The Return of the German Problem
In the 75 years between the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870 and the end of World War II in 1945, what came to be known as the German Problem afflicted Europe. Germany became a problem because it grew too powerful for the peace of the continent, and over that period, Germany started three […]
Whither Europe?
The six chords, each spaced with a rest of about a second, came crashing down in the resplendent home of Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. The audience sat transfixed. Seated in the rear balcony, I was listening to Santtu-Matias Rouvali conduct Jean Sibelius’ 1919 fifth symphony based, like Beethoven’s, around a four-note motif. The opening of […]
The Opening Moves of Germany’s New Leader
Friedrich Merz, the leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union and likely the next chancellor of Germany, did not win a mandate in the federal elections on February 23. Instead, he earned what amounted to a four-year reprieve for the German political establishment. On February 28, he will start exploratory talks with the Social Democratic […]
The “Alternative For Germany” in the Upcoming Bundestag Elections
On January 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany. It was not a Machtergreifung, or seizure of power. Instead, Hitler was installed in office at the behest of a cabal led by Franz von Papen, the head of the Catholic Center Party. Papen believed that he could manipulate the Nazi leader for his own […]
The Rise and Fall of Spain’s New Left
In late October Spanish political life was rocked by the resignation of Iñigo Errejón, a member of parliament and key figure in the current governing coalition, following accusations of sexual misconduct. Errejón led efforts to build a new force on the left, most recently as the spokesman for Sumar (“Join”), a grouping of national and […]
Germany Heads Toward Elections
Germany is facing unexpected headwinds. As Ukraine struggles to fend off Russia, the Middle East erupts, and China menaces Taiwan, it is struggling to meet a welter of domestic and foreign challenges. The recent collapse of Social Democratic chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition has coincided with the election of Donald Trump, creating a sense of […]
Central Europe’s Far-Right on a Roll
This past September I visited the refurbished Wien Museum which covers Austria’s history from the bronze age until the present. Perhaps the most stimulating exhibition was a new one on the top floor that surveys the Nazi era. It’s called “Laboratory of Cruelty.” In its previous incarnation, the museum did not trouble itself to mention […]
Azerbaijan Between Triumph and Turbulence
Over the course of 33 years since the fall of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan has transformed into an independent regional player. Its neighbors in Armenia fear that Azerbaijan’s ambitions will eventually lead to another war. Average Azerbaijanis, meanwhile, wonder when the military achievements will translate into economic prosperity. Regaining Territory Through War It’s impossible to […]
A New German Problem
Is the “Alt Reich,” the London Spectator recently asked on its cover, about to make a comeback? Germany, a model of stability for decades, has been thrown into turmoil by the steady rise of the Alternative Party for Germany, especially in its eastern states. On September 1, the 85th anniversary of Hitler’s invasion of Poland […]
The West Should Develop the Trans-Caspian Trade Corridor
Development of the Trans-Caspian corridor would shift trade and energy routes between Europe and Asia to favor Western commercial and strategic interests. Over the past decade, global trade infrastructure has been transformed by China’s economic rise and its strategic investments in trade routes. Central Asia, the “belt buckle” on China’s Belt and Road Initiative, is […]
