The focus of the conference proceedings is on the profound experiences that the French and Germans underwent during the crisis-ridden upheavals of the Napoleonic Empire. Various markets, systems, and institutions are analyzed from a transnational perspective, as well as religiosity, cultural transfer processes, and cultural representations. The aim is to explore the experiences of Germans and French during the Napoleonic rule within the tension between conquest and integration policies. On one hand, the phenomena that led to conflicts and upheavals are addressed, such as tax burdens, war, and the enormous casualty figures on European battlefields; on the other hand, the contributions focus on what united the French and Germans within the Napoleonic Empire. The analysis of the different forms of participation aims to contribute to the long-dominant concept of the foreign.