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Concept
Élysée Treaty
Summary
The Élysée Treaty was a treaty of friendship between France and West Germany, signed by President Charles de Gaulle and Chancellor Konrad Adenauer on 22 January 1963 at the Élysée Palace in Paris. With the signing of this treaty, Germany and France established a new foundation for relations, bringing an end to centuries of French–German enmity and wars.
FrancoGerman relations were long dominated by the idea of French–German enmity, which asserted that there was a natural rivalry between the two nations. Germany started World War II by invading Poland in 1939. France then declared war on Germany, which prompted the German invasion and occupation of France from 1940 to 1944. Afterwards, France participated in the Allied occupation of Germany from 1945 to 1949.
The post-war West German chancellor Konrad Adenauer made rapprochement between the historic rivals one of his priorities.
The treaty called for regular consultations between France and West Germany on all important questions concerning defense, education and youth issues. It also requires regular summits between high-level officials, which implies that the Heads of State and Government have to meet at least twice a year and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs every three months, to ensure close collaboration between the two states.
The first meeting between the two heads of state took place at the private home of General de Gaulle at Colombey-les-Deux-Églises in September 1958. Since then, French and German heads of state have kept up the strong relationship, often considered as the engine of European integration.
Additionally, an interministerial commission was established to coordinate and oversee the Franco-German collaboration. It consisted of high-ranked officials of every involved ministry.
Just two months after the signing of the friendship treaty, a new controversy between France and West Germany occurred. President de Gaulle intended the treaty to make West Germany distance itself and eventually separate itself from its American protector.
Official source
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