A fire broke out in Notre-Dame a year ago, and hundreds of firefighters prevented the cathedral from collapsing. A year later, the construction site was shut down due to Corona - but Macron insisted on an ambitious schedule.
Paris / Berlin (dpa) - On the first anniversary of the Notre-Dame fire, French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed his ambitious five-year plan for the cathedral's reconstruction.
"We will do everything we can to meet this deadline," he said in a video message. Shortly after the fire, he had promised to rebuild the world-famous landmark in central Paris within five years. In his message, the President described the cathedral as "a symbol of the resilience of our people". Germany once again provided support for the restoration of the cathedral on the anniversary.
Notre-Dame was on fire a year ago, large parts of the cathedral were badly damaged, the crossing tower on the roof collapsed. According to initial knowledge, the fire was probably caused either by a fault in the electrical system or an unexpressed cigarette.
Since then there have been delays at the construction site, since the coronavirus crisis it has been shut down. In the past, experts had questioned a complete reconstruction within five years, and the safeguarding of the sacred building is still ongoing.
Macron emphasized that the work on the construction site was of course put on hold because of the health crisis, but it would get going again as soon as possible. Today's times call for bravery and no wait-and-see attitude. "There was a time of trial and emotion, then a time of reflection. But now the time to rebuild has begun." He also thanked everyone who saved Notre-Dame and is now rebuilding the centuries-old cathedral.
"We don't forget anything. Neither the heroic wave of courage that saved the cathedral from the flames, nor the tremendous wave of generosity that emerged in the hours and days that followed."
Germany is also involved in the reconstruction of the building. "It is a matter of the heart of Germany to continue to support France in this enormous task," emphasized Minister of Culture Monika Grütters in a joint communication with the Franco-German representative for culture, NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet, and the President of the German Unesco Commission, Maria Böhmer (all CDU).
Grütters cited glass workshops of German cathedral huts as an example. "France could rely on our support and technical expertise." From Böhmer's point of view, "this Franco-German solidarity project can be realized through the Cologne cathedral building hut". This is predestined to support French colleagues.
Laschet called the project a symbol of Franco-German friendship. "The reconstruction of Notre-Dame has the chance to become a European symbol of hope."
French Minister of Culture Franck Riester thanked and called the proposal in the communication "a strong symbol of solidarity that reminds us of how closely the fates of our two nations are linked". There are no major events related to the fire on the anniversary due to the corona virus. In the evening at 8 p.m. the bell Emmanuel was to ring in the south tower of the cathedral in memory of the fire.