The link with Regensburg has lasted decades

It was a friendship sealed with beer and sausage – and one which endures to this day.

In 1955, Aberdeen’ s deputy director of education and the headmaster of Robert Gordon’s College travelled to Bavaria for what was described as a “goodwill mission”.

Their aim was to spend 14 days talking with top teachers and lecturers in the Bavarian city of Regensburg in the hope of securing an educational exchange programme.

It went off without a hitch – and an official twinning agreement linking the two cities was signed.

In the years that followed, the relationship between the two places continued to grow, with multiple visits from civic leaders on both sides.

Aberdeen’s Lord and Lady Provost flew over with gifts from the north- east, while they were treated to expertly-catered luncheons and even a visit to a historical sausage factory.

Proud of their efforts to expand the north- east’s reputation overseas, civic leaders came up with an idea to celebrate this in the late 1960s.

Soon after, the annual Aberdeen Regensberg Week was founded– offering citizens the opportunities to hear German music and attend film screenings.

At the same time, young performers from the northeast headed overseas to share Scottish culture with a new audience.

Over the years, the festival grew more elaborate with the introduction of a “beer garden type of event” in Duthie Park.

Open ever y night, it served traditional beverages and offered live music from classical groups and The Edelweiss Oompah Band for people to waltz to.

This was not without its issues, of course, and lastminute disaster struck in 1 9 74 when The P&J reported that “all was not well”.

A report read :“The waitresses in the Bavarian-style bistro in Duthie Park are clad in trouser suits instead of Bavarian national costumes.”

To the horror of planners, the authentic dresses which had been ordered from London had been lost in transit – leaving waiting staff to don “ordinary clothes”.

Revellers seemed less troubled than this paper by the revelation, however, with the beer tent bringing in around 2,000 people each evening.

Other additions to the line-up included folk and ballet performances, fireworks displays and even a “conducted ramble” at Hill of Fare in Banchory.

Regensburg We e k continued as an event in the city for decades and was one of the staples of Aberdeen’s programme of annual summer events.

The shutters came down on the festival in 1994 when it was merged with a week-long carnival to mark the 200th anniversary of Union Street. It did not return the following year.

Despite this, the city’s links with Regensburg have remained strong.

Scores of students have participated in exchange programmes and keen runners have also been afforded the chance to participate in the Regensburg Marathon.

And in 2018, civic leaders visited Aberdeen to learn more about its Golden Games initiative, with a view to launching a similar version back home.

“The waitresses in the Bavarian-style bistro are clad in trouser suits instead of national costumes