living history
Mine disaster monument at St. Patrick’s cemetery.
The first time Lethbridge adopted a sister city or
twin city was during the Second World War. In 1943 the
National Council of Canadian-Soviet Friendship called upon
Canadian cities to adopt a Soviet town or city to help them
rebuild following the invasion of their country by Germany.
Lethbridge City Council adopted Timoshevskaya, a city of
about 16,000 people (of a similar size to Lethbridge at
that time) in southern Ukraine. Timoshevskaya had been
occupied by the Germans for six months. Over 100 citizens
were killed by the Germans and much of their property and
‘The first time Lethbridge
adopted a city sister or
twin city was during the
Second World War.’
food was plundered. Lethbridge was able to raise $5,000 for
the community during the war. For decades after the war,
during the Cold War period, relations between Lethbridge
and Timoshevskaya were abandoned. In the 1980s, when
writing Lethbridge: A Centennial History, historian,
Alex Johnston, came across the information above and
reminded people of that old relationship. Around the same
time, an article in a newspaper in Timashevsk (as it was
called by this time), started the discussion in Russia about
the Canadian connection. In 1985 the two cities reopened
communication that continues to this day.
These are but a few examples of when Lethbridge and
its residents have shown their generous nature when
difficult times have come to another community. These
examples should stand as reminders of the past, of what
we have done, and inspire what we can and should do for
each other in the future.
LETHBRIDGELIVING.COM
NOV-DEC 2017
39