The Slovenia Times

Tržič and Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines celebrate 50 years of twinning

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The two towns that are 800 kilometres apart were joined by the events in the Second World War, as both served as outposts of Nazi concentration camps.

The 50-year-old twinning between the north-western Slovenian town and the French town in the Vosges Mountains is the third oldest friendship between a Slovenian town and a foreign town.

"Many things have happened in half a century and as true friends, we have remained unselfish and supported each other," Tržič Mayor Borut Sajovic told the press on Thursday as he presented the events marking the anniversary.

Tržič is the place where the Nazi occupiers set up an outpost of the Mauthausen concentration camp, while Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines had an outpost of the Natzweiller-Strutthof camp.

Many Slovenians were held in France and the French were the most numerous nation in the Slovenian camp, while prisoners of both camps were forced to work on tunnel construction.

Tržič and Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines also share history in some other fields; both had a very developed textile industry and heavily relied on mining.

The friendship between the two towns started even before the twinning was declared in 1966 as former French internees used to visit the camp site under the Vršič mountain pass in the Julian Alps.

The celebration of the anniversary will culminate between 9 and 12 June, when a 110-strong French delegation visits Slovenia.

The delegation will attend the central memorial ceremony at the camp site together with top Slovenian officials.

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