| By: Dixon Telegraph Newspaper staff writers 7/30/96
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| The Burgermeister (mayor) of Herzberg (pronounced Hatsburg), Germany says he's interested in pursing a Sister Cities relationship with Dixon.
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| Michael Oecknigk, the mayor of Herzberg told the German newspaper Rundschau, "We are very interested. We already have good experiences with Buindigen and Soest (two German Sister Cities relationships). This partnership would be very useful for citizens and organizations."
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| Dani Boemer, a 17-year-old German girl from Ahlsdorf; Germany, just outside Herzberg, gave Oecknigk a letter on July 18 from Dixon Mayor Donald Sheets expressing an interest in "establishing a dialogue to promote educational, cultural and friendly cooperation."
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| Dani reported in a memo to Don Snodgrass of the Dixon Sister Cities Committee, "He's very excited about the establishment of the partnership. The only thing that's needed is approval of the city council. They will meet next week (last week) and I hope they will decide then," Dani wrote. She also reported that Oecknigk is going to contact the principal of the town's high school about the school's computer program and discuss possible use of the Internet to foster Sister Cities relations.
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| While in Dixon in June, Dani visited the Charles Nusbaum farm. During their conversati6n, Nusbaum expressed an inter-est in German agriculture. Dani said Oecknigk promised to speak to some German representatives of the agricultural business in the Herzberg area to contact Nusbaum.
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| The Dixon-Herzberg Sister Cities suggestion has received publicity in the newspaper Rundschau. The article related that Dixon was looking for another Sister City when Snodgrass found a town portrait of Herzberg on the Internet.
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| Snodgrass also established contact with Stefan Heth, a citizen of Herzberg. He first contacted the Burgermeister about Dixon. Then Jurgen Boerner, a former East German pilot turned manufacturer, pursued the idea and contacted his daughter Dani, who was attending high school in Kansas. After several telephone calls to Snodgrass, Dani came to Dixon in late June to inform Dixonites about Herzberg.
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| In the newspaper article, Herzberg residents learned Dani had visited Mayor Donald Sheets and other local politicians and took part in a Dixon City Council meeting.
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| Mayor Sheets said Friday he is awaiting confirmation from Oecknigk that the Herzberg council has expressed an interest in establishing relations with Dixon.
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