"I had long foreseen that the Soviet empire would disintegrate - like every other empire. But it was almost inconceivable to me that the Wall would end up on the rubble tip of history the way it did, with such spontaneity and force. ... To my generation, the Iron Curtain was something like the Alps, more or less a feature of Europe's physical landscape. ... 1989 has a message of its own too. The revolutions in Prague or East Berlin stand for a new model, that of a velvet revolution: peaceful, evolutionary, self-limiting. ... In this sense, the revolutions of 1989 were an answer to the French Revolution. Because that started and ended with violence. ... We Europeans should promote the model of peaceful system change much more resolutely. The velvet revolution - that's the European way. ... The anthropology of communism was all wrong. People simply aren't all angels. Of course it's a fascinating idea to establish a paradise on earth. ... Then of course there was the competition with the West; not only in economic terms, but also in terms of opportunities in life, attitudes towards life; the East fell even back in social terms. ... They were ideological regimes which lived off public lies and their semantic monopoly - as described by George Orwell. This monopoly was broken."
"Solo on the Globe"
Foreign policy: The German minister of development aid, Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeil, has a strong sense of mission and no qualms at all about encroaching on the territory of foreign minister Joschka Fischer. He in turn has found no way of dealing with her.
"A Gloomy Picture"
SPIEGEL interview with US economist C. Fred Bergsten about America's economy after the elections, the effects of a misguided policy on Europe and Asia, and about how a new recession might be avoided.
"Permanent State of Alarm"
SPIEGEL interview with Richard Sennett, professor of sociology, about the consequences of the US elections for Europe and the world:
"Europe has got to become even more unified and stronger in the way it deals with the USA. ... Europe has now got to shield itself even better in economic terms from the disastrous economic consequences of the election outcome. ... The Europeans need a conclusive, united policy to protect themselves against a possible American recession."
"Germany Should Be the Locomotive"
SPIEGEL in-depth interview with Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero about the crisis in and the chances for the European Union, relations between the United States and Europe after the war in Iraq, and about his reform of Spanish society and the conflict with the Roman Catholic church:
"Europe must believe in the fact that, in twenty years' time, it might be the most important world power, because it has every chance of becoming that. ... Like most Europeans, we Spaniards believe that the world is a better place when the United States and Europe work together and can count on each other. ... We hope that this will happen more than ever on the basis of a dialogue that is characterised by honesty and respect for the principles and ideals of one's partner. ... I respect the church, but I believe that the separation of politics and religion is crucial in order for society to be able to continue to develop."
"Tough against Iran"
SPIEGEL interview with US writer David Frum about the faith of the Americans in their re-elected president and the deep alienation between the United States and Europe:
"The Americans consider George W. Bush to be someone they can trust. They don't always agree with him, because in ideological terms Bush is probably right of centre. But people believe he is capable of making the right decisions, especially when it comes to national security. ... Iran has understood the message: American threats are meant seriously. ... When people talk about military strikes, it's solely a matter of undercover operations and possible air strikes."
"I'm a Guitar Hippie"
SPIEGEL interview with American writer David Sedaris, 47, about his world-wide success, his life as an exile in France and his latest collection of stories:
"Money doesn't change your character; instead it's more a question of what's inside you. Sounds good, doesn't it. But you can save your praise: you have to have phrases like that at your fingertips when you're rich. I assure you: it's fantastic. More wonderful than most are prepared to admit. ... First of all my brothers and sisters and my father get to read everything I write beforehand. I don't tell them whether or not I intend do publish it, because otherwise there's a danger that they'll give the stories their blessing just because of the money. ... The French let you feel all the time how much they despise Bush and that you in some way share the responsibility for this misfortune. But that's okay. It makes me realise much more clearly, how American I am."
"Without the Aristocracy There Would Be No Museums"
SPIEGEL interview with Karl Count Eltz about his famous castle near the Moselle, the historic passion of princes and kings for collecting things, and a spectacular exhibition that opens next week in Munich's House of Art and shows the art treasures of German aristocratic families:
"For centuries, the aristocracy has invested money into art. The treasure vaults and curios of the courts and the other aristocracy gave rise to modern-day museums. ... If you want to collect modern art, you either need money or the genius of knowing in advance what will maintain its value and ideally increase in value. However there are a few wonderful aristocratic collections of modern art, such as that of Franz Duke of Bavaria, the head of the Wittelsbach house. ... I am grateful that the castle is so famous, particularly abroad - after all it is very beautiful. In America, Eltz is the epitome of Romanticism and, so I'm told, the third best known German building after the Brandenburg Gate and Neuschwanstein. But its upkeep devours a huge amount of money. ... The aristocracy is heterogeneous, even though it is often interrelated. We are a large, fairly international family. With us, even the sixth degree is considered to be related - in this respect the aristocracy cultivates a special form of nepotism."
"A Series of Defeats"
Wage policy: The Volkswagen wage agreement is putting the unions and employers in the metalworking industry under pressure. Medium-sized businesses are demanding lower wages for everyone, while the metalworkers' union IG Metall is discussing a fundamental reform of the wage-rate system.
"The Hour of the Bought Promoters"
Drugs: Internal documents show how Merck tried to cover up the risks associated with the painkiller Vioxx. This could drive the compensation claims to enormous heights.
"The Mercy of Being in the Second Line"
Contemporary history: The protagonists of the German revolution are gradually making their peace with the new German republic, and with their more pragmatic comrades-in-arms. 15 years after the fall of the Wall, a new common memory of the autumn of 1989 is gradually emerging.
"The Universal Formula of Metabolism"
Medicine: Inflammation is turning out to be a crucial process within the body. It not only serves to destroy bacteria and heal wounds. Recent research also shows that if the complex inflammatory process goes out of control, this can lead to heart attacks, cancer, diabetes and Altsheimer's. A great number of diseases appear to share a common engine, a universal principle of control which is trivially everyday and at the same time highly complex, ancient and yet extremely topical: inflammation. Not just immunologists, but also pathologists, pharmacologists, cardiologists, diabetologists, neurologists and cancer researchers are suddenly displaying a strong interest in the phenomenon of inflammation. They are hoping that their research will reveal a path to effective drugs against a multitude of diseases, which is why they are joining forces on an interdisciplinary basis.
"The Internet of Objects"
Electronics: Radio chips on yoghurt, books and pullovers are to revolutionise the retail industry. The business world is hoping for billion-dollar profits. How great is the danger of consumer's being probed and spied upon, though? Recently, the industry, too, has been discovering the importance of data security.
"Class Struggle in Paradise"
Tourism: A Munich couple has realised a dream that many of us share, creating a haven of utter relaxation in a beautiful bay, far from the rest of the world. But their idyll has repeatedly been threatened by left-wing guerrillas - and now these are even members of the Sri Lankan government.
© DER SPIEGEL 46/2004
All Rights Reserved
Reproduction only allowed with the permission of SPIEGELnet GmbH
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