Die Auslandsbeziehungen der deutschen Kommunen im Rahmen der europäischen Kommunalbewegung in den 1950er und 60er Jahren : Städtepartnerschaften - Integration - Ost-West-Konflikt

After World War II municipalities became transnational actors in international politics for the first
time. By European Integration from above and the widening of local autonomy from below, many
local politicians aimed to reduce the power of nation-states.
In contrast the national governments were – in the first place – interested to create sufficient public
support for the necessary steps toward integration on the European level. Therefore they fostered the
local initiatives in the field of “European Education” and blocked the far-reaching demands for local
autonomy and European Integration.
In 1950s and 60s the transnational relations of municipalities were co-ordinated, regularised, and – in
the case of East-West-relations – instrumentalised by the European governments. Nonetheless
twinnings and the European Conference of Local Authorities were important municipal contributions
to European Integration.