Reading's shared history is focus of 275th anniversary ceremony at City Hall

Mar. 17—The distance between them did nothing to weaken the bonds of a shared history.

State and county elected officials and visiting officials from Reading's sister city of Reutlingen, Germany, and mother city of Reading, England, joined the city's 275th anniversary committee and Mayor Eddie Moran in observing the momentous occasion Thursday — the city's official anniversary date — with a live-streamed ceremony at City Hall.

Mayor Rachel Eden of Reading in Berkshire, whose young children kept her at home, joined the ceremony virtually.

"I've been reflecting on the long-standing relationship that we have with you," Eden said. "And of course, Reading, U.K., is within Berkshire and you're within Berks County."

William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, lived in Reading, England, she noted, and when his sons, Thomas and Richard Penn, laid out the city on the Schuylkill River in 1748, they named it after their father's county seat.

"So it's a really special thing to have such a long friendship with you," she said, "and based not just on a shared name, but, actually, a shared history."

Eden said the two Readings have much in common. Both the borough in the United Kingdom and the city in Pennsylvania have rivers running through them and have industrial ties to iron making and brewing.

There are differences, she said, noting what those in Berkshire call football is soccer to those in Berks County.

"But the underlying values of doing similar things to support our wonderful communities, such as focusing on sustainability, is vital for both our shared futures," she said.

Councilor and Mayor-elect Tony Page and Alderman Tony Jones of Reading accepted the gift of a recently flown city flag from Moran.

Moran also presented a flag and an artist-made glass key to the city to the delegation from Reutlingen.

The German city and Reading partnered as sister cities under former Mayor Tom McMahon's administration.

The program promotes peace and encourages cultural exchange between cities with relationships.

Lord Mayor Thomas Keck of Reutlingen spoke of the shared history that binds the two cities.

"Our two cities were brought together by our common historical links to Friedrich List," he said.

List, for whom List Road in Lower Alsace Township is named, was born in Reutlingen.

An economist, political theorist, railroad pioneer and journalist, List lived in Reading from 1825 to 1830.

During that time, he served as editor of the German-language weekly newspaper Der Readinger Adler, which means "eagle," Keck said. That newspaper in 1868 spawned the English-language daily, Reading Eagle.

Reutlingen, too, lies on a riverbank, that of the Echaz River.

Keck presented Moran and the city with a reproduction of a painting of Reutlingen as it looked in 1820.

The painting, he said, is considered a particularly beautiful representation of the city and its river.

Reutlingen Councilors Wolfgang Goebel and Njeri Kinyanjui, along with Ulrich Track, sister city department head, joined Keck at the podium.

Kinyanjui, who was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and grew up in Africa, was introduced as the first non-native-born councilor of the German city.

The U.K. delegates, who arrived Sunday, and those from Germany, who arrived Tuesday, spent much of the week touring Reading's colleges and university, area businesses and cultural resources.

Before the ceremony Thursday, they joined state, county and city officials and members of the community at large for a celebratory breakfast, hosted by the local chapter of the World Affairs Council at the DoubleTree hotel by Hilton, 701 Penn St.

Following the breakfast, the local and foreign dignitaries reassembled in Council Chambers.

Formalities began with the playing of the national anthem by Reading High School's String Ensemble.

The high school musicians also honored the visiting guests by playing the English and German national anthems.

Proclamations and remarks were offered by the mayor and City Council President Donna Reed, state Sen. Judy Schwank, state Reps. Manny Guzman and Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz, and the county commissioners.

The event ended with the cutting of a specially made cake, featuring a moving miniature train.

Additional celebrations took place later in the day at schools, churches and community centers throughout the city.

"This is everyone's birthday party," Reed said. "This is everyone's birthday in the city of Reading."