Sister Cities panel honors Seeboth

BY SARA SYVERSON

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Hats went off to Richard "Dick" Seeboth from the New Ulm Sister Cities Commission at the group's organizational meeting Monday at Turner Hall.

Seeboth received a special award for his outstanding contribution and distinguished service to the activities of the Sister Cities Commission.

"He has carried the torch," said Jim Bartels of the Sister Cities Commission, "I look at it as Dick helped to nurture the program and he drove it when it needed to be driven. He is into New Ulm and he is into the New Ulm spirit of 'gemülichkeit.' ... Dick, you are very deserving of this."

Previous recipients of this award include Dr. Ted Fritsche and Denis Warta. This is the third year this honor has been presented.

Seeboth was chosen for the award by a committee operating within the Sister Cities Commission.

In the late 1970s, Seeboth and his wife Sharon became active in helping to host German visitors during Heritagefest. In 1984 he was appointed to the Sister Cities Commission by former Mayor Carl "Red" Wyczawski.

Seeboth, who now acts as an ex-officio, served as Chairman of the Sister Cities Commission from 1986-1996. For a few of those years he served as co-chair with Jim Bartels.

During his tenure on the commission, Seeboth helped set up the Hans Joohs Cultural Exchange Program in 1988. This program recruits candidates from the New Ulm area to work up to 12 weeks in the German sister cities of Ulm and Neu Ulm in a "career and cultural" exchange.

"It's been as diverse as the people who have gone over there," said Seeboth, "It's a short-term exchange. It's a practical training exchange."

The interest and work for the Sister Cities Commission began in New Ulm in the 1950s. By the 1960s New Ulm had an active Sister Cities Commission. The idea of the Sister Cities International was started with federal money given to groups by former U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower in an effort to create world peace among sister cities, according to Seeboth. New Ulm established a chapter of the Sister Cities International.

"We've got a lot of people who are interested in pursuing the ultimate, altruistic goal of world peace, in a very hands-on fashion," said Seeboth, "I'd like to encourage people to participate in the Sister Cities Commission and contact Mayor Arnold Koelpin. It's open to everybody."

Seeboth extended his gratitude to his wife for her support while he served on the Sister Cities Commission.

"I have to say that without Sharon's assistance not everything could have gotten done in a timely fashion," said Seeboth.