‘World peace through understanding’

Never a city to let its rich history or roots fade, New Ulm has proudly recognized its sister cities of Ulm and Neu-Ulm dating back to post-World War I. At that time, Burgermeister (Mayor) Nuffer of Neu-Ulm, Germany, knowing of the German settlement in New Ulm, reached out asking for help feeding his starving citizens. New Ulm Mayor Louis A. Fritsche then organized relief efforts to aid Ulm and Neu Ulm by sending food and clothing to its citizens, thus helping establish the sister city relationship.

More than a hundred years later, the cities still have a relationship that New Ulm continues to promote in large part with its Hans Joohs Cultural Exchange Program, which is named after an official from Ulm, Germany, that helped facilitate exchanges between the cities and overcome language barriers.

The New Ulm Sister Cities Commission (NUSCC) sponsors the Hans Joohs Cultural Exchange Program. The annual program sees an exchange of young adults ages 18-35 between Ulm and New Ulm, with the participants staying with a host family for 12 weeks and working for the host employer’s workplace. The cooperating organizations provide housing and a modest stipend in a career setting or settings based on the recipient’s background and interests. This allows the program participant a chance to stay and learn about life in their host community on a firsthand basis.

NUSCC vice chair Richard Seeboth said the program has been relevant in many ways, but it most importantly helps promotes peace.

Photo courtesy of Wade Olsen
Pictured is the city of Ulm, Germany, on the banks of the River Danube.

“World peace through understanding,” he said. “If you look an individual in the eye and come to agreement that so many of the things that you both believe in are common ground, that’s what exchanges of any sort build.”

Peace and understanding was on full display again between the sister cities of New Ulm, Ulm and Neu-Ulm during World War II.

After the aid Mayor Fritsche helped provide post-World War I, he visited Ulm and Neu-Ulm with his family in 1929. He and his family were then honored by being asked to sign the Great Register-Das Goldenes Buch — an honor normally reserved for royalty. Formal contact between the cities after that was sporadic until World War II rekindled the relationship.

“Christmas [Day], 1944, the allies, primarily our bombers, pretty well bombed Ulm and Neu-Ulm flat,” Seeboth said. “Christmas Day, a teenager is walking the streets and inspecting the damage and finds a couple of pages of that golden book floating on the street and the name Fritsche and New Ulm, Minnesota, is quite discernible … A written plea comes again to [New Ulm].

“This time, because war was far from over and getting things beyond the front was difficult, a major fundraising drive took place here in the New Ulm area and many, many, many care packages were purchased and sent to the communities of Ulm and Neu-Ulm.”

From left to right, Holger Tietz, son Tim Tietz, Jon Braegelmann and Uli Tietz pose for a photo in Ulm, Germany. Braegelmann attended Ulm in 2017 as part of the Hans Joohs program.

Since 1952, there have numerous exchanges of official delegations, art, culture, educational programs and tourist excursions between New Ulm and its sister cities. After U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his administration started sister city programs in 1956, New Ulm joined shortly thereafter. New Ulm later won the best program award presented by Sister Cities International for cities under 50,000 in both 1980 and 1988.

The Hans Joohs Cultural Exchange Program has seen much success over the years, with many glowing letters written about it since its inception.

One letter written by Elena Caponetto, who came to New Ulm in 2014 and worked for The Journal as an intern, wrote that participating was one of the best experiences of her life.

“In general, I met so many warm, unique people that welcomed me with open arms and offered me a home,” she wrote. “I couldn’t be more grateful. My most favorite memory is everything that has to do with my boss Bruce Fenske. On a ‘top ten weather day’ he would tell me: ‘Elli, if you want to go out and meet your friends, do that. Work can wait.’ He’d take me on trips, show me around and just try and make my stay in New Ulm as unforgettable as possible. He’ll forever have a place in my heart even if he’s no longer with us.”

Another German intern, Eva-Maria Karremann, described her stay in New Ulm during a “magical fall” in 2012. She worked in the HR department at the New Ulm Medical Center.

Submitted photos
Above: Annika Fischer, the latest German to stay in New Ulm with Jayne Maday-Hulke in 2024, poses with Maday-Hulke for a photo at a Minnesota Vikings game

“But the real magic was the people,” she wrote. “My host families welcomed me like I was one of their own, making each home a cozy base with open doors and endless kindness. They showed me how simple moments — like cheering together at a football game or laughing at Oktoberfest at Schell’s Brewery — can make you feel like family.

“So here’s to New Ulm, the town that tucked itself into my heart. From the laughter to the lifelong friends and all the stories in between, this adventure will always bring me joy. Cheers to this little Midwest gem, and the memories that left a spell on me that I’m pretty sure only New Ulm can cast.”

The program’s most recent German intern in 2024, Annika Fischer, also wrote about her time in New Ulm.

“The whole time in New Ulm is a wonderful memory,” she wrote. “All the people I was able to meet, the great city, my host families, my internship at Park and Rec. It was wonderful!”

Jayne Maday-Hulke, who joined the NUSCC to finish a term that became vacant, ended up hosting Fischer and three other young ladies from Ulm, including Anna Nusser, Annika Hanrieder and Evelyn Zettelmeier.

Anna Koehler, a 2018 Sister Cities exchange intern from Ulm, Germany, waves to Bavarian Blast-goers in New Ulm.

Maday-Hulke’s experience as a host and with the program built relationships she will never forget.

“So many great experiences shared with what I call my German daughters,” Maday-Hulke wrote. “If you are interested in sharing your home, contact the Sister Cities Commission. I want to warn you it is so rewarding, and it is not easy saying see you soon when they leave. There will be tears, but also great memories and friendships.”

Maday-Hulke said Nusser has visited New Ulm several times since first coming to New Ulm in 2017 and has plans to visit again in the fall of 2025.

Nusser also wrote a letter about her time spent in the program, calling the whole exchange “one beautiful memory.”

“But the best memory is definitely the wonderful people I got to know there,” she wrote. “The wonderful hospitality and the great friendship that resulted from it.”

To learn more about this program and obtain an application form, please write New Ulm Sister Cities, 100 North Broadway, New Ulm, Minnesota 56073; contact the City Manager’s Office at (507) 359-8233 or e-mail lisap@newulmmn.gov