It is the year 1950. After 3 wars in less than 100 years in which Germans and French fought each other, it is precisely the youth who is tired of territorial conquest and devastation. A peaceful, neighbourly coexistence is the least they could wish for. But many people want more: on August the 6th 1950, 300 students from different countries demonstrated at the border crossing at St. Germanshof - they tore down the barriers between the toll houses and demanded a future-oriented Europe with open borders. Today, the demonstration is known as the "storm of students".
At the beginning of the 1950s there was a lively debate in Europe about the headquarters of the future European institutions. Numerous existing cities applied, including Saarbrücken, The Hague and Brussels. Another approach was taken by a French painter and a German journalist: A new capital for which the name "Bourg Blanc" was proposed. Their idea was born immediately after the Second World War, after fate had let their paths cross under dramatic circumstances. They decided to give the unifying Europe a capital in the city of Wissembourg and to create a meeting place for young Europeans.
From one Europe to the European Union: 1215 years of border history. St. Germanshof, with a population of around 40 inhabitants, is a district of the municipality of Bobenthal in the Western Palatinate region. If you look at this district, which is located directly on the French-German border, a cross-border perspective is essential in order to understand its origins and long history. In essence, it was always about a chapel based on an initiative of the monastery in Wissembourg, a castle and courtyard complex.
Aktionsgemeinschaft Bobenthal – St. Germanshof e.V. Am Mühlbach 5 67697 Otterberg E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
