"I like Germany so much I would prefer to have two of them" - Mitterand

20 years ago, Mitterand's apprehensions were echoed by the British and the Poles - would the unification of Germany be as suicidal as letting a lion out of its cage?

Files of Thatcher's discussions with Gorbachev were leaked, revealing Thatcher's obdurate private stance - and perhaps rightly so. It was a country that had started two world wars in the space of 21 years; it was the unification with East Germany who had had no experience of any other political system since 1933 but that of Nazism and Stalinism. Who could blame her?

But, now, with the luxury of hindsight, we know much better. The fears have been rendered unfounded. As Germany gears up for their general elections this month, they have proved to be a strong, free democracy and a key ally for the EU and NATO.