ot tern heim , ▁too , ▁began ▁with ▁contacts ▁by ▁individual ▁persons ▁or ▁groups ▁before ▁there ▁was ▁ever ▁official ▁contact , ▁much ▁less ▁formal ▁t ies . ▁For ▁its ▁dedic ation ▁to ▁n urt uring ▁town ▁partners hips , ▁G au - Al ges heim ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Europe ▁Di pl oma ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁by ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁Europe , ▁and ▁the ▁European ▁Flag ▁of ▁Hon our ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁the ▁many ▁str esses ▁on ▁the ▁town ▁and ▁its ▁inhabitants ▁were ▁greatly ▁e ased ▁by ▁state ▁recognition ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁as ▁a ▁Tour ism ▁Municip ality ▁( F rem den verkehr sg emeinde ). ▁ ▁Co at ▁of ▁arms ▁ ▁The ▁town ' s ▁arms ▁might ▁be ▁described ▁thus : ▁G ules ▁a ▁cross ▁cross let ▁p att ée ▁coup ed ▁top ▁and ▁bottom ▁by ▁a ▁wheel ▁in ▁each ▁of ▁chief ▁and ▁base ▁sp oked ▁of ▁six ▁lo z eng y ▁argent . ▁ ▁The ▁arms ▁are ▁derived ▁from ▁those ▁bor ne ▁by ▁Main z , ▁which ▁is ▁explained ▁by ▁an ▁historical ▁connection . ▁G au - Al ges heim ▁was ▁an ▁Arch bishop ric ▁of ▁Main z ▁holding ▁until ▁ 1 8 0 3 . ▁The ▁arms ▁were ▁con ferred ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 3 , ▁at ▁least ▁officially . ▁The ▁wheel - and - cross ▁composition ▁had , ▁however , ▁been ▁appearing ▁in ▁town ▁se als ▁since ▁at ▁least ▁the ▁ 1 5 th