Almost five years ago, a group of activists from Steinbach in Thuringia found a “twin village” in the Steyr Valley. While browsing for promising alternatives for village renewal, they came across the so-called Steinbacher Weg on the Internet.
Curious, the Germans studied the entry in detail and were more than amazed: almost everything they read about village development also applied to their community. The highlight of the surprises was the addition of the place name “Messerer-Steinbach”, because Steinbach in the Wartburg district was also a center of the venerable knife craft for centuries.
From this point at the latest it was clear: these two villages want and have to work together and learn from each other. After getting to know each other and first visits in the past few years, a high-ranking delegation from Thuringia came to the Steyr Valley again in May. The reason: Steinbach received the silver European Village Renewal Award in Hinterstoder. (The OÖN reported.)
Well, a few days ago, the Steyrtaler were guests in Thuringia again to discuss the details of the cooperation and to fill the cooperation with life. In addition to a workshop on the history of both places and a strategy discussion, the almost authentically preserved town center, a newly founded special beer brewery and the cultural center “Zum Grünen Baum” were presented to the people of Steyrtal.
The highlight of the Steinbacher meeting was recently the “First Steinbacher Regional Market” with direct marketers from both locations. The numerous guests were introduced to and spoiled with specialties from the Thuringian Forest and the Steyr Valley. A tour of the village with a special stop at the church with the cemetery that rises steeply on the slope side was impressively reminiscent of the amazing similarity with the view of the picturesque Steinbach in the Steyr Valley. (loc)
Source: Nachrichten
