Created in 2003 for the 40th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty for Franco-German friendship, the Franco-German Day is a mainstay for the cooperation between the two countries. This Wednesday, January 22, students and teachers at the Lycée Français International Simone Veil in Düsseldorf are celebrating this event with a variety of cultural and educational activities.
Presentations, songs, readings… students in the Abibac section are getting ready for the Franco-German day at LfiSV in Düsseldorf. With the help of teachers Sylvia Barsotti, Audrey Langenscheid, Stephan Krespach and Clémence Michels, they are preparing various educational and cultural activities on Wednesday January 22, to promote the French-German friendship and its history.
A look back at this cooperation: following three bloody wars between the two countries, General de Gaulle and Chancellor Adenauer signed the Elysée Treaty on January 22, 1963. 60 years later, this partnership has been marked by the creation of the Franco-German Youth Office (FGYO) in 1963, but also the first Franco-German high school degree’s certificate in 1972, and the Abibac agreement in 1994. The Abibac section celebrates indeed its 30th anniversary this academic year 2024-2025.
Stephan Krespach, German teacher in the Abibac section, believes that it is important to celebrate this anniversary as well on this day: “We are a French school in Germany, it seems logical for me.”
‘Küchenschlacht’: A battle of German specialties
The canteen at the French school is filling up, pupils and staff are working hard. Since this morning, some pupils have been preparing a ‘Küchenschlacht’: they cook for other pupils, who have to vote for the best dish. But only German specialties are on the menu today!
“We were the first French school in Düsseldorf to open an Abibac section in Germany,” says school’s headmaster François Dillenschneider. For him, it is also important to promote this section, which allows students to obtain both French and German high school degree at the end of the journey.
For Stephan Krespach, the Franco-German couple is at the heart of the construction of Europe: “It is necessary to bring these two cultures together and promote them, rather than each of them remaining in their own corner”, he adds.
The Abibac section is aimed at French-speaking students wishing to develop dual linguistic and cultural skills. It requires a motivated and inquisitive student profile, ready to take on the challenges of a demanding course. Successful completion of the Abibac opens doors to many German universities and prepares students for higher education in prestigious establishments such as “Classes Préparatoires aux Grandes Ecoles” (Higher school preparatory classes), business schools and political studies institutes.
Our Abibac section currently has 37 ambitious students. We will be closely monitoring their progress and look forward to celebrating their successes.
Article written by Ms Clémence Michels, Abibac history and geography teacher
