A Tale of Two Cities: Dresden, Coventry, and the Wonders of Reconciliation

Though these twin cities suffered the ravages of war, decades on, they’ve become symbols of hope and healing.

The rebuilt Frauenkirche reopened in 2005, after over two decades of reconstruction efforts. Ilia Bronskiy/Pexels

At first glance, it’s just a jagged chunk of old sandstone, charred by a long-ago fire. That’s what it is—but this wasn’t just any old fire, and the stone isn’t just some old rock. It’s in a rebuilt church that represents a rare and precious human achievement: reconciliation.

This is a tale of two cities crippled by the winds of war, but later bonded in peace—Dresden, Germany and Coventry, England.