"On a day in September"

Open to EU staff and ministry officials from the Permanent Representations of the EU Member States, as well as other invited guests

The ARTE and ZDF co-production “One Day in September” tells the story of a meeting that would prove to be a turning point in Franco-German relations: the first personal encounter between German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and French Prime Minister Charles de Gaulle in September 1958. In the private setting of de Gaulle’s residence in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, initial reserve gradually gives way to a relationship of trust between the two statesmen. Their rapprochement was so unexpected and far-reaching that it later became known as the “Miracle of Colombey.” But what made this meeting so extraordinary?

When Adenauer travels to Colombey on 14 September 1958, the wounds of the Second World War are still far from healed. Although the war had ended thirteen years earlier, relations between Germany and France continued to be marked by deep mistrust. In France in particular, memories of the German occupations and the experiences of two world wars remained vivid. At the same time, it was becoming increasingly clear on both sides of the Rhine that Europe’s future would be difficult to imagine without reconciliation and cooperation between these two neighbours.

Against this backdrop, Charles de Gaulle (Jean-Yves Berteloot) and Konrad Adenauer (Burghart Klaußner) come together for their first talks in search of a path towards rapprochement. The meeting would lay the foundation for a partnership that would play a decisive role in Franco-German reconciliation and profoundly shape the future of Europe.

“One Day in September” | Directed by Kai Wessel | Germany 2025 | 89 minutes

If you are interested, please register by 13 October.