The text of the treaty is short and compact, but its content is
almost revolutionary: in it, Germany and France commit
themselves to nothing more and nothing less than “arriving,
insofar as possible, at a similar position” on all the important
economic, political and cultural issues. Fifty years on, the
treaty is still just as relevant. The key themes of its preamble
– reconciliation, young people, solidarity and Europe – embody
the essence of our partnership. Over the years – beyond the
vicissitudes of everyday life – it has enabled us to create a
closeness and friendship that few peoples share. At the end of
the Second World War, Franco-German reconciliation, which seems
to everyone to be the condition for peace in Europe, seems
uncertain: France’s policy aims to prevent Germany’s recovery,
and anti-French sentiment is very strong in Germany, in
particular in the French occupation zone. However, by 1945,
initiatives are taken that aim to bring the two countries
together and decentralized cooperation plays a