Germany - Views from abroad Part 1

Question 1

Conflicting images of Germany

Answer 1

‘Generation Merkel’: caring benevolent Germans (Willkommenskultur)

vs.

harsh, heartless hegemon of the euro zone, using its economic predominance to force its vision on weaker members

Germany is in fact the largest creditor country in the euro zone and an advocate of closer European economic and political integration

Question 2

Germany, Foreign policy/ military:

Germany’s post-war approach

Answer 2

• no foreign policy independent of its allies, solely defined in the context of the cold war and reunification
• Bundeswehr originally designed as a defensive army
• legacy of a culture of atonement due to its past
• “culture of military restraint”, reluctance to lead
• refraining from military missions i the name of pacifism
• collaborative role in NATO (since 1955)

Question 3

Germany, Foreign policy/ military:

Latest developments

Answer 3

• trend towards a more assertive role: global diplomatic force and military deployment
• accused of free riding and shirking for quite some time
• efforts to modernize, restructure the German understaffed underfinanced armed forces
• increase of German commitment and defense spending