History of the Chicago-Hamburg Sister City Initiative

By jwm165
  • Sister Cities Signing Agreement

    Mayor Henning Voscherau of Hamburg signs the official sister city agreement alongside Mayor Richard M. Daley, the beginning of the official relationship.
  • Hamburg Anniversary Celebrates Chicago

    Hamburg celebrates its 806th anniversary. The festival attracts more than one million people. The theme of the festival is "Chicago" to honor its newest Sister City. Chicago sends gospel groups, children's choirs, and blues groups to celebrate the anniversary.
  • First International Cruise Ship in Chicago in 40 Years

    Chicago welcomes its first international passenger cruise ship in 40 years. The MS Columbus traveled from Hamburg and docked at Navy Pier for two days. More than 650 German visitors took part in the cruise.
  • Mayor Daley visits Hamburg

    For the first time since becoming a Sister City, Mayor Richard M. Daley visits Hamburg. The visit included several business, community, tourism and education leaders discussing how to strengthen their ties. The two cities also take part in a second signing ceremony, reaffirming their Sister City relationship.
  • Sister Cities' Committees Meet

    For the first official time, the Hamburg and Chicago Sister Cities committees meet to discuss the long-term goals of the Sister City program.
  • Chicago-Hamburg Sister City Committee sponsors Christkindlmarket

    The Chicago-Hamburg Sister City committee sponsors Christkindlmarket. The event is a large open-air Christmas fair. The fair features German and European vendors selling their seasonal products, activities for children, and traditional Chrismas activities, such as caroling. The Chicago Youth Council decorated a tree that was sponsored by the City of Hamburg, representing the relationship between the two cities.
  • Sister City Committee Hosts German Secretary of Defense

    The Chicago-Hamburg Sister City committee co-hosts a dinner with the German Consulate for the German Secretary of Defense.
  • Hamburg-Chicago Electronic Newsletter Begins

    The Chicago-Hamburg Sister Committee chairs meet with the editors of the Hamburg-Chicago electronic newsletter. The newsletter is promoted by the City of Hamburg to inform citizens about the relationship between the two cities.
  • Sister City Committee Vice Chair attends German Unity Day Celebration

    The Chicago-Hamburg Sister City committee Vice Chair Johann Cristoph Lichtenfeld is invited by the German President and the Mayor of Hamburg to attend the German Unity Day celebration in Hamburg. German Unity Day marks the celebration of the re-uniifcation of West and East Germany after the Cold War.
  • Chicago and Hamburg agree to environmental cooperation

    Senator Ania Haiduk, the State Minister for Urban Development and Environment of Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, and Suzanne Malec-McKenna, the City of Chicago's Commissionr of the Department of Environment, signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the two cities aimed for cooperation in the areas of environmental protection and "green building." The two cities pledge to work together to create more environmentally friendly cities.
  • German State Secretary attends RJD Global Cities Forum

    The German State Secretary Carseten-Ludwig Lúdemann, Commissioner to the Federation, the European Union and for Foreign Affairs attends the Richard J. Daley Global Cities Forum. The Forum focuses on international leaders coming together to discuss ideas on how to improve the cities of the world.
  • Former Mayor of Hamburg visits Chicago

    Hans Ulrich Close, Chairman of German-American Parliamentary Group, Vice-Chariman of Foreign Affairs and former mayor of Hamburg, visits Chicago to meet with the head of the Mayor's Office of International Relations, the Chicago Sister City International Program executive director, and the Deputy Commissionr of Deparment of Environment to discuss the relationship between the two cities.