Trier has never been particularly fond of its most famous son, Karl Marx, who helped turn communism into an ideology that changed the course of history.
Germany
Germany’s crooked path over the past century is a tale of depravity followed by penance and redemption. When I was growing up, Germany’s division seemed like just punishment for the crimes of Nazism.
When I arrived in Germany as an exchange student in 1990, nobody could fully grasp the implications of the country’s sudden reunification. Today we know the European Union’s extraordinary expansion eastward would have been unthinkable without it.
Even though I know it better than any other European country, Germany still amazes me with its conservatism. An emphasis on tradition translates into attention to quality and a healthy skepticism toward technology. But it also means inflexibility and a reluctance to change.
Playing to the Gallery
Renewed calls for rapprochement with the Kremlin bear the fingerprints of Gerhard Schröder, who still pulls considerable weight inside the SPD.
“Hotspots”
The word choice was an unhappy mélange of the common meanings of hot spot, evoking a place that was dangerous, crowded, and high-tech all at the same time.
A Dirty – Not Particularly Funny – Poem Just Turned Into an ‘International Crisis’
Just when Angela Merkel thought she had checked “Turkey” off her to-do list, a filth-laden poem read by a late-night comic is presenting her with a new dilemma.
Germany Can Take That Smug Look Off Its Face
Germans are discovering that their society is not as equitable as they once believed, nor immune to the blather of populists.
Europe Declared Peace While the World Was Still at War
The crux of Europe’s quandary in fighting global terrorism mirrors its problems with a shared foreign policy or common currency: a reluctance to sacrifice even more sovereignty on the altar of EU unity.
German Election Bruises Merkel, But Isn’t a Knockout Blow
The emotive issue of how many asylum seekers Germany is morally obliged — and physically capable — to accept is eroding the country’s consensus-driven politics.
Merkel’s Dilemma
The term Mexit is worming its way into Germany’s political vocabulary, because the idea of Merkel’s departure after a decade in power is no longer unthinkable.
Is This the Next Woman to Run Germany?
“I’m happy that I don’t have to drag a backpack through life filled with ideologies that only have a limited shelf life,” said Julia Kloeckner.
When It Comes to Russia, It’s Munich All Over Again – Again
After the Cold War, Europeans became accustomed to gathering in Munich each year to talk about other people’s problems. Now they are learning that fences and seas can’t keep out the rest of the world.
