As the crow flies, less than 300 kilometers separate Freiburg im Breisgau and Innsbruck. The two cities have been connected for centuries, as Vorderösterreich - to which Breisgau also belonged - was governed from Innsbruck for a time. Freiburg has also been Innsbruck's official twin city since 1963. But even beyond the political sphere, there were and are manifold relations on a cultural, university and personal level. The authors trace these historical connections, shed light on the conclusion of the twinning agreement in 1963 and address selected aspects of the partnership. Christian Herbst, for example, examines in his contribution the relations between the two cities as reflected in the "mayoral gifts," while Hansjörg Rabanser traces Casimir Schumacher (1766-1824), a native of Freiburg who was to make a name for himself in Innsbruck as a bookdrucker and mayor.