Music and memories: Manfred Brommer looks back on the war

Music and memories: Manfred Brommer looks back on the war

In his early memories, Manfred Brommer recorded vivid impressions from the time of the Second World War. The last April 1940 was particularly formative for him, when grenade impacts on Tüllinger Berg interrupted his children's play. These moments of terror led to a four-week evacuation to Hüsingen. “I was very lucky compared to other children,” he reflects, which influenced not only his survival but also his enjoyment of life. The Second World War, which raged from 1939 to 1945, is also in the context of his later joy over the Élysée Treaty, signed in Paris on January 22, 1963.

As verlagshaus-jaumann.de reports, this contract was signed by the heads of state Konrad Adenauer and Charles de Gaulle in the Murat Salon Elysée Palace signed. The Élysée Treaty was a crucial step in reshaping relations between Germany and France after decades of hostilities had strained the two nations.

A milestone in history

Franco-German relations have long been characterized by conflict. This “hereditary enmity” involved the countries in a number of disputes, including the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71, which ended with France's defeat. But after the Second World War, these tensions were overcome, which contributed significantly to European integration. The Élysée Treaty is nothing less than the institutionalized basis of this friendship. The Foreign Office emphasizes that the treaty promoted a “fundamental redesign” of bilateral relations with the aim of pursuing a largely consistent foreign policy through regular consultations between state leaders and ministries.

Thanks to these agreements, projects such as the Franco-German Youth Office could be launched, which brings young people together. Military cooperation, such as the founding of the Franco-German brigade, also shows how seriously the countries are pursuing their partnership.

A path to friendship

If you look at the history of German-French relations, it becomes clear that, despite various crises and challenges - such as concerns in Bonn about the close ties to France - the path to friendship was begun. As Wikipedia also describes, Germany and France are the engines of the EU and are striving for increased cooperation not only on cultural but also political issues. An example of this is the Aachen Treaty from 2019, which is intended to further intensify cooperation in defense and culture.

The positive developments in German-French relations are an outstanding example of how friendship can grow from conflict. Brommer is pleased that a new, strong bond has emerged from the shadows of the past between the two countries - a bond that still exists today.