English summary

The twinning oath is certainly one of the most widespread forms of oath in Europe today.
Despite its frequent occurrence, the question arises if this oath can really create an eternal
cross-border link between twin towns and communities. The article illuminates the origin of
the twinning oath after the Second World War and its embedding in the twinning ceremony
marked by rituals and symbols. He notes that the twinning oath is an invented tradition in the
sense of Eric Hobsbawms projected back to the Middle Ages and that the oath within the
framework of communal partnerships has hardly changed in its official form since the 1950s.
The article concludes that the oath is ultimately not legally binding and that, despite a high
moral obligation, no legal sanctions will be imposed if cross-border relations are not filled
with life within the framework of a town twinning.