Neustadt meeting 2024 in Cristian-Neustadt: Dream weather and dream hosts!

© Christian CHELU

Dream weather and dream hosts!

The 46th Neustadt meeting took place at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains, in Cristian-Neustadt, Romania.

From 8 to 11 August 2024, around 188 participants from sixteen Neustadt towns accepted the invitation from the newest member of the Neustadt in Europe working group and made the long journey to ‘Neustadt in Burzenland’. This year's host had not been deterred - despite short preparations - from organising the Neustadt festival and combining the Cristian-Neustadt community festival and the meeting of German-speaking Saxons in Romania.

The people of Neustadt thus experienced three festivals with a varied cultural programme in one weekend and great hospitality.

On the large stage by the Weidenbach, against the backdrop of the mighty fortified church, not only were the guests of Neustadt's friends welcomed by Mayor Gicu Cojocaru, but dances, live music and traditional costumes were also presented. The highlight of the evening was the ceremonial unveiling of all the Neustadt coats of arms on the white wall of the fortified church: a permanent sign of the solidarity between the Neustadts and their lively partnership.

A culinary reception was held in the nearby marquee next to the culture hall on Thursday evening, before Friday was dedicated to visiting an extensive bear farm and Bran Castle, the Dracula castle. This year, the classic mayors' meeting took place in the afternoon, before heading out into the countryside close to the municipality to water 37 oak trees that had been planted for each new town in the community: a symbol of solidarity and the growing together of the partnership. An idea that was launched last year by Neustadt an der Donau, with a wide variety of tree species from each Neustadt. The mayor's invitation to a gala dinner with local specialities and first-class Romanian wines was the culinary highlight of the visit.

The ecumenical festive service on Saturday morning was musically framed by the excellently attuned church choir from Honigberg, accompanied by the festive church organ - a unique musical experience in a historical setting.

Shortly before the departure of most of Neustadt's guests from neighbouring Western European countries, many of the guests visited the impressive Honigberg fortified church, one of the largest in Transylvania: in the late Middle Ages, at the transition to modern times, the well-preserved curtain wall and seven fortified towers provided a refuge for a maximum of 850 people, who could not be harmed even by months of siege by hostile armies such as the Tartars or Turks. Impressed by the beauty of the region (close to Rosenau and Kronstadt) and the towns, the Neustadt participants travelled home full of positive impressions.

The next Neustadt reunion will be celebrated in Neustadt-Glewe from 12 to 14 September 2025.

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Current news and information on the Neustadt cities

© Christian CHELU

This year's 46th Neustadt reunion took place in Cristian-Neustadt, Romania. From 8 to 11 August 2024, around 150 participants from eight Neustadt towns accepted the invitation and made the long journey to ‘Neustadt in Burzenland’.

© Stadt Neustadt an der Donau/Pieknik

Whether in the Neustadt-Mile, dancing to live music coming from various stages or at the sales booths of the local associations: Guests and local Neustadt residents celebrated the city´s great anniversary together.

Unfortunately, there will be no Neustadt meeting this year either. The Corona crisis is forcing those responsible from Neustadt Harz to decide to cancel the festival without replacement.

© Tourismus Agentur Luebecker Bucht

Due to the Corona pandemic, the Neustadt meeting from 25 to 27 June in Neustadt in Holstein had to be cancelled. Nevertheless, those responsible did not want to let the date pass by without a word and have come up with a nice alternative and together have packed North German greeting packages and made an atmospheric video.

© Hafen Heimat Neustadt in Holstein

Since 1979, Europe-wide Neustadts have been cultivating a fine tradition: the Neustadt meeting, which brings together around 1000 Neustadters every year. To enable an exchange throughout the year, Neustadt in Holstein has come up with something: the Neustadt pen pal.

© Christian CHELU

Newest member of the town twinning is the city “Cristian-Neustadt in Burzenland”. The now southernmost town of the joint venture is located in Transylvania in Romania.

Unfortunately, the planned Neustadt meeting 2020 in Neustadt an der Aisch from July 3 to 5 had to be canceled due to the corona pandemic.

© Gunther Gräfe

An article about the declared goal of the government to create “equality in living conditions” between the former eastern and western German states was published on March 9 in the Welt newspaper.

© Bad Neustadt

From 28 to 30 June 2019 the big family of Neustadt cities met for the third time, after 1979 and 1999, in Bad Neustadt an der Saale and celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Neustadt movement.