Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises, 260 kilometres south of Paris, was home to General Charles de Gaulle for many years, and it is here that he was buried in 1970. It was here too that he laid the foundations for the Franco-German friendship fifty years ago, along with the first German Chancellor, Konrad Adenauer.
On Saturday the successors of these two statesmen met in the village to pursue the regular talks between the leaders of the two countries. The children and grandchildren of Charles de Gaulle and Konrad Adenauer also attended the inauguration of the new museum.
A great European with vision
A meeting with former French President Jacques Chirac
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"Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises is an important place for the Franco-German friendship. It is a symbol of what we have built up – and of what still lies ahead of us,” said the Chancellor at the opening of the memorial. Germany, she continued, owes much to this great European, Charles de Gaulle.
With vision, greatness and generosity he invited Konrad Adenauer to his country in 1958 and offered him the hand of friendship. This gesture made history. "Two men came together, and with them two nations,” Angela Merkel quoted the biographer of Konrad Adenauer.
At a time when the centuries of hatred and violence between the two countries was still very present in people’s memories, the two men accepted historical responsibility, declared Nicolas Sarkozy, praising the legendary president.
Angela Merkel declared that in German history too, Charles de Gaulle has his place as the personification of resistance against the National Socialist regime. Since 1958 he has also been known as the man who toiled to have Germany readmitted to the international community.
The new memorial ("Noveau Mémorial") is dedicated to the life and work of Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970). It lies at the foot of the Cross of Lorraine, erected in 1972, a symbol of the resistance of the Free French to the German Occupation during the Second World War. With 4,000 square metres of exhibition space on three floors, the memorial fits harmoniously into the existing path which commemorates the life of General de Gaulle. The first temporary exhibition looks at the two statesmen, Charles de Gaulle and Konrad Adenauer.
Turmoil on the financial markets: a challenge we must face together
A warm welcome in Eastern France
"What will Europe’s future be?” is the question today – in particular in terms of the financial markets. The two nations must now pull together to force the "excesses of the market” back into a socially acceptable global order. "The markets must serve the people – not vice versa,” underscored the Chancellor.
The Europeans aim to join forces to this end – with Germany and France acting as trailblazers. Angela Merkel was convinced that they can master the crisis, "provided France and Germany work closely together”.
On Sunday Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy will be meeting with the other heads of state and government of eurozone countries in Paris to find ways out of the financial and banking crisis. Their aim is to put together a joint action plan that will have the backing of the euro nations and the European Central Bank. The four European members of the G8 met last Saturday in Paris to discuss ways of resolving the crisis.
"G4" summit in Paris
The meeting in Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises was an informal exchange of views, in the format of what is known as the Blaesheim meetings. The French President and the German Chancellor meet at regular intervals for consultations. The first meeting was held in 2001 in the Alsatian town of Blaesheim. The meetings are held alternately in France and in Germany, at various locations. They have no fixed agenda and are an ｅxpression of the close cooperation that exists between Germany and France.
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