Duitsland wil gezamelijk geschiedenisboek voor EU (en)

EU education ministers are this week set to debate the possibility of launching a common European history book as a model for textbooks used across the bloc's 27 member states.

Before seeing the light of day however, the idea has already sparked concerns about how the dark and controversial historic events would be tackled.

"It is not the idea at all to rewrite history," said German government spokesman, Rainer Rudolph, according to the UK daily Guardian, adding "There would be no suggestion of leaving out anything which might be unpleasant or difficult for the Germans, or for anyone else. That would be ridiculous."

The German initiative is expected to be unveiled at the informal meeting of education ministers in Heidelberg (1-2 March) by German education minister Annette Schavan.

British Conservative and eurosceptic politicians have slammed the idea, with Graham Brady, the Conservative's Europe spokesman, suggesting the move was a "typical bureaucratic mission creep".

"We should not under any circumstances lose control of our educational responsibilities," he said according to UK daily Telegraph.

The idea resembles a similar project already existing between France and Germany, involving a book called "Histoire Geschichte" written by ten historians, five from each country.

The book for a large part focuses its modern history analysis on the development of the European Union.

According to the Telegraph, already this version - bringing together only two countries - had exposed national differences, with room made for separate paragraphs in the French and German versions on communism and the US role in Europe.

Meanwhile European history is also emerging as a potential point of conflict on the planned declaration to mark the EU's 50th anniversary, which will be signed by European leaders in Berlin on 25 March.

Some new member states have argued that the document should also mention the dark parts of Europe's history as well as the historic events which were particularly crucial for central and eastern Europe - although the region joined the EU only in 2004.

EU education commissioner Jan Figel told EUobserver he is in favour of the idea, saying that the tragedy of communism has only in recent months received the approriate attention in the EU.

Mr Figel indicated that European history should provide guidance for the debate on the EU's future, stating "we can learn and remember where we started and what we have overcome on the way."