Abstract
After the end of the World War Two, France and Germany experienced hostile relations. Indeed, from 1945 to 1950, the two countries were both traumatized by the souvenir of their mutual occupation. On the French side, the Nazi's occupation had created a feeling of revenge, and on the German's one, the experience of the zone occupied by France had fuelled the hate.
But politicians like Robert Schumannn, Jean Monnet or Konrad Adenauer, who wanted the two countries to be reconciled to guarantee their harmonious development and the security of Europe, made it possible through the creation of a European community first confined to industrial production but soon extended to many economic and political aspects. From 1950, a real Franco-German partnership was created around the European construction. The two countries' relations, built upon a measure of convergence of ideas and interests, a joint management of political projects and common institutions, became central for the community. Actually, the project of European integration had underpinned the bilateral Franco-German relationship and provided a constraining multilateral framework for the conduct of it (1). As a consequence, the "Franco-German tandem" (2) became the cornerstone of the development of the European community.
Actually, the couple has a powerful agenda setting role and is at the origin of all major treaties. The political leaders of both countries are in close collaboration and, today, the Franco-German partnership is still seen as the historical "motor of Europe" (3).
