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Willy Brandt and Europe

Ongoing research project, PD Dr. Frank Wolff (Bundeskanzler-Willy-Brandt-Stiftung)

From his first articles in exile to his last book project, Willy Brandt never let go of the question of a united Europe: Why do we need European unification? Who belongs to this Europe? What structure should it have and for whom should it be built? Who and what stands in its way? And last but not least: What could a social democratic Europe – and a European social democracy – look like?

Until now, research has only selectively looked at Willy Brandt’s European policy thinking and actions, with a clear focus on the exile years and his chancellorship. However, Brandt’s European policy was characterized by both continuity and change. On the one hand, he adhered to fixed values for decades, while on the other he acted flexibly and pragmatically in matters of detail. Alongside his European policy successes, he also experienced defeats, setbacks and disappointments, which he addressed openly and critically. Just as Brandt fought for the deepening and expansion of the EEC, campaigned for a freely elected European Parliament, envisioned the CSCE and insisted on the integration of Eastern Europe, he also wrestled with the (post)colonial character of the European project, was frustrated by the slow integration of citizens and his calls for a social union fell on deaf ears. These innovations, interventions and frustrations not only transformed the European project, they are also essential for a better understanding of the young socialist journalist, the aspiring politician, the chancellor or the elder statesman Brandt. His commitment is thus also a prism for the ongoing but also changing efforts of numerous European individuals, groups and parties to combine the institutionalization of political Europe with overarching social democratic values of peace, justice and global understanding.

In the spirit of a socially aware intellectual history, the research project explores Willy Brandt’s European political thought and work in two parts: The first part will be an anthology that compiles, comments on and contextualizes selected texts by Willy Brandt on European politics for university teaching, political education and a broader interested readership. Secondly, and building on this, there is a scholarly monograph on Brandt’s reflections on European politics from his youth to old age. His critical thoughts make it clear that the often criticized “European deficits” are by no means just unresolved tasks, but rather the results of decisions that have been made. Brandt’s interventions as well as his frustrations are therefore ideal starting points for questioning the prominent master narrative of the difficult but ultimately successful European unification.

PD Dr. Frank Wolff

Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter