The miracle of the European Union

On January 22, 1943, the starved, frozen, and exhausted Sixth Army began to collapse. A week later Hitler promoted Paulus to field marshal, and reminded him that no German field marshal was ever captured alive.

Paulus was captured the next day in a cellar in Stalingrad.

And then today in Berlin, Francois Hollande the President of France addressed the Bundestag. Earlier in the day he was received with full military honours by German President Joachim Gauck.

France and Germany were celebrating today in Berlin 50 years of friendship.

On January 22 1963 DeGaulle and Adenauer signed off on the France German friendship treaty.

Many of the German troops who were encircled by the 62nd Soviet Army in 1942/'43 had seen service in France in 1940/'42.