Special Reports

Napoleons_Berlin_(27.10.1806) par Richard Knötel
Special Reports

Shattered Mirrors, Shared Destiny (4)

4 October 2025
The Franco-German epic is the story of a radical metamorphosis: the “hereditary enemy” transformed into the founding ally of Europe. It begins with the irony of 17th and 18th century France unwittingly arming Prussia through […]
Toucan AAC1 254 - Photo Pierre Cornu
Special Reports

From occupiers to protectors, the French Forces in Berlin: (1945-1994) (3)

28 September 2025
From occupiers to protectors, the French Forces in Berlin (FFB) radically changed the game. Initially sidelined after the war, France carved out its own sector to become a key player. More than just soldiers, they were builders and agents of denazification. Then came the 1948 Soviet blockade, their moment of truth. While the United States and Great Britain dominated the skies, France played its hand on the ground. Their masterstroke: building an entire airport, Tegel, in a record 90 days.

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Potsdam Sans-Souci — Photo Markus Christ
Special Reports

Berlin, Broken Mirror of France (1)

24 September 2025
Let’s explore a central irony of Franco-German history through two episodes that unfolded in Berlin. The first act describes how the revocation of the Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV in 1685 caused a flight of Huguenot talent. Welcomed with open arms by a devastated Prussia, these French artisans, entrepreneurs, and military officers provided the human and technical capital necessary for its rise.

The second act analyzes how Frederick the Great, in the 18th century, imported the spirit of the French Enlightenment, notably through his relationship with Voltaire. He used this philosophy not to liberate his people, but to rationalize his administration and perfect his army.

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Patrick Chappatte © Cartoon — Poutine USA-Trump
Special Reports

Trump II: Chaos and Pity

5 September 2025
Since his reelection, we have relentlessly denounced the war Donald Trump is waging against Europe. In six months, he has shattered 80 years of the Western alliance, the pact that had guaranteed peace on our continent. The world is now crumbling beneath the feet of a fragile president. In six months, Donald Trump has methodically dismantled the legacy of our fathers: this Western alliance that nurtured peace in Europe is now nothing more than an epitaph. His pretext? To eradicate a so-called “deep state.” To what end?

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