Who Offers the First Olive Twig? —An Exchange of French-German Perspectives

Germany and France had been at war for centuries before WWII ended in 1945. The deep-rooted ancient hostility, however, took a definite turn after the war. Amidst protests and opposition, Elysee Treaty was signed by Charles de Gaulle and Konrad Adenauer on Jan. 22, 1963, which led to decades of mutual trust and friendship.

How did this come about? Who offered the first olive twig? What does it take to end distrust and hate between hostile peoples? Can we draw inspirations from the efforts the French and the Germans have done towards peace?