Briefing paper on why the new President of the EU should definitely come from Germany.

Germany over recent decades has become a diverse nation in expansive multiculturalism, which has prospered continuously since the countries liberation in 1989, due `to the migration of GDR populations and fleeing citizens of eastern nations, “Many people were of the opinion that there was no hope for change in the GDR, More and more people were leaving the country. Many risked great danger in fleeing Others tried to leave legally- Nevertheless tense of thousands decided to pursue this route” .Through the fall of the Berlin wall the country became the symbol of hope towards peace in Europe, which followed with the rapid decline in communism in the eastern block, until the end of communism in Russia in 1991. “The Year 1989, which transformed not only Germany but all of Europe” historians have often looked upon 1989 as being an imperative date for history “the revolutions of 1989 no matter how one judges their nature, a true world historical event” .Germany though a controversial candidate for the EU Presidency is not unlike any other candidate of its kind, almost all of the superpowers to be nominated have a destructive past, through imperialistic domination of developing countries, and even though the concept of a German being the ruler of the continent is frightening, for previously conquered nations in Europe, the greatest method for improvement is surely for Europe to embrace their feared past and look forward to the future, in the same context as America have done, with the election for the first African American President Barrack Obama, despite hundreds of years of slavery, and black segregation. Europe should look upon America as the role model, in order to leave behind blame upon Germany of the horrific history of the First and Second World Wars, or Nazi involvement in the holocaust. This could be achieved by placing Berlin as the centre of the European Union, thus productively moving forward for German History, e.g. of trust in Germany at this time playing a vital role in institutions by housing the European Central Bank, emplaced since the accordance of the Dec 1991 Maastricht treaty “the ECB pursues the twofold aim of ensuring the stability of the euro and at the same time making available the necessary means to finance economic growth in the Monetary Union”

Germany’s candidacy for the title of EU President comes with a long extended history from the golden age of Europe, during the formation of the state in 1871 the German Empire founded by William I backed by Prussian Might, saw a climb in economic growth during the second industrial revolution, 1871-1914. Germany defensively came under fire from the military manoeuvres before the First World War, causing for defensive tactics, upping the arms race in pre war years, Germany’s primary intentions were misunderstood. On the outbreak of the assignation of the Arch Duke of Austria, Germany moved to a position of war many believed to be of a short period, similar to the earlier Franco-Prussian war 1871, the First World War of 1914-1918 was a war of accidental stagnation between the Axis powers and the Entente, as war continued entrenchments became deeper, Germany fell further into an irreversible position, after their loss Germany was branded as being a defeated nation, facing humiliation at Versailles 1919, and lost Alsace and Loraine, including the Rhine land and the Industrial Ruhr to France, Rising communism across Europe, Economic decline followed with Nationalist unrest resulted in the rise of Fascism, to grow popular amongst the German and Italian nations, resulting in the National Socialist Party coming to power in Germany, ensuing a wave of radical racial changes against the Germanic Jewish population, Chancellor Hitler maintained visions of a reinstated powerful Father Land, beginning to invade countries believing to contain German speaking peoples, regaining lost territory to France and advancing into Eastern Europe claiming Czechoslovakia, and Poland in 1939, the Second World War ensued due to the worlds outrage of Hitler’s actions, and a battle for the next six years saw Germany climb to a size similar in power to the Roman Empire, yet unthinkable massacres of millions of Jews, Russian prisoners, and Polish, left Germany falling into an unforgettable dark history which has hindered the ease of their future acceptation into Europe after 1945

The German nation was divided after 1945 by the Soviet Union whose dictator Stalin rolled across Eastern Europe ultimately dividing Germany by the construction of the Berlin Wall, in 1961 forming the German Democratic Republic in East Germany and the Iron Curtain, the West now became the German Federal Republic soon to become the model for an economically booming state, America and France came to the GFR aid, bringing the olive branch of peace, the Marshal plan Aid helped acclimatise the West German Economy, and the formation of the OEEC with France, forming a new Franco German Alliance followed, in the European Coal and Steel Community 1951 with six EU nations of France, GFR, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Italy prospered. The GDR declined under Soviet Rule the German people yearned to be united mutually, perhaps the east even more so, due to the states ruthless control, overwhelming consensus, thousands of Germans fled the GDR either legally or illegally applying for visas over 30 years of Russian Occupation, on the eve of German reunification Berlin was reborn, and has since begun to be the centre of architectural change in Europe and still remains a thriving economic centre, since the fall of the Berlin wall, Berlin has been reinstated as the capital of Germany, and has since become one of the most modernised cities of Europe

Germany even though a young nation has undergone dramatic changes in the last hundred years, making it the most diverse state today, for individuality, liberation, freedom of speech by its people, and its vastly growing industries, “The federal Republic of Germany is one of the major industrial countries. In terms of overall economic performance it is the third largest, and with regard to world trade it holds second place, it is one of the seven leading countries”, Berlin is not just one of the major cities in Europe, as Paris or Rome, one believes it to be the most significant city on the continent, to be able to control the vast amount of political cooperation and trade which must travel through Germany in the Single Market of the SEA signed 1987 to lower all boarders by 1992, the German nation is a world leading character who after various stages of development deserve to hold the title for EU Presidency.

“Ich bin eine Berliner” –John F Kennedy

Bibliography

Marianne Birthler, “The Peaceful Revolution of the Fall of 1989” Bulletin of the German Historical Institute (Washington DC) No.44 (spring 2009) pp43-57

Merriman, J “A history of Modern Europe from the French Revolution to the present”(2004 London)

Milan Hauner “Did Hitler Want a World Domination” Journal of Contemporary History, Vol.13 (1978)pp15-32

Mordechai Kreinin, “The Outer Seven” and European Integration’ The American Economic Review, Vol. 50:3 1960 pp370-86

Societats-Verlag “Press and information of the Federal Government facts about Germany”(Frankfurt 1998)

Vladimir Tismananeanu, “The Revolutions of 1989: Causes, Meanings, Consequences’, Contemporary European History vol. 18 (2009 place unknown) p271

Word count: 1,298

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