Munich Sister City Association of Cincinnati

Munich Sister Cities Association of Greater Cincinnati

Cultural Exchange

Art Exchange
The Munich Sister City Association of Greater Cincinnati promotes art exchanges between Cincinnati and Munich. The art exchange program began in 1995 between the Akademie der Kunst in Munich and the Art Academy of Cincinnati. This is an annual exchange.
In December 1996 Cornelia Eichacker, a popular Munich artist, taught for three months at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. She also painted while in Cincinnati and had a personal show at a local gallery.
In March 1996, the Weston Art Gallery at the Aronoff Center hosted the exhibitions Seen and Unseen and Recent Work. Seen and Unseen was an exhibition of 7 Cincinnati and 5 Munich photographers who presented a collaborative effort among the Weston Art Gallery, Images Center for Photography, The Goethe Institut and the Munich Sister City Association. The exhibit provided an opportunity for visual dialogue between Europe and the U.S. on the issue of how artists perceive the world and the differences in that process.
From October 2 thru November 28, 1997, seven Cincinnati and four Munich photographers, who presented a collaborative effort at the Weston Art Gallery in the Aronoff Center (Cincinnati) in March 1997, will present their work in Munich. The exhibition Seen and UnSeen will appear at the Amerika Haus. Seen and UnSeen asks the questions: How do artists from these different countries see the world? How do the various techniques and styles of presentation effect the subject matter? The Cincinnati and Munich artists represented in the exhibit each possess different answers to these questions with an “unseen” or mysterious quality in their work that both balances and contrasts with one another, contributing to an interesting international dialogue. Cincinnati photographers are: Jymi Bolden, Anita Douthat, Maureen France, Matt Gunderman, Diana Duncan Holmes, Tom Schiff and Jane Alden Stevens. Munich artists are: Barbara Holzherr, Verena Kraft, Beate Passow and Michael Wesely.

Ault Park Flower Show
In April, 1999, for the sixth year in a row, the Munich Park Board participated in the annual Ault Park Flower Show. This participation is a result of our Cincinnati Sister City Association with Munich.
Five Munich Germany Officials participated in the 1999 Ault park Flower Show. Leading the group was Mr. Horst Haffner, Munich City Council Member. He represented Lord Mayor Christian Ude. Mr. Haffner is responsible for the Munich Park Board as well as 55 other departments in the city of Munich. He was elected for his third term of office last year. Mr. Haffner participated in the Ault Park opening ceremonies.
One of the purposes of Mr. Haffner’s trip was to finalize the plans for the participation of the City of Munich in The International Friendship Park which is to be located east of the Boathouse on the riverfront. Munich is willing to invest up to $100,000. He met with Mayor Qualls; Jack Wilson, Park Board Director as well as Architects & City Planners.
Four members of the Munich Park Board participated in the Flower Show:
Mr. Helmut Ammer, Director of the Munich Park Board, attended. Manning the German Flower Show Booth were Uli Rauh, Park Board City Planner and Landscape Architect; Mrs. Elke Kammerer, Park Board Supervisor and Mrs. Simon, also from the Park Board.
The Munich Park Board flower display was part of the Market Place Pavilion Tent. The theme for the Environment of this tent was “Educational Entertainment.” Diverse themes were represented such as a small brew pub and a street of shops offering cut flowers. As part of this street atmosphere, the German Park Board participants presented “A German Flower Market,” which was a type of German flower shop with diverse inventories of fresh flowers, potted plants and accessories presented in a beautifully decorated market atmosphere. Finished and partially finished merchandise and flower supplies were provided in buckets with name tags both in German and English. The feeling was a total “shopping” atmosphere. The Munich Park Board participants were available for consultation concerning the floristic arrangement of bouquets and accessories. Most of the flowers and accessories available in the Munich booth were imported directly from Munich, Germany.
1998 Show
At the 1998 show, Mrs. Elke Kammer participated in the “Professional Florist” competition. Mrs. Kammer has worked for the Munich Park Board since 1960. She now serves as a supervisor. During her illustrious career in Munich, she has been responsible for the flower arrangements at state affairs including visits from dignitaries such as Queen Elizabeth, the Shah of Persia, the King of Belgium, Olaf of Norway, King Hussein of Jordan, the King of Sweden, the King of Spain, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.
Mr. Helmut Ammer, Director of the Munich Park Board, was also in Cincinnati during the show. He was in Cincinnati to meet with Jack Wilson, Director of the Cincinnati Park Board, to finalize plans for Munich’s participation in the future “Friendship Park” slated for the Riverfront.
In addition to the Ault Park participation, the three from Munich also gave special presentations at the Krohn Conservatory. Ms. Kling and Mrs. Kammer talked about table decorations and bouquets. Their arrangements were available for sale to the public. Mr. Ammer talked about the Munich Park system and the ecological importance of these parks to Munich and the surrounding area.
In 1996 the Munich participants set up a “Munich Garden” consisting of blossoming bushes, trees flower beds with flowers in blue and white (Munich colors), hedges, wildflowers, a wooden deck with stone walkway and a fountain with a running stream.

Bavarian Band Entertains In Cincinnati
In September 1997, a German band made an annual appearance at Cincinnati's Oktoberfest. While in Cincinnati, the band also played at parks, churches, night clubs and in various parades. The band named "Bayersoien an See", came from a small town in Bavaria, just south of Munich.