The Bury Grammar Schools Cologne Exchange – 60th Anniversary Celebrations
The Bury Grammar Schools Development Office are looking to trace all former pupils who had taken part in their annual Cologne Exchange to invite them to help celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the exchange on Sunday 8th November.
The Cologne Exchange was initiated by Dr Arnold Meier, a German Jew, whose family had had the means and the foresight to leave Germany in the early 1930's. He eventually came to Bury Grammar School to take up the position of Head of Modern Languages and, after the war, he felt the need to do something to try to repair the fractured relationship between his country of birth and the country in which he was now residing.
In a remarkable act of reconciliation he started the exchange with his old school and hoped that, by giving German and English boys the chance to come together, play football and talk, they might forge friendships and come to understand each other, thereby avoiding future conflict. Dr Meier was a wise, benign and modest gentleman and would have been quietly proud that the exchange is still an annual event and a key feature of our language learning programme. It continues to offer a unique opportunity to boys and girls of both countries to spend some time in another culture and improve their language skills, and the value of this cannot be overstated.
Alison Holland said “Bury Grammar School are very proud of what is undoubtedly one of the longest-running such programmes in the country and in celebration we will be hosting a special event here at school giving former pupils the chance to watch the annual BGS V Deutzer Gymnasium football and hockey matches, have lunch with old friends and view photographs and memorabilia from the past 60 years. We are delighted that Dr. Meier’s son, BGS Old Boy Jon Meier, is able to join us together with the very first BGS exchange party from 1955, who will return to Bury from all over the UK and abroad”.
If you would like more information about this special event please contact the School’s Development Office on 0161 764 1733 or email louise@bgsdev.co.uk .
