- The exhibition has been extended until 3 March. -

1919-1930: Reconstruction in France, years of crisis and awakening of the Weimar Republic in Germany. The exhibition shows how political and social life developed in Le Mans and Paderborn during this period, between mourning and hope, feelings of revenge and the desire for reconciliation. The "Great War" left a lasting mark on both cities. In Le Mans, lying behind the front and spared from destruction, a new beginning quickly emerged, strengthened by the feeling of French victory. In Paderborn, the economic and social situation is initially unstable. Germany had become a republic in November 1918 and political life had to be completely reorganised.

From a local perspective, differences but also a surprising number of similarities become apparent, shedding light on a lesser-known period in the history of the later twin towns and thus exemplifying Franco-German history.

Sortir de la guerre - Nach dem Krieg is a joint project of the Institute of Romance Studies at Paderborn University, the Faculté des lettres of Le Mans Université, the European Studies programme, the City and District Archives and the Paderborn City Museum as well as the archives of Le Mans and the Département Sarthe. Researchers and students from both universities have been working intensively with the institutions of the twin cities for months and are now presenting the results of this cooperation.

The exhibition was opened with representatives from Paderborn in the Hôtel de Ville in Le Mans on 11 November, and the launch event took place in Paderborn's historic town hall on 15 November. The exhibition was on display in the Bilderbogen gallery in the city administration until 20 December 2019. It will open in the University Library on Tuesday, 7 January 2020, at 13:00, after which the exhibition can be visited until 31 January 2020: Monday to Friday: 7:30 am to midnight, Saturday to Sunday: 9:00 am to 9:00 pm.

The bilingual catalogue of the exhibition is available as volume 13 of the series "Paderborn in historical photographs" at the Tourist Information and in local bookshops (as well as for the duration of the exhibition at the secretary's office of the Institute of Romance Studies, H2.247). A virtual version of the exhibition with additional information was created in Le Mans.

Contact exhibition: Prof. Dr. Stefan Schreckenberg, Institute of Romance Studies, Paderborn University, e-mail: stefan.schreckenberg@upb.de

> Exhibition poster