A manual of history Franco-German commun run was published under the title Histoire/Geschichte at the time of the return to school 2006 - 2007 (Ier divides into volumes). It is about an initiative aiming at creating “a Franco-German common vision”, in the actual position of knowledge relating to the European history since the Antiquité.

A commission of historians and persons in charge teaching of the two countries charged to supervise the operation gave a project of plan to two publishers, Ernst Klett Verlag (Stuttgart) and the editions Nathan (Paris) which were selected after invitation to tender to publish this handbook.

The first volume of this handbook covers the period of the European rebuilding after the Second world war. It is intended to the last year secondary school students. Two other volumes covering Antiquity and the the Middle Ages, then Europe of the Rebirth to the world wars, will be later on available in the classes of first and second.

It is not a question of a Franco-German history but to present well a common relation of a common history, too often rewritten through a national prism in each country. This common relation could be used as model with future European handbooks of history.

Ier divides into volumes

This first volume includes/understands five chapters (the last is still under discussion):

• memories of the Second world war and the period 1945-1949;
• Europe enters the the United States and the the USSR of 1949 to 1989;
• Europe in the world of 1989 to our days;
• transformations technical, economic, social and cultural since 1945;
• German and French since 1945.

Birth of the project

The Franco-German handbook draft of history common was presented by the Parlement of the young people to Berlin, the January 23rd 2003, at the time of the 40e birthday of the Traité of the Elysium - which was, in a certain manner, the birth certificate of the “Franco-German couple”. This proposal received a favorable reception on behalf of the President of the French Republic and the Chancelier of the the Federal Republic of Germany. It then was registered by the Prime Minister and the chancellor among the topics treated with the title of the decentralized co-operation. The Franco-German Council of Ministers - formula created at the time of the 40e birthday of the treaty of the Elysium - gave a decisive impulse to the project in May 2004. The 4th common Council of Ministers, the October 26th 2004, confirmed the decision to propose a common handbook of history Franco-German and determined the content proposed by the scientific advice. Jean-Louis Nembrini, general inspector of State education, were charged Co-to control with Stephen Krawielicki, senior official of the German ministry of the Foreign affairs, the Franco-German scientific advice in charge of this project. The March 10th 2005, the French Minister for Education, Francois Fillon and Peter Müller, minister-president of the the German Saar and coordinator of Länder for the co-operation with France were found with Berlin for an unusual meeting with the persons in charge of the standing conference of the German ministers in charge of the Education of Länder. The latter are the decision makers as regards education in Germany.

Editions

• History/Geschichte: Europa und die Welt seit 1945 , Ernst Klett Schulbuchverlag, Leipzig and Stuttgart, 2006,336  p.

• History/Geschichte. Europe and the world since 1945 , Editions Nathan, Paris, 2006,336  p.