ExclusiveNearly destroyed during World War II, Coventry and Dresden now celebrate peace

On November 14, 1940, Coventry, England was severely damaged by bombs from a German air raid. On February 13, 1945, Dresden, Germany was attacked by a firestorm. Both cities were mid-sized urban areas with no particular significance to military strategy, so historians continue to wonder as to why these cities were chosen for such destruction. Thousands died in both cities as entire neighborhoods disappeared, including historic churches. Coventry’s St. Michael’s Cathedral was left in ruins, and Dresden’s Frauenkirche was reduced to rubble.
In the subsequent decades, the two churches have been rebuilt, yet the ruins, rubble, and charred remnants of the original structures have not been removed. Instead, they have been enshrined as precious reminders of the power of forgiveness. Although enemies during the war, Coventry and Dresden have been bound together as sister cities in reconciliation, representing the power of hope and healing.