A personal reflexion by Kerstin Bachmann, Founder & Managing Director of 56Paris Real Estate
This May 8 marks 80 years since the end of World War II in Europe. On this day in 1945, the German surrender was signed in Reims, France—an act that officially ended the deadliest conflict in modern history on the continent.
It’s not just a date on the calendar. For me, it’s personal.
I was born in Munich, in what was then Western Germany, a Gen X child of a young and JFK inspired Bundeswehr officer and a loving mother. My sister and I grew up surrounded by the physical and emotional traces of the war. The US Army bases in Bavaria were a familiar part of the landscape—symbols not only of the Marshall Plan but of the profound American commitment to rebuilding Europe and preserving peace.
"Salle de la Reddition" in Reims, where Nazi Germany signed its unconditional surrender - Eiffel Tower, Paris - May 8 Commemoration Day in Paris
From a young age, my education and home life instilled in me a deep awareness of the war's causes and consequences. I attended a liberal high school with a strong emphasis on helping us understand the toxic combination of social, political, and economic dynamics that enabled the Nazi regime to rise to power. At home, my parents—both born during the war—shared their own experiences: hiding in bomb shelters, facing hunger and loss, and starting over in a shattered country.
Yet what struck me most was their unwavering determination to ensure my sister and I understood not just what happened, but why it must never happen again. Watching early postwar documentaries, visiting Dachau, and learning the story of our great-grand uncle, Ludwig Beck—a member of the German resistance executed after the failed Valkyrie plot—were integral to our family’s identity.
This upbringing, rooted in remembrance and responsibility, is part of what led me to settle in France, and my sister in the United States. It’s also the foundation of the values I bring to my work.
At 56Paris, the agency I founded, we represent five nationalities and speak five languages. Our work is global, but it’s always grounded in human connection. We are especially honored to work with American clients, with whom we share not only cultural ties, but a belief in democracy, openness, and the pursuit of a better future.
In today’s world, where the values of the free world are once again being challenged, it’s more important than ever to remember what brought us together after 1945—and what we must continue to stand for.
Here is to all our American friends, and to those around the world who believe in freedom and peace.
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