SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
    PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(A) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT
                                    OF 1934


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[ ]   Confidential, For Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule
      14a-6(e)(2))


                          THE FRANCE GROWTH FUND, INC.
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                (Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)


                           BANKGESELLSCHAFT BERLIN AG
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    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Institutional Shareholder Services Endorses Dissident Director Slate in
The France Growth Fund Proxy Solicitation

New York - April 25, 2000 - Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (ISS) has
recommended to its clients that they vote FOR two directors proposed by
Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG at the annual meeting of The France Growth Fund
(NYSE:FRF) to be held on April 26, rather than support the full slate of
directors nominated by the Fund's management. As of April 5, 2000
Bankgesellschaft Berlin held 16.8 percent of the Fund's outstanding shares.

Four of the Company's eleven directors will be elected for a three-year term at
this year's annual meeting. Bankgesellschaft Berlin has nominated Gregory
Melville and Moritz Sell, both of whom are officers of the Bank, to fill two of
these positions and supports two management nominees, incumbent directors who
have served on the board for at least seven years, for the other two positions.
Messrs. Melville and Sell have stated that they would act in the best interests
of the Fund's shareholders by endeavoring to persuade The France Growth Fund's
Board to commit itself to maintaining a low discount of the market price of the
Fund's shares in relation to their net asset value (NAV). In its report, ISS
stated it believed that The France Growth Fund's Board could benefit from the
voices of dissident nominees who are committed to ensuring that a share
repurchase plan is implemented and that the Fund's tax-managed distribution plan
is maintained.

The Fund has 15,280,000 shares outstanding.

ISS, based in Bethesda, Maryland, is a leading independent advisor to several
hundred institutional investors in the areas of proxy contests, corporate
governance and other shareholder-related issues. The ISS report was published on
April 21, 2000.

Bankgesellschaft Berlin has engaged ChaseMellon Shareholder Services to assist
in the solicitation process.

For further information contact:

ChaseMellon Shareholder Services
John Bell
917-320-6270
Declan Denehan
917-320-6284