understanding and created new opportunities for cooperation and mutual trust."

From the history of the town twinning

1954 is considered the founding year of this town twinning. President Dwight D. Eisenhower began his so-called "People to People Program". This program was intended to bring people from Germany together with people in the United States. A delegation of citizens from Hof was selected to visit several cities in the USA. Ogden was of a similar size at the time and was asked to host the German delegation for a week. Among the visitors from Hof was a young man named August Brand.

The man from the Upper Palatinate had come to Hof in 1949 and became involved with the city on the Saale early on. Employed at Karl Schmidt's bank, he became chairman of the League of European Youth and met the bank president Frank M. Browning during the visit. The descendant of the Browning revolver company later made it possible for Brand to immigrate to the USA. Together, the two sought out the mayor of Ogden, Raymond Wright, to convince him of the partnership. The mayor and the city council agreed, making Ogden and Hof two of the first cities to enter into a sister city relationship.

A German cultural festival in Ogden

Back to the year 2024: In addition to visits to the Ogden City Council, the seat of government of the State of Utah in Salt Lake City, Weber State University, the police and the fire department, the Hof guests were invited to the central highlight, the "Sneddon Hof Germanfest". The cultural festival is deeply rooted in the sister city relationship between Ogden and Hof and consisted of a weekend of live music, Bavarian food, family-friendly activities, a lively marketplace and many guests from the region. Winterfest dates back to 1976, when City Council member Scott Sneddon revived the partnership program with a new winter festival, the Hof Winter Carnival. Each year, the festival offers a culinary journey to Bavaria with a selection of region-specific foods and an artisan market.

Many years of commitment

Bill and Melissa Bennett from Ogden are just as committed to this town twinning as Scott Sneddon. In addition to a faithful replica of Hof's town hall, which is set up every year in the winter village next to Ogden's town hall, Bill Bennett, who used to work as a missionary in Germany, regularly travels to Hof. It was not until 2022 that the city of Hof awarded Melissa and Bill Bennett the Medal of Honor. This was in recognition of their intensive commitment to maintaining and developing the town twinning. The Bennett family first came into contact with Hof in the early 1990s. In 2005, Bill Bennett brought the Davis Dance Company from Ogden to Hof. This marked the beginning of a friendship with the Hof Soul City Dancers, who supported them during the 2016 German Championships, among other events. A highlight was the visit of the Hof Jokers 2019 to Ogden, which took place with the Bennetts' great help. Bill and Melissa Bennett are also sponsors and advisors of the traditional "Sneddon Hof Winterfest".

"This is the right place" is a well-known saying in Utah that dates back to the pioneers who found refuge in the Wasatch Mountains. These pioneers came to the high mountain desert with the vision of gathering together and living as one. This goal of building a prosperous, united community still rings in the hearts and minds of residents today. The state of Utah ranks among the leaders in family prosperity, business development, entrepreneurship and quality of life.