ABSTRACT
This chapter revisits Franco-German relations in a historical perspective to examine the nature of shared memories, and to assess the role played by remembrance, joint commemorative practices and the function of powerful initiatives in the construction of post-war reconciliation and dialogue. France and Germany share a chequered history punctuated by numerous conflicts: from 1870 to 1945 three major conflicts opposed these countries and generated vivid memories amongst the populations on both sides of the Rhine. French and Germans share a common past, marked by a rich cultural, literary and political influence in both directions; a past also frequently marked by some surprising examples of cross-fertilisation. In the post-medieval period, there are quite striking links between the French and the Germans as well as a strong mutual influence. Klaus Harprecht acknowledges that French guilt and responsibility are in no way comparable with Nazi Germany's, but this shared experience of guilt may also have contributed to bringing the two nations closer together.
