‘The ruthless march forward. I am Europe!’ On 18 January 1964, German cartoonist Henri Meyer-Brockmann paints an ironic picture of the European ideal of General de Gaulle, who dreams of a Europe under French leadership. In Greek mythology, Europa rides a bull, but here we see the French President in Europa’s place, and his heedless charge leaves no one unscathed. His numerous victims include Federal Chancellor Ludwig Erhard (on the right).

‘Let's saddle the bull, Europa will know how to ride it …' On 25 August 1948, referring to the French Government's proposal for the rapid establishment of a European Assembly, cartoonist Mirko Szewczuk illustrates the questions aired in some countries in Western Europe on the chances of success of the European plan.

‘A Strasbourg production: Europa and the bull.’ On 18 August 1949, the cartoonist Pictor wonders what role the Council of Europe might play in support of West Germany’s integration within Western Europe.

‘Europa and the 1949 bull.' In 1949, taking inspiration from the myth of the abduction of the nymph Europa by Zeus in the form of a bull, cartoonist Mirko Szewczuk illustrates in his own inimitable fashion the importance of the economic aid supplied by the United States to Europe under the Marshall Plan.

‘The oracle’. On 13 February 1965, taking inspiration from Greek mythology and the abduction of Europa by Zeus (the bull), German cartoonist Wolfgang Hicks illustrates French President de Gaulle’s idea of a united Europe and the role he hopes to play on the European stage. West Germany, represented as the little ‘German Michel’, and the young Europa, kneeling down, listen devotedly to the message of the ‘oracle’, sparking the anger of the bull.