Wilfried Loth – författare

How did Germany come to be divided during the Cold War? The renowned German historian Wilfired Loth has examined the archives of the Eastern side and comes to fascinating conclusions. He demonstrates that Stalin wanted neither a separate state on the soil of the Soviet Occupation Zone nor a socialist state in Germany at all. Instead, Stalin sought a joint administration of Germany by the victorious powers, a Germany along the lines of the Weimar Republic. The socialist separate state of the GDR is primarily the product of Walter Ulbricht's revolutionary zeal, which was able to unfold in the context of the Western walling-off policy.

Containing essays by leading Cold War scholars, such as Wilfried Loth, Geir Lundestad and Seppo Hentilä, this volume offers a broad-ranging examination of the history of détente in the Cold War. The ten years from 1965 to 1975 marked a deep transformation of the bipolar international system of the Cold War. The Vietnam War and the Prague Spring showed the limits of the two superpowers, who were constrained to embark on a wide-ranging détente policy, which culminated with the SALT agreements of 1972. At the same time this very détente opened new venues for the European countries: French policy towards the USSR and the German Ostpolitik being the most evident cases in point. For the first time since the 1950s, Western Europe began to participate in the shaping of the Cold War. The same could not be said of Eastern Europe, but ferments began to establish themselves there which would ultimately lead to the astounding changes of 1989-90: the Prague Spring, the uprisings in Gdansk in 1970 and generally the rise of the dissident movement. That last process being directly linked to the far-reaching event which marked the end of that momentous decade: the Helsinki conference. The Making of Détente will appeal to students of the Cold War, international history and European contemporary history.

Containing essays by leading Cold War scholars, such as Wilfried Loth, Geir Lundestad and Seppo Hentilä, this volume offers a broad-ranging examination of the history of détente in the Cold War. The ten years from 1965 to 1975 marked a deep transformation of the bipolar international system of the Cold War. The Vietnam War and the Prague Spring showed the limits of the two superpowers, who were constrained to embark on a wide-ranging détente policy, which culminated with the SALT agreements of 1972. At the same time this very détente opened new venues for the European countries: French policy towards the USSR and the German Ostpolitik being the most evident cases in point. For the first time since the 1950s, Western Europe began to participate in the shaping of the Cold War. The same could not be said of Eastern Europe, but ferments began to establish themselves there which would ultimately lead to the astounding changes of 1989-90: the Prague Spring, the uprisings in Gdansk in 1970 and generally the rise of the dissident movement. That last process being directly linked to the far-reaching event which marked the end of that momentous decade: the Helsinki conference. The Making of Détente will appeal to students of the Cold War, international history and European contemporary history.

Walter Hallstein was among the great European visionaries. The book contains sections on his contribution as State Secretary to post-war German foreign policy, his seminal role as the first President of the Commission of the EEC and the legacy of his work and ideas and later years as President of the European Movement.

No detailed description available for "Continental Plans for European Union 1939–1945".

No detailed description available for "Plans for European Union in Great Britain and in Exile 1939–1945".

No detailed description available for "The Struggle for European Union by Political Parties and Pressure Groups in Western European Countries 1945–1950".

No detailed description available for "Transnational Organizations of Political Parties and Pressure Groups in the Struggle for European Union, 1945–1950".

Relying on internal sources, Wilfried Loth analyses the birth and subsequent development of the European Union, from the launch of the Council of Europe and the Schuman Declaration until the Euro crisis and the contested European presidential election of Jean-Claude Juncker. This book shines a light on the crises of the European integration, such as the failure of the European Defence Community, De Gaulle’s empty chair policy, or the rejection of the European Constitution in France and the Netherlands, but also highlights the indubitable successes that are the Franco-German reconciliation, the establishment of the European common market, and the establishment of an expanding common currency. What this study accomplishes, for the first time, is to illuminate the driving forces behind the European integration process and how it changed European politics and society.“An enlightening work. A required reading for all who doubt the unfinished history of Europe.” – Rolf Steininger, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.“This book will become an indispensable standard work.” – Jörg Himmelreich, Neue Zürcher Zeitung.

Relying on internal sources, Wilfried Loth analyses the birth and subsequent development of the European Union, from the launch of the Council of Europe and the Schuman Declaration until the Euro crisis and the contested European presidential election of Jean-Claude Juncker. This book shines a light on the crises of the European integration, such as the failure of the European Defence Community, De Gaulle’s empty chair policy, or the rejection of the European Constitution in France and the Netherlands, but also highlights the indubitable successes that are the Franco-German reconciliation, the establishment of the European common market, and the establishment of an expanding common currency. What this study accomplishes, for the first time, is to illuminate the driving forces behind the European integration process and how it changed European politics and society.“An enlightening work. A required reading for all who doubt the unfinished history of Europe.” – Rolf Steininger, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.“This book will become an indispensable standard work.” – Jörg Himmelreich, Neue Zürcher Zeitung.

Befinden wir uns auf dem Weg zu einer europaischen Gesellschaft, in der nationalstaatliche Verfasstheit, gemeinsame Traditionen und gleichartige Pragungen durch die Herausforderungen der Globalisierung produktiv zusammenwirken? Eine interdisziplinare Forschergruppe geht dieser Frage systematisch nach. Dabei werden Chancen fur das Gelingen einer europaischen Zivilisation ebenso aufgezeigt wie die Gefahr, dass die Europaer in der Spannung zwischen Globalisierung und Individualisierung ihre Gestaltungsfahigkeit verlieren.

Vertiefung und Erweiterung charakterisieren die Europäische Union zu Be­ ginn des 21. Jahrhunderts. Als erfolgreiches Ordnungsmodell des europäi­ schen Kontinents kommt sie nicht umhin, auch jene europäischen Staaten in ihre Reihen aufzunehmen, die aus den unterschiedlichen Gründen bislang Abstand gehalten hatten. Insbesondere muß sie jenen Staaten einen Platz bieten, die lange Jahre Abstand halten mußten, weil sie bei der Teilung Euro­ pas durch den Ost-West-Konflikt auf die sowjetische Seite geraten waren. Gleichzeitig drängen sich der Europäischen Union neue Aufgaben auf: sozial­ und wirtschaftspolitische Harmonisierung nach der Vollendung der Wäh­ rungsunion, Umwelt- und Verbraucherschutz, Verbrechensbekämpfung, eine gemeinsame Außenpolitik und eine eigenständige Sicherheitspolitik. All dies macht institutionelle Reformen noch dringlicher, als sie ohnehin schon sind: Mit einer Struktur, die ursprünglich auf die Herbeiführung und Gewährlei­ stung eines Gemeinsamen Marktes von sechs Mitgliedsstaaten hin konzipiert war, kann die Europäische Union den vielfältigen Aufgaben, die sie unterdes­ sen übernommen hat und jetzt noch zusätzlich übernehmen muß, nicht mehr gerecht werden. Vertiefung und Erweiterung stellen keine gegensätzlichen Optionen dar, auch wenn dies viele Anwälte einseitiger Interessenpolitik behaupten. Weder läßt sich die Osterweiterung der Europäischen Union mit dem Hinweis auf die zuvor erforderlichen Reformen auf die lange Bank schieben noch wird eine solche gewaltige Ausweitung der Mitgliederzahl ohne eine Stärkung der Ge­ meinschaftsstrukturen zu leisten sein. Wie beides miteinander in Einklang gebracht werden soll, ist damit freilich noch nicht gesagt. Die gegenwärtige Umgestaltung der Europäischen Union istGegenstand eines politischen Kräfteringens ebenso wie einer ideell-konzeptionellen Debatte.