CRAILSHEIM, GERMANY SISTER CITY Founded in 1947, the sister-
city relationship between Worthington and Crailsheim, Germany
began as a post WWII relief effort. Crailsheim was chosen because
it was close in size and structure to Worthington. Tons of clothing
and donated items arrived in Crailsheim which was 70% bombed.
Pen-pal relationships began and a student exchange program was
initiated. The exchange students arrive in late July or early August
and stay with four different families throughout the year. The
sister-city relationship was given by President Eisenhower within
the US State Department, which was the first in Germany. Many
official visits and personal friendships have resulted from this
relationship. It is believed to be one of the oldest and most viable
relationships that has survived post WWII. Read more
Host families provide the student with room
and board, and are expected to treat their
student as a member of a family, not as a
guest. U.S. Department of State also
designate certain requirements of all host
families. For example, host parents should
be at least 25 years of age or older, pass a
background check and have a stable and
suitable household. Let us know if you are
interested and we will help you determine if
your family meets our program
requirements!
Becoming an exchange student gives you more
than knowledge about another country and its
language and culture. A year abroad teaches
you about building friendships, taking
responsibility for yourself, respecting
differences and tolerating the beliefs of others.
Not only is it proven that taking part in an
international exchange increases the students'
chances of employability, but it also helps them
gain skills for their future jobs. Employers value
virtues such as adaptability, cultural awareness,
tolerance and so-called “transversal skills”.
We offer a scholarship that covers the cost of
the following expenses.
•
Travel to and from Crailsheim
•
Housing and meals
•
Vouchers
•
Local transit (bus pass, bicycle)
•
Movie theater
•
Restaurants
•
Monthly stipend
•
Educational courses
•
School field trips
Passport and personal items not included.
Symbol of Friendship
The Crailsheim & Worthington Sister City Relationship
A half bridge sculpture in both countries represents a connection of
friendships between each country through the foreign exchange program.
Axel Huss, who was an exchange student to Worthington in 1986-1987
originally commissioned the project in Crailsheim. Germany. In August 2014,
Axel challenged the citizens of Worthington to construct the other half of the
bridge. The value of this friendship is significant as a humanitarian effort in
1946 to help rebuild a war-devastated city. A pen-pal friendship developed
between two eleven-year-old girls in each country which led to a request for
shoes from Finland as the basic needs of many were not being met. The
young girl wrote asking if she had an extra pair of shoes, as she had none,
and that ignited the spark that sent her going door-to-door asking for shoe
donations. Martha's parents then took the idea and ran with it, and
Worthington was matched up with Crailsheim. In 1947 Worthington adopted
Crailsheim, based on similarities in population, agriculture and location.
Grateful of the actions of strangers, Crailsheim initiated an exchange
program of individuals. This exchange started in 1948-49 and continues to
this day and is known as the oldest city-to-city relationship in the United
States. Read more
Student Foreign Exchange Organization - Germany
THINK OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
Sculpture in
Crailsheim, Germany
Sculpture in
Worthington, MN
SIGN UP FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE ADVENTURE!
