The Three-Horned Bull

Freiburg has twelve sister cities. So from time to time, a special birthday commemorating the beginning of a partnership is celebrated.

Red Baron got an invitation to assist at the ceremony for the 60th anniversary of Freiburg's oldest partnership, the jumelage between Besançon and Freiburg.

Although the event was scheduled at the historic council chamber of the Rathaus, it eventually took place at the newly redecorated and present venue of the city councilors.

The place was new for Red Baron, so while waiting for the ceremony to begin, I admired the decoration of the chamber, e.g., on the left a Duke of Freiburg, a replica of a sculpture on the front face of the Minster church. The duke is identified by his sword as a judge. Strange, executive and judiciary powers are looking down on Freiburg's legislature?

The other replica on the top right, a water spout, is likewise taken from Freiburg's Minster. What kind of liquid is that sleepy guy pouring onto the legislators?

Sitting in front from left to right, Freiburg's mayor for environment, education, and schooling, watching the musicians and listening to the music Gerda Stuchlik (Green Party), first mayor for culture, libraries, and social affairs Ulrich von Kirchbach (Social Democrat), Freiburg's Lord Mayor Martin Horn (independent), Besançon's Maire Jean-Louis Fousseret, the interpreter, Freiburg's mayor for urban development, construction, and traffic Prof. Dr. Martin Haag (independent).

Following the musical introduction - the clarinet players are on the left - Mayor Horn spoke for ten minutes, while Monsieur le Maire's speech was much longer and furthermore translated into German bit by bit. As you would expect, the tenor of the two statements was the steadfast friendship between France and Germany and its historical review starting with Chancellor Adenauer and President Charles de Gaulle.

At the end and on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the partnership, Besançon's Maire offered Freiburg a copy of a sculpture of a three-horned bull called the taureau du Avrigney.

In 1756 this sculpture of Roman origin was found in a field near Avriney located in the Departement of Haute-Saône. The one-legged bull was buried amidst the ruins and remains of foundations, together with tiles and some Roman coins, the presumed location of a sanctuary. The City of Besançon acquired le taureau on February 11, 1873, for its fine arts museum.

A close-up of the three-horned, one-legged bull

@Chatsam/Wikipedia

In the 1980s, the mayor of Besançon offered a mold of this bull to the town of Avrigney-Virey, symbolizing the return of the taureau to the village of its origins. Meanwhile, the municipality has chosen the bull as its coat of arms. A broad hint for Freiburg?

On October 3, Martin Horn and a Freiburg delegation are scheduled for a return visit at Besançon.

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