On the evening of Wednesday 2 September, Operation Marriage celebrated eight decades of cooperation between the United Kingdom and North Rhine-Westphalia. Hosted by the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Germany, Andrew Mitchell CMG, and the Consul General, Roseanna Watson, the reception at Düsseldorf Racecourse brought together representatives from politics, public administration, education, business and civil society.
Tying the knot
Düsseldorf’s Lord Mayor, Dr Stephan Keller, welcomed guests to the city and gave a concise overview of how Germany’s largest state came to be constituted under British oversight on the heels of the Allied victory following WWII. Praising the continued partnership, he artfully wove good humour into his speech, which was well received by the guests. Not to be outdone, Nathanael Liminski, Minister for Federal and European Affairs, International Affairs and the Media, and Head of the State Chancellery (Landtag NRW), reflected on the relationship with an aptly nuptial-themed analogy. “Considering that Germany was emerging from a devastating war, initially this was doubtlessly an arranged marriage, a marriage of convenience, if you will,” he quipped, quickly adding, “But we figured out a way to make it work, and here we are, 80 years later, basking in wedded bliss.”
Ambassador Andrew Mitchell kept the comedic momentum going, intimating that the British dedication to Operation Marriage cannot be overstated. Why – even the Consul General herself is set to wed a Rhinelander in the coming months, he informed the attendees, who erupted in side-splitting, thigh-slapping, “stop-it-you’re-killing-me” laughter.
Over two hundred distinguished guests clad in their glad rags — running the gamut from three-piece suits, army uniforms, the odd Scottish kilt and no-nonsense dresses — mingled over tasty hors d’oeuvres, Welsh cheese and various morsels of Continental cuisine.
Amongst them was Federico Patini, Head of the Welsh Government in Germany. “The evening has certainly been worth the trip from Berlin,” he cheerfully opined. “Whilst our work promoting trade and investment is nationwide, the partnership the UK enjoys with NRW is particularly close,” he added.
For richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health
Ambassador Andrew Mitchell indicated that he is delighted that despite weathering many a storm, Operation Marriage is still going strong. A much belated seven-year itch in the form of Brexit had threatened to derail the partnership, which supports all manner of societal engagement covering politics, business, education, tourism and cultural ties, but a new treaty which came into force in 2025, now forms a basis for renewed cooperation, Mitchell assured all present. Recalling the early 90s when he first cut his teeth in the world of diplomacy whilst stationed in Bonn, he spoke of the milestone departure of the British troops after German Reunification and how so much has changed in Germany and across Europe in the intervening years.
To have and to hold, for better, for worse
There in the celebration venue, the storied history of Operation Marriage was artfully related in an exhibition compiled by Historian Dr Bettina Blum of the University of Münster, author of the tome British Forces in Germany: A Transnational History of Soldiers, Families, and German Communities, 1945–2019. In the post-war years, around 55, 000 British troops were stationed in North Rhine-Westphalia. It was doubtlessly a trying time for a population who had endured the ravages of war and the destruction of much infrastructure, not to mention the loss of many lives. It wasn’t so much a case of reconstituting what had been before, but creating something new from the ashes of devastation.
Guests Rosie Thorpe and Ilya Parenteau, the joint directors of English Theatre Duesseldorf both marvelled at the exhibition. “The story of Germany’s recovery after the Second World War has been told in myriad ways,” Thorpe mused, “What Blum has highlighted here shines an informative spotlight on NRW”. Parenteau added, “This celebratory event is indeed a delight, for we can see how the partnership has benefited people across many sectors.”
To love and to cherish
Maria Acastenco, Head of Sector for National Security and Defence at Invest Manchester, had flown in that very morning to represent the business and regional dimension of the bilateral relationship. Her attendance reflected the many links that now connect British cities, German regions and North Rhine-Westphalia’s economy.
Joyce Fuhrmann, Charity Card Coordinator of the British Women’s Club, was also among the guests, for Operation Marriage has spawned much civic engagement.
As the Project Manager for English Learning Support at the FernUniversität in Hagen, I was thrilled to represent our university at the high society event; yet, I was hardly the only one with a link to German’s largest university. I was pleased to make the acquaintance of Madeleine Alix, from North Rhine-Westphalia’s Ministry of the Environment, Nature and Transport, and Engineer Johannes Augustin, the Head of Inward Investment at Scottish Development International — both of whom balance their high-powered careers with ongoing studies in History (KSW) and Economics (WiWi), respectively.
Happily ever after
As the formalities wound down, we were each treated to a slice of the gigantic 80th birthday cake that had been tantalising us all evening from its place of honour up front, and then a jazz band took to the stage, delighting us with their trumpet and drum-drenched renditions of wedding-themed hits such as L.O.V.E. and What a Wonderful World before ending their set with God Save the King.
Operation Marriage. What began with occupation and mistrust has morphed into a broad partnership sustained by political, institutional and personal ties. And whilst no one dared say who, in this marriage, is the better half, it was overall a marvellous occasion for taking stock. After eight decades — and despite the occasional marital spats — the British-North Rhine-Westphalian relationship appears to have found the secret to longevity: shared interests, a willingness to work things out and remembering your anniversary
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