Germany and East-Central Europe. Political, economic and socio-cultural relations in the era of EU enlargement

Abstract:

This book argues that Germany has been the decisive Member State in promoting the transition and accession to the EU for the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. This was not due entirely to an altruistic motivation, for the region of CEE offered enormous opportunity to Germany if the transition could be managed effectively. This work explores the strains and stresses on the German economy and the political and cultural pressures brought on by the process, looking particularly at German relations with the Czech Republic and Hungary.

The book is organised over nine chapters, the first of which is by way of introduction. Chapter two explores the historical background and the influence of national identity together with the importance of geopolitical boundaries and land ownership. Chapter three looks at Europe from an international relations perspective and offers an overview of the enlargement process and its effect on the EU system. The fourth chapter concentrates upon commercial and economic matters, specifically the roles of German private enterprise and state actors. Chapter five examines linkages between culture, commerce and foreign policy and underlines the need for appropriate state funding to support cultural exchanges between civil societies. Chapter six turns to consider German minorities and the qualified success of an exercise in Silesia to form a ‘bridging’ function in Polish-German relations. Chapter seven analyses attitudes in the German polity, the domestic politics of eastern enlargement and the influences on the SPD-Green Alliance Government, and the politicisation of the ‘Europe’ issue. The costs and benefits of enlargement for Germany are assessed in chapter eight, with real doubts expressed that without major reform to significant areas of policy, break-even might be the best outcome to hope for. Chapter nine concludes the work with a look at bilateral relations and EU enlargement in a wider international context.

The work will interest scholars, students, researchers and policy makers engaged in European Studies, European enlargement and integration, and studies in German and Central Eastern Europe politics.