Visit to Schotten - October 2003

Ten town twinners from Maybole travelled to Germany two weeks ago to seal the official links with Schotten and to their surprise they were met with a sea of tartan. The German town was celebrating the 1225th anniversary of its creation by Scottish emigrants and the mayor, Hans Otto Zimmermann, and his council had organised a weekend of Scottish entertainment. There were 14 pipe bands, 12 German and 2 from Holland, Scottish country dancers and even a mini Highland Games. The Maybole visitors were astounded at how popular the Scottish culture is in Germany with hundreds of German people in tartan. Everyone had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality of their hosts and their friends. The twinning ceremony was held on Saturday, October 4 and William Grant, chairman of Maybole Town Twinning ceremony signed the official documents with Burgermeister Zimmermann. The first stage of the link with Schotten was the signing in Maybole Town Hall in 2000 and this return trip completed the town's third town twinning with European towns. In 1982, the capital of Carrick linked with the French town of Crosne, near Paris and in 1998 with the Belgian community of Beloeil. Beloeil and Schotten have been linked with Crosne for 40 years and they celebrated this milestone at the same ceremony. ( Ayrshire Post - October 2003) ( Click on the images below to view them full size.) Maybole - Schotten twinning page.

Fourteen pipe bands get together in Schotten town centre to mark the close of the Scottish weekend. The incredible sound of well over a hundred pipers and drummers playing "Highland Cathedral" brought a lump to the throat of several Scots

Twinners from Maybole; Schotten; Crosne; Beloeil; Ozimek in Poland,and Rymarov in the Czech Republic get together for a group photo

William Grant and Hans otto Zimmermann shakes hands on the twinning agreement. The piper is Jan Maschinsky, Principal of the Bagpipe Association of Germany

Maybole and Schotten twinners at the official signing ceremony

Ian Hewitt with official piper Jan Maschinsky

David and Margaret Kiltie with their hosts

David Kiltie, chairman of Maybole Community Council, congratulates pipe band judge Martin Kessler on his choice of winners. Martin is a native of Coburg in Northern Bavaria and was the 2003 gold medallist at Braemar in the Open Pibroch competition. He went to school in Edinburgh and has a very pronounced Scottish accent. Also in the photo is Hans otto Zimmermann, burgermeister of Schotten and Robert Pitz, chairman of the German town's Twinning Association.