Building a European Germany: Next Steps?
In 1989, the fall of the Berlin Wall—and subsequent German unity—was a dream come true for Germans. Over the next few years the dream of a larger Europe, whole and …
Episode 02: The Wall: Legacy of Divided Berlin
When the Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989, it was a surprise to many. For an entire generation, the Berlin Wall was the most iconic physical manifestation of the …
The German Model and its Discontents
Germany and the United States share a legal tradition and constitution that promotes equality for all those living within its borders. However, real world examples show that within these borders …
Merkel’s Retreat
Angela Merkel’s name appeared nowhere on the ballot October 28 as voters went to the polls in the western German state of Hesse. But this election sealed the fate of …
Recent Authors
AGI provides knowledge, insights, and networks as tools to solve the challenges ahead.
Support Our Work
Angst of Demise: The Dilemma of German Social Democracy After the Elections in Hesse
Surviving in a Multiparty Political Environment After the recent disastrous election results in the states of Bavaria and Hesse, the ground is shifting rapidly for Germany’s Grand Coalition of CDU/CSU …
Refugees bring the downfall of Germany’s Angela Merkel
AGI President Jeff Rathke spoke with NewstalkZB, a nationwide New Zealand talk radio network, about the role that the refugee crisis played in Merkel’s and the CDU’s declining popularity and …
Local Election in Hesse has National Impact
The state election in Hesse was a disaster for Germany’s two Volksparteien, the CDU and the SPD. Although the CDU remains the strongest party with 28 percent, this election marks …
Berlin Is Not Bonn—But Also Not Weimar
Today marks the end of a political era with Angela Merkel’s announcement not to seek reelection as party chair of the Christian Democrats in December. In the influential 1956 book …
Next-Generation Veterans Vie for Congress
But will they fight for Europe? Martha McSally, the Republican candidate in the Senate race in Arizona, touts her past as a fighter pilot to ridicule her Democratic opponent: “While …
Workforce Integration of Immigrants in the United States and Germany
Local and Religious Perspectives As immigrants and refugees arrive in both the U.S. and Germany, they must quickly navigate new bureaucracies, languages, and workforces. Religious institutions and organizations are key …
Berlin Protests Highlight Need for Sound Employment Discrimination Laws in Germany
This past weekend, tens of thousands of protestors gathered in Berlin to take part in a demonstration to support an “open and free” German society. Organizers planned the #unteilbar demonstration …
