A special relationship: Franco-German relations at the time of François mitterrand and Helmut Kohl

Abstract

Mere hours after his nomination on October 4, 1982, Helmut Kohl made his first visit abroad to Paris, where he met François Mitterrand. He was accompanied by Hans Dietrich Genscher, who had been foreign minister in the preceding coalition. Continuity was, in fact, the message that the chancellor had come to deliver: Franco-German relations were to remain a priority.1 A lot has already been written on the differences of character between the two statesmen: they did not belong to the same generation or share the same political allegiances, culture, and so forth.2. However, the two men were able to find common ground, both driven by the same European will, supported by history.3.