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What Transatlantic Organizations Can Do to Strengthen German-American Relations

The ongoing German public diplomacy initiative “Wunderbar Together,” celebrating German-American friendship, appears to belie the present tensions between the two countries. The state of German-American diplomatic relations has hit a …

Dazed and Confused: Germany’s Inner Struggle to Mature

This year’s Munich Security Conference (MSC) once again illustrated the stark contrast in world views on matters of international security and defense. While it was to be expected that Western …

Germany and European Security: Ready to Leave the Comfort Zone Yet?

2019 will be a pivotal year for European security. NATO, the central pillar of Europe’s security architecture to date, turns 70, while the gap between the United States and European …

The German Strategic Debate Gets Serious

As the annual Munich Security conference convenes this weekend, the debate on how Germany and Europe should respond to the Trump administration’s positions on NATO and the European Union (EU) …

Does Germany Need a Plan B?

Thomas Bagger is one of the most thoughtful diplomats of his generation.  Currently the Director of Foreign Policy in the Office of the Federal President, he has previously served as …

Jeff Rathke on Voice of America’s “Encounter”

Jeff Rathke, AGI President, and Thomas Wright, Director of the Center on the United States and Europe at the Brookings Institution, join host Carol Castiel on VOA’s “Encounter” program to …

Milestones with Mixed Messages: German-American Relations at 70

In 2019, we will mark a number of meaningful milestones in German-American relations: seventy years since the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany and NATO and thirty years since …

Getting Over the Cold War. Why German-American Relations Need a New Narrative

According to the planners of Germany’s current year-long public diplomacy campaign, Deutschlandjahr USA, Germany and the United States are “Wunderbar Together.” Under this—some would say catchy, some would say naïve—slogan, …

How a Public Relations Framework Can Help Us Rethink Transatlanticism

PR is often discounted as salesmanship or deception. But PR at its essence is about explaining something—an idea, a product, or a policy—in compelling terms. Drafting a public relations strategy …

Will Merkel’s Retreat Spark German Foreign Policy Renewal?

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has ruled Germany since 2005 and for 49 of the past 69 years—its election of a new party leader December 7 will have far-reaching impact …

Remembering George H. W. Bush and Germany: A True Partner in Leadership

The death of former president George H. W. Bush will be mourned in Germany as well as in his home country.  He was, along with Harry Truman, the most consequential …

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 …