Remembering the end of the First World War
Chancellor Angela Merkel has attended the celebrations in France to mark the end of the First World War. With invited guests from all over the world, she took part in a ceremony at the tomb of the unknown soldier in Paris. On Saturday President Emmanuel Macron invited her to visit the scene of Germany’s capitulation in 1918 with him.
In Compiègne Chancellor Merkel and French President Macron commemorate the armistice signed on 11 November 1918 that ended the First World War
Photo: Bundesregierung/Bergmann
One hundred years ago the First World War came to an end. The weapons fell silent at last on the battlefields. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to Paris at the weekend marked the highlight of the remembrance celebrations in France to mark this centenary. With President Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel unveiled a bilingual plaque at a historically significant site on Saturday.
In Compiègne, north of Paris, a historical railway carriage stands in the clearing of Rethondes. This was where General Detlof von Winterfeldt and State Secretary Matthias Erzberger signed the capitulation of the German Empire. Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron visited the wagon, which today houses a museum, and signed the book of remembrance.
Chancellor Angela Merkel declared that the 100th anniversary is not only a warning to us, but also an incentive. She could say with total conviction on behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany, she added, that today the will is there "to do everything we can to create a more peaceful order in the world, although we know that a huge task lies ahead of us."
Compiègne, 10 November 2018: Chancellor Angela Merkel was in France to commemorate the end of the First World War at the side of French President Emmanuel Macron.
In this forest, 80 kilometres from Paris, the First World War officially ended 100 years ago. The two leaders laid a wreath and unveiled a commemorative plaque.
It was the first time a German Chancellor and a French President had visited the site together.
Numerous guests, including school children, were invited to the ceremony.
The Chancellor had an emotional meeting with Paulette Monier, who will turn 100 on Monday.
Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel visited the museum with the replica of the railway carriage in which the armistice with Germany was signed on 11 November 1918.
Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron write in the book of remembrance in the railway carriage.
Paris, 11 November 2018: The next day the Chancellor was invited to attend the official commemorative ceremony in Paris.
Some 60 heads of state and government accepted President Macron's invitation.
In the afternoon Angela Merkel gave one of the opening addresses at the Paris Peace Forum. The forum was initiated by the French President and has the support of the foundation Körber-Stiftung on the German side.
The aim is to master international challenges at transnational level using peaceful means. To this end over 5,000 international participants came together to discuss concrete projects and initiatives.
On the sidelines of the Forum, Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel met with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. They discussed the unlawful and illegitimate elections in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
On 11 November 1918 the First World War ended. It is considered to be the "great seminal catastrophe" of the new 20th century, because it destroyed the naïve belief that the modern industrial era would bring progress. Since then, the potential of the new era for wreaking destruction has left its mark on every aspect of government, society and culture. The further course of modern history from the Second World War to the fall of the "iron curtain" had its roots in the fault lines caused by the events that played out 100 years ago.
A vibrant symbol of friendship
The Franco-German Brigade is a vibrant symbol that the "arch enemies" that were, Germany and France, have now become neighbours and close friends. The guard of honour inspected by Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron came from this Brigade.
Two wreath-bearers from the Brigade laid the joint wreath at the memorial. The French army choir sang the national anthems of the two countries, the Marsellaise and the Deutschlandlied. The ceremony closed with a French children’s choir singing the European anthem, "Ode to Joy" with Friedrich Schiller’s uplifting lyrics.
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Ceremony at the tomb of the unknown soldier
About 60 heads of state and government, including the Chancellor, accepted the invitation issued by President Macron to attend Sunday’s official celebrations to mark the end of the war at a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. A military parade was held and President Macron lit a flame at the tomb of the unknown soldier, where school pupils read a letter dated 11 November 1918. The official celebrations ended with a minute of silence in honour of the war-dead and a poignant trumpet call.
Working for a peaceful future
In the afternoon the Chancellor attended the international Paris Peace Forum, which was opened by President Macron. She gave one of the opening addresses alongside the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres. The First World War went far beyond anything that the human race had hitherto inflicted on itself, said Angela Merkel. "Euphoria, cheers, and propaganda assuring a swift victory marked the beginning of the war. When it finally came to an end it left 17 million dead."
The First World War, also known in France as the Great War (La Grande Guerre), was a four-year-long battle on several fronts and the first war that involved the use of weapons of mass destruction. In 1915 the German Empire used chlorine gas for the first time, joined in 1917 by mustard gas.
Technical progress was hijacked during the war, declared Angela Merkel. Submarines were used with no regard for the losses they caused, and the fundamental principles on which civilisation rests were completely ignored. "The peace that we have today, that we sometimes take as self-evident, is anything but self-evident. We have to work to preserve it," she stressed.
At the heart of the Paris Peace Forum (Forum de Paris sur la Paix) are concrete initiatives which are designed to strengthen and promote multilateral cooperation. This was the first time that the three-day conference had been held. It was initiated by the French President and has the support of the foundation Körber-Stiftung on the German side. The aim is to master international challenges at transnational level using peaceful means. To this end over 5,000 international participants came together to engage in discussions. After the discussions recommendations for action in the fields of peace and security, the environment, development and digitalisation are to be drawn up.