The 70th Anniversary of the Federal Republic of Germany: Challenges and Opportunities for the German-American Future and the Atlantic Community
On May 23, 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany was established, a new state formed out of the zones of American, British, and French occupation. It was an incomplete step …
From Bonn to Berlin: Seventy Years of the FRG
When I first visited Bonn in 1973, I had just read John le Carré’s “A Small Town in Germany.” Bonn was as he described it—a comfortable low-key atmosphere vastly different …
Sovereignty Regained, Economic Order Uncertain: Germany’s Social Market Economy at 70
The Federal Republic of Germany gained de jure sovereignty as a nation-state on May 23, 1949, but its road to de facto sovereignty—actual power to advance its interests in the …
Advancing the German-American Alliance
Updating the Transatlantic Partnership for the Next 70 Years AGI-ECFR Berlin Symposium, May 15, 2019 The year 2019 marks several major anniversaries that trace the arc of the transatlantic relationship: …
Pompeo’s No-Show in Berlin: An Occasion for Less Outrage and Considering More Options
When U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo suddenly canceled his visit to Berlin citing “pressing issues,” many Germans felt insulted. It was taken as another slap in the face from …
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Germany: Hegemon or Free Rider?
Germany has been the most pro-European of all the big players within the EU. Europe’s largest country in terms of population and economic weight, Germany has always been reluctant to …
Frustration in US over Germany’s defense spending shortfall
AGI President Jeff Rathke tells Michael Knigge in Deutsche Welle, “There is very little understanding in the United States, quite frankly — whether among Republicans or Democrats — for the German government’s …
A Germany Alone?
Those trying to hold the transatlantic relationship together now not only have to contend with the tweets and erratic policies emanating from the White House, but with the actions and …
What Transatlantic Organizations Can Do to Strengthen German-American Relations
The ongoing German public diplomacy initiative “Wunderbar Together,” celebrating German-American friendship, appears to belie the present tensions between the two countries. The state of German-American diplomatic relations has hit a …
Dazed and Confused: Germany’s Inner Struggle to Mature
This year’s Munich Security Conference (MSC) once again illustrated the stark contrast in world views on matters of international security and defense. While it was to be expected that Western …
Germany and European Security: Ready to Leave the Comfort Zone Yet?
2019 will be a pivotal year for European security. NATO, the central pillar of Europe’s security architecture to date, turns 70, while the gap between the United States and European …
The German Strategic Debate Gets Serious
As the annual Munich Security conference convenes this weekend, the debate on how Germany and Europe should respond to the Trump administration’s positions on NATO and the European Union (EU) …
