Germany and France remember war together

The leaders of Germany and France appeared together for the first time at a First World War remembrance ceremony today and said it was now time to celebrate their countries’ reconciliation and friendship.

“French-German friendship is sealed with blood,” French President Nicolas Sarkozy said under the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe, site of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Mr Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel together laid a wreath of flowers at the tomb and symbolically relit the perpetual flame above it to mark the 91st anniversary of the end of the war.

“This small flame is also ... the flame of hope,” Mr Sarkozy said.

The bold departure from traditional Armistice Day commemorations came two days after Mr Sarkozy travelled to Germany to help celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

“One must learn to rise above one’s history,” Ms Merkel said in a speech. “What happened cannot be forgotten, but there is a force that can help us ... the force of reconciliation.”

The last of 8.4 million French who fought in the war that tore Europe apart died in March 2008, and Mr Sarkozy wanted to use the Armistice commemoration to look to the future with the nation that was vanquished but which, with France, now has a central role in the European Union.

“For us, November 11 is a day of peace in Europe and the fall of the wall is a day of freedom,” said Ms Merkel.