Germany

11-14 April 2022: Germany´s role in the EU after 1990, Germany

The aim of the event was to reflect Germany role in Europe after unification. 30 years ago, German unity was a catalyst for European integration. The increase in Germany's de facto position of power in Europe is in fierce contradiction to the guiding idea, developed more and more after the Second World War, that it is not a German Europe but a European Germany that is to be brought about. The meeting started with short presentation of each partner. Participants had reviewed national media asking which picture of Germany is drawn in their respective countries. Comparison and discussion of different media have shown a demanding and skeptical view on Germany’s influence on European integration. The meeting agenda then comprised different national German narrative (such as minorities, the Berlin wall, Western Allies) and explored their influence on German society at large. Experts’ inputs on these topics led to wider discussions within the group and reflected on blind spots in national narratives such as racism and its influence on societies’ perceptions towards common European values.  The thrid day of the meeting was dedicated to develop advertising trailers of the upcoming video documentation “Tears, fears, joy!?” which is the result of the various interviews participants conducted throughout the project. Five different trailers we produced and used to promote the video on Social Media. In a public screening, in a Berlin cinema, extracts of the interviews were presented in the 45 minutes video. Participants discussed their own expectations of the EU and Germany's role in Europe with leading politicians of the time the iron curtain fell.

A few trailers from us