Kozienice
Since 1996 there has been a partnership between the municipality of Göllheim and the Polish town of Kozienice (Masovian Voivodeship), which is located about 100 km south of Warsaw.
Partnership meeting:
30 Years of Sister City Partnership Between the Municipality of Göllheim and Kozienice
From June 11 to 15, 2026, the Göllheim Municipal Association sent a 12-member delegation to visit its Polish partner municipality, Kozienice, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the municipal sister-city partnership. The delegation included representatives from the municipal administration, the fire department, the municipal council, and two teachers from the Gutenberg School in Göllheim.
The highlight of the five-day visit was the ceremony at the Kozienice Culture and Event Center. The three-decade-long partnership between the two municipalities was honored in a festive setting. Key highlights of the program included the planting of an oak tree as a symbol of the partnership’s steady growth, as well as the signing of a declaration on continued cooperation by Mayors Mariusz Prawda (Kozienice) and Steffen Antweiler (Göllheim Municipal Association).
Delegations from other partner municipalities of Kozienice—from Italy and Ukraine—also took part in the celebrations. After the national anthems of the represented countries and the European anthem, the keynote speakers paid tribute to the initiators of the town twinning: Hans Appel, the former mayor of the municipality of Göllheim, as well as the former mayors of Kozienice, Henryk Madejski and Tomasz Śmietanka. The latter had played a key role in shaping the partnership over many years and had passed away just a few days earlier at the age of 57. Mayor Steffen Antweiler and First Deputy Mayor Dieter Hartmüller had represented the municipality of Göllheim at the memorial service. At the same time, thanks were extended to everyone who had been committed to the successful development of international cooperation over the past 30 years.
A special highlight was the screening of an anniversary film by the local television station “Kronika Kozienicka,” which impressively documented the history of the town twinning. The first town-twinning agreement between Göllheim and Kozienice was signed on April 26, 1996, in Weitersweiler. The event was accompanied by a spectacular concert performed by the Kozienice Music School.
During their stay, the German delegation also visited the local fire department, two schools, and a cultural event. These visits provided numerous opportunities for professional exchange and for strengthening the long-standing friendly relations between the two municipalities.
The anniversary celebration made it clear that the sister city partnership between the municipality of Göllheim and Kozienice is still going strong even after 30 years and continues to serve as an important bridge between the people of both countries.
Both partner municipalities declared their intention to continue their friendly relations. To reaffirm this commitment, Mayor Mariusz Prawda and Mayor Steffen Antweiler signed an official document.
All participants are already looking forward to the Polish delegation’s return visit next year here in the Göllheim municipal association.