ABSTRACT
The identity of an individual defines his view of himself and his relationship to his surroundings and explains his attitudes and his behavior. National identity is the collective consciousness of membership in a relatively large community, which may be shaped by one or more of the following elements: a common genetic inheritance, a common cultural patrimony, common memories, and a common fate. The focus on French and German identities has been chosen for several reasons: the problem of national identity is a major theme of public discourse in the two countries; and the question of the elements of national identity has figured heavily in the debate over the admission to membership in the national community and the question of citizenship. A crisis of national identity is perceived to the extent that there has been a crisis of the major institutions that helped to shape that identity.
