Members of the group German-American Firefighters and Friends stand silently over a wooden crate, which they have just opened.

Inside the box, draped with an American flag, is a 1.8-meter (about 6 feet) piece of a steel beam from New York's World Trade Center, destroyed by terrorists on September 11, 2001.

The crate is lined with red velvet and bears a note: "Packed with respect by New Yorkers." The slip of paper is signed by those who prepared the beam for shipment.

The valuable contents look a little rusty, with traces of white concrete clinging to the metal. The surface is surprisingly smooth.

This moment is "very emotional" for the group's chairman, Martin Zimmermann. "It's a good feeling to finally have this original piece here in Germany," he said.

The beam is meant to be the centerpiece of a memorial in Zimmermann's hometown of Oberviechtach, near the Czech border in Bavaria, about 150 kilometers (90 miles) northeast of Munich.

'Camaraderie is international'

Zimmermann was not in New York when the two planes flew into the WTC towers and he knew none of the victims personally, but Oberviechtach has had friendly relations with New York firefighters going back to 2007.

That year, a delegation from Oberviechtach took part in the annual Steuben Parade, the traditional celebration of German immigrants in New York. Zimmermann, a member of his town's fire department, met New York firefighters on that visit.

"We all share this idea of service for others. This camaraderie is international," he said.

He stood there at ground zero with his fellow firefighters. It was a very moving moment for him and he thought about setting up a memorial back home in Bavaria.

The Oberviechtach firefighters learned it was possible, under strict guidelines, to obtain an original piece of the World Trade Center for their memorial. The city government supported the idea, and with help from friends in New York, their application was approved.

Mutual remembrance

Component "H-31a" is the only original part of the World Trade Center allotted to Germany. The steel beam is currently being stored at a US army post in Vilseck, Bavaria.

The German-American Firefighters and Friends chose to initially store the beam there and not in Oberviechtach, as there are some 30,000 US troops stationed in this region of Bavaria, known as the Oberpfalz. The Germans wanted them to be involved in the memorial's preparation.

The US troops have greatly appreciated this gesture. "This is a good thing. 9/11 changed our lives," said one soldier. Knowing that Germany and Bavaria are commemorating the attack is a demonstration of solidarity between the US and Germany, he said.

"When I was little, I stood on top of the World Trade Center," said another soldier who grew up in New York.

"It's good to know that a piece of it is nearby."

A local effort

On September 11, the steel beam stored at the US army base will be handed over to the German army in a solemn ceremony. The Germans have their own army post in Oberviechtach. The beam will then be brought to its final resting place on a tree-lined avenue at the entrance to town.

Members of the German-American Firefighters and Friends are working feverishly to finish the foundation for the memorial. The steel beam will be mounted on a large block of local granite, flanked by two glass towers, 2 meters high, which can be lit up at night in the colors of the American flag.

The towers were built by a local glass company and designed by Rainer Wild, a former chief of the Oberviechtach fire department. Wild, working at the memorial site, wears a black T-shirt with the words, "In memory of our fallen brothers."

He says the glass towers on the memorial will carry the inscription "Dedicated to all who serve with honor," a reference to all who serve the public in any aid organization.

The memorial will be formally inaugurated in October, when friends from the US arrive in Bavaria, after the official 10-year commemorations at home on Sunday.

Author: Marcel Kehrer / gb
Editor: Martin Kuebler