commemorating Franco/ German reconciliation)
Franco/German Treaty--1963-2013
Peace in the Heart of Europe
Fifty years ago, France and Germany signed the Elysee Treaty, a
pact formalizing a long overdue reconcilliation between two rivals which
had fought three wars in less than a century.
Two statesmen, French President Charles de Gaulle and German Chancellor
Konrad Adenauer saw peace as the only path forward for the two neighbors. The path to this amazing friendship throughout the 1950's, saw its culmination in July 1962 with the visit of Konrad Adenauer to Reims in France which laid the philisophical cornerstone for the Treaty at the Cathedral which had seen the coronations of French Kings but had also witnessed the carnage of WWI. The formal Treaty would be signed in January 1963 in Paris.
Over the past half century the Elysee Treaty has become a pillar in Franco/German relations, and moreover, a building block of the wider European Union. Over 2,000 agreements between Paris and Berlin deal with everything from defense and diplomacy to culture and youth programs.
On the anniversary of the Treaty, 22 January, French President Francois Hollande and his cabinet went to Berlin for festivities including a joint meeting in the German Parliament with Chancellor Angela Merkel. The events were marked by symbolism and emotion.
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle described the Treaty as a "gem in the European treasure chest." He cites the "exciting evolution" of the relationship which is based not only on formal government ties but the friendship between citizens and young people.
Significantly, the French and German government mints have jointly issued a 2 Euro coin which commemorates the landmark treaty.
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