Stefan Biedermann, a deputy consul of the Los Angeles German Consulate, explained in a lecture the European Union’s history and the challenge posed by the crisis in Ukraine.
PROVO, Utah (Oct 30, 2014)—“Peace. That is the very central word of the European Union,” Stefan Biedermann said, beginning his lecture to students and faculty. To further address the crisis in Ukraine and its ramifications for other countries, the Department of German and Russian hosted Biedermann and his lecture, “New Europe vs. Old Europe: What Can the EU Do in the Ukraine Crisis?” Biedermann currently serves as a deputy consul of the German Consulate in Los Angeles. However, he prefaced his remarks by stating that, on this occasion, he was speaking for himself and not as a representative of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Introducing the European Union and its quest for peace, Biedermann referred to the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s announcement of the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize – awarded to the EU – which said, “The union and its forerunners have for over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.”
For centuries, Biedermann explained, Europe was the continent of war, with conflicts breaking out over religion, territory, ideology and many other reasons. Until 1945, Europe was plagued with nearly constant war, culminating in World Wars I and II. Since then, however, the status quo has changed dramatically. “My generation is the first generation in Europe that has never seen a war,” Biedermann said.
Beginning in 1951 with the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) – a trade agreement signed by Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Luxembourg – European countries have searched for ways to foster strong relations and prevent the outbreak of war. Biedermann said, “That was the basic thought of the European Union. It was a mixture of pragmatism . . . with something I would call a utopia. And the utopia was actually, ‘We have to change this continent into something that makes war impossible.’”
Since coming into being, the EU has continued to grow, with more and more countries joining the ranks. Today, 28 countries compose the EU. However, it wasn’t until recently that Ukraine entered the picture. “We thought it was a quite natural thing that the government of Ukraine decided to sign a treaty of association with the European Union,” Biedermann said. “It makes trade easier. . . . It fosters friendship, in a way. It is far away from membership, and still for the Russians that was the reason for attacking Ukraine {earlier this year}.”
Despite all the progress that has been made for peace in Europe in the decades since WWII, the crisis in Ukraine has shown how much still needs to be done. “What also hit us was how Putin explained what he was doing,” Biedermann said. “He actually used the rhetoric of the nineteenth century. He came back with all the old thinking of territory, the honor of a nation, spheres of influence, geopolitics. So, in Western Europe, where we thought that we had overcome these old ways of thinking and replaced all these old concepts with new friendly concepts, all of a sudden it came up again.”
Regardless, the crisis has seen new and better cooperation between nations. Biedermann said, “Through the actions and rhetoric of President Putin, we find or see more clearly that, in the end, we share common values.” Though terrible, the crisis is fortifying the ties of the European Union, making it stronger in the face of conflict.
Biedermann was accompanied by Hanni Geist, who – after Biedermann’s lecture had ended – gave a brief presentation for the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), an organization that offers students the opportunity to study in German. Previous knowledge of German, though advantageous, is not necessary to qualify for a scholarship, grant or internship. For information on how to apply, visit DAAD’s website, or follow the instructions in DAAD’s application tutorial video.
For future events hosted by the Kennedy Center for International Studies, visit their website. To watch a recording of the lecture and presentation, visit the Kennedy Center’s lecture archive.
—Samuel Wright (B.A. American Studies ’16)
Image courtesy of Kennedy Center for International Studies