South Dakota And Germany: A 30-year Bond Of Culture And History

South Dakota is separated from Central Europe by about 4,000 miles. On the outside, it seems the two have little to nothing in common, but longstanding partnerships known as “sister cities” have forged a deep bond between the Mount Rushmore State and the country of Germany.

It makes sense as approximately 34% of South Dakotans identify with German heritage. But these connections go far beyond just family trees.

From the Black Hills to the banks of the Big Sioux River, here are the four South Dakota communities that have found their ‘twins’ across the Atlantic Ocean.

Sioux Falls, South Dakota – Sister City: Potsdam, Germany

Sioux Falls and Potsdam have been ‘Sister Cities’ since 1990. That year stands out as it was just one year prior when the Berlin Wall fell, uniting East and West Germany after nearly 45 years of being apart. Potsdam is located in the former East Germany and has a similar population to that of Sioux Falls, at around 184,000 residents. It’s famous for its Sanssouci Palace and for being the spot of the legendary ‘Potsdam Conference’ of 1945, in which the allied powers of the United States, United Kingdom, and Soviet Union decided on Post-WW2 order.

Other sister cities include Rapid City and Apolda, Germany. This partnership began in 1994 and contrasts the ‘City of Bells’ (Apolda) with the ‘City of Presidents’ (Rapid City). Both towns have a great respect for public art and historic landmarks.

There are also the sister cities of Vermillion and Ratingen. Established in 1969, this is by far the oldest partnership of all the cities on the list. The two have traded students in an exchange program for decades and have also shown their friendship in other ways. In Ratingen, the Vermillionring and the South Dakota Bridge were built to honor the partnership. In Vermillion, Ratingen Square was inaugurated back in 2010.

Finally, much like Sioux Falls and Potsdam, the cities of Brookings and Schwanewede began their partnership back in 1990. The two have one big thing in common, too, as they’re both college towns. It has since become a very active exchange, particularly focusing on student programs and cultural visits that highlight their shared agricultural and university-town identities.

Even more surprising, Potsdam isn’t Sioux Falls only sister city. The other is found in Northern Ireland, and you can read all about it in this article.