From Bonn to Berlin: Seventy Years of the FRG
When I first visited Bonn in 1973, I had just read John le Carré’s “A Small Town in Germany.” Bonn was as he described it—a comfortable low-key atmosphere vastly different …

Sovereignty Regained, Economic Order Uncertain: Germany’s Social Market Economy at 70
The Federal Republic of Germany gained de jure sovereignty as a nation-state on May 23, 1949, but its road to de facto sovereignty—actual power to advance its interests in the …

Advancing the German-American Alliance
Updating the Transatlantic Partnership for the Next 70 Years AGI-ECFR Berlin Symposium, May 15, 2019 The year 2019 marks several major anniversaries that trace the arc of the transatlantic relationship: …
Pompeo’s No-Show in Berlin: An Occasion for Less Outrage and Considering More Options
When U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo suddenly canceled his visit to Berlin citing “pressing issues,” many Germans felt insulted. It was taken as another slap in the face from …
Recent Authors
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Support Our WorkThe Changing Political Party Landscape in Germany
At first blush, Germany’s political party system appears surprisingly stable, at least when compared with dramatically shifting systems in other European countries. For example, Germany is certainly not France, where …
Ines Wagner, DAAD/AGI Research Fellow
AGI is pleased to welcome Ines Wagner as a DAAD/AGI Research Fellow from May to June 2019. Dr. Wagner is a Senior Researcher at the Institute for Social Research in …

The German Industry Strategy 2030: Inconsistent and Dangerous!
In March, the German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Peter Altmaier, presented the so-called National Industry Strategy 2030: Strategic guidelines for a German and European industrial policy (henceforth …
Axel Heck, DAAD/AGI Research Fellow
AGI is pleased to welcome Axel Heck as a DAAD/AGI Research Fellow from May to mid-July 2019. Dr. Axel Heck is a senior lecturer in International Relations at Kiel University …

Done is Better Than Perfect: Perfectionism is no friend in addressing geopolitical challenges that impact the German economy.
German companies’ ability to perfect processes or products is unique in the global market and lends any export with a “Made in Germany” stamp a certain level of cachet. But …
Episode 09: Legacy of the “Hinge” Years: 1990 to Today
Divided Germany was a microcosm of the standoff between West and East, and the Berlin Wall was the iconic symbol of the Iron Curtain (listen to Episode 2 with Mary …

Welcoming Communities, Embracing Diversity – A Transatlantic Motto
Dallas, TX, Fayetteville, AR, and Nuremberg, Germany all have something in common: They have been developing a plan to welcome newcomers in their midst. What drives these initiatives? Economic growth …