The Twin City Agreement between Netanya and Giessen was signed in 1978 by Avraham Bar-Menachem, Mayor of Netanya, and Hans Gönnert, Mayor of Giessen. The agreement was first signed in Giessen on 26 June 1978 and was formally ratified in Netanya on 19 September 1978. It is considered one of the first Twin City partnerships established between an Israeli and a German city after World War II.
Giessen is a university city in the German state of Hesse, located approximately 60 km north of Frankfurt. The city has a population of approximately 95,000, including more than 40,000 university students, making it one of Germany’s leading university cities.
Founded in 1152, Giessen developed over the centuries into an important administrative, commercial, and academic center. Today, it is best known for Justus Liebig University Giessen, founded in 1607, one of Germany’s oldest and most prestigious universities. The university attracts students and researchers from around the world and serves as a major driving force behind the city’s development.
Giessen successfully combines its rich historical heritage with innovation in science, medicine, and technology. The city is home to leading research institutions, museums, theatres, and cultural centers, as well as numerous parks and green spaces that contribute to its high quality of life.
Since the signing of the Twin City Agreement, Netanya and Giessen have maintained close and longstanding ties through exchanges of delegations, cooperation in education, culture, and community affairs, and joint projects promoting dialogue, mutual understanding, and reconciliation. The partnership is regarded as an important milestone in the friendship between Israel and Germany.
