In This Issue: Anthony Appiah Jane Dailey Norbert Frei Richard C

The Berlin Journal A Magazine from the American Academy in Berlin | Number Eleven | Fall 2005

In this issue: Anthony Appiah Jane Dailey Norbert Frei Richard C. Holbrooke Ian Johnson Nicole Krauss Kenneth Pollack and others

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The Berlin Journal Contents Number Eleven | Fall 2005

Lee Friedlander, Eureka Band Member, New Orleans (1958). GalerieandCologne Francisco ThomasSanGallery,Zander, Fraenkel Courtesy of

As this issue goes to press, the waters in and around New Orleans have Challenging the Color Line Islam in Europe only begun to recede, and the vastness of the human tragedy becomes more visible every day. America’s internal, painful debate seems 23 Anthony Appiah gives an 46 Ian Johnson took a course account of the German in Islamology to learn how magnified, if not simplified in the European press. Some politicians influences underlying W.E.B. European Muslims deal with and pundits have been judgmental and ideological, but there has also Du Bois’s cosmopolitanism. the dilemmas of harmonizing been an efflorescence of generosity from many in Germany who share sharia with everyday life. the pain of Americans and wish to help. We send them our sincere 27 Jane Dailey on how quickly the 50 Jytte Klausen gratitude and see in their support a demonstration of the strong bond African American community spent last fall understood the Nazi’s murder- at the Academy interviewing between our nations. ous intent and the strides black Germany’s Muslim elite for her -G.S. soldiers made for civil rights by forthcoming study of Muslim fighting Hitler in Berlin. leaders in Europe.

To End a War Academy News Arts and Belles Lettres

4 Kenneth Pollack, whose analysis of Iran’s nuclear threat recently 31 Remembering Lloyd Cutler 54 Jonathan Safran Foer and riveted Academy guests, advises here on how to fight the Staatsoper Unter den Linden insurgency in Iraq. His message: remember Vietnam. 35 Notebook of the Academy: premiered their operatic Special guests, Trustee news, collaboration, Seven Attempted 10 Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke looks back, a decade after the Academy’s Carnegie Hall Escapes from Silence in the Dayton Accords, on overcoming the many impediments debut, and a sneak preview of September. A scrapbook. to bringing peace to the Balkans. A glimpse into the intense next spring’s fellows. diplomatic efforts made by his negotiating team. 58 Norman Manea’s novella, The 38 Life and Letters: People and Interrogation, translated from 16 Derek Chollet’s careful chronicle of the talks that ended the projects during the fall and Romanian into English in 1993, bloody war in Bosnia will be published this fall. One episode from a list of the latest Academy takes on new resonance in the an engrossing narrative. alumni publications. age of Abu Ghraib. 42 On the Waterfront: A sampler 61 Nicole Krauss, who reads from 18 Norbert Frei on the tensions over German memory, sixty years from the German press, with her new novel this fall in Berlin, after the end of World War II. Germans spoke this spring guest appearances by Justice writes about a man and a about breaking “taboos,” criticizing the victors, and identifying Margaret Marshall, former bridge. themselves as victims. Have decades of remembering German congressman Newt Gingrich, wartime suffering been forgotten? and sec’s Roel Campos. 65 Donations to the Academy

Number Eleven | Fall 2005 The Berlin Journal Trustees of the American Academy A Magazine from the Hans Arnhold Center Editorial Published twice a year by the American Honorary Chairmen Academy in Berlin Thomas L. Farmer Shaping History Henry A. Kissinger Number Eleven – Fall 2005 Richard von Weizsäcker In his June acceptance speech for the prestigious Deutsche Editor Gary Smith Chairman Nationalstiftung award, Academy Trustee Fritz Stern reflected Co-Editor Miranda Robbins Richard C. Holbrooke upon the power of the historian’s pen. Historical understand- Editorial Assistant Rachel Marks ing is a red thread running through this eleventh issue of External Affairs Director Renate Pöppel Vice Chairman Design Susanna Dulkinys and United Gahl Hodges Burt the Berlin Journal, which begins with a piece by Middle Designers Network East expert Kenneth Pollack, who cautiously applies lessons Original Drawings Ben Katchor President learned in Vietnam to the US dilemma in Iraq. Printed by Neef + Stumme, Wittingen Robert H. Mundheim When the Academy’s chairman Richard Holbrooke

The Berlin Journal is funded through Treasurer returned to the State Department in 1994 after a year as US advertising and tax-deductible donations, Karl M. von der Heyden ambassador to Germany, he became immersed in a crisis on which we greatly appreciate. Europe’s edge: the Balkans. Holbrooke’s greatest legacy to date Contributions may be made by check is the agreement wrung out in 21 days and nights at Wright- or by bank transfer to: Trustees American Academy in Berlin Kwame Anthony Appiah Patterson Air Force base in Dayton, Ohio exactly a decade ago. Berliner Sparkasse John P. Birkelund Always alert to the demands of history, Holbrooke (who had Account no. 660 000 9908 Diethart Breipohl persuaded Professor Stern to join him in Bonn as his men- BLZ 100 500 00 Gahl Hodges Burt tor), engaged a gifted young aide, Derek Chollet, to conduct Verwendungszweck: Berlin Journal Gerhard Casper interviews with all parties over six months. Chollet’s chronicle Thomas L. Farmer All rights reserved Marina Kellen French will be published just in time for the celebrations marking ISSN 1610-6490 Vartan Gregorian Dayton’s decennial. Andrew S. Gundlach 2005 marked, of course, another anniversary. The tension On the cover: Anselm Kiefer, H 0 (2003), Franz Haniel 2 in Germany between remembering May 8, 1945 in terms gouache on photo paper.�� On loan to the Jon Vanden Heuvel American Academy in Berlin from the Karl M. von der Heyden of defeat or liberation, victimization or complicity, has been Stiftung Sammlung Marx, Hamburger Bahn- Richard C. Holbrooke palpable in every postwar decade. As Norbert Frei’s essay hof-Museum für Gegenwart, Berlin Dieter von Holtzbrinck (based on a talk given this May in Professor Stern’s honor) Michael J. Inacker warns, what is at stake in rituals marking the end of the The American Academy in Berlin Josef Joffe Gary Smith, Executive Director Henry A. Kissinger war is nothing less than German identity. The response of John C. Kornblum African-Americans to World War II was considerably more Am Sandwerder 17–19 Otto Graf Lambsdorff clear-sighted, though Jane Dailey’s assessment of it may sur- 14109 Berlin Regine Leibinger prise some readers. As the cosmopolitan, German-trained phi- Tel. (49 30) 80 48 3-0 Nina von Maltzahn Fax (49 30) 80 48 3-111 Erich Marx losopher W.E.B. Dubois (also the subject of Academy Trustee Email: [email protected] Sir Deryck Maughan Anthony Appiah’s article) recognized in 1936, the Nazis had Wolfgang Mayrhuber declared “world war on the Jews.” 14 East 60th Street, Suite 604 Robert H. Mundheim The future of Europe will be tied to how successfully it New York, NY 10022 Joseph Neubauer Tel. (212) 588-1755 Heinrich v. Pierer responds to the challenges of integration, and two essays here Fax (212) 588-1758 Robert C. Pozen help illuminate the dilemmas of Muslim participation in Volker Schlöndorff European society. We round out our number with a glimpse Fritz Stern of life on the Wannsee waterfront as well as some highlights THE Tilman Todenhöfer AMERICAN Kurt Viermetz from that literary and operatic festival that is Berlin and the ACADEMY Richard von Weizsäcker American Academy. IN BERLIN Hans Arnhold Center Klaus Wowereit, ex-officio – Gary Smith

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RZ_ARD_Image_Fern_210x280.indd 1 07.09.2005 18:44:11 Uhr Insurgent Dilemma Finding the Right Strategies in Iraq by Kenneth Pollack

Number Eleven | Fall 2005 Baghdad,Photograph2003.Abbas/Magnum© Focus Photos/Agentur

fter two years of trying to secure Iraq with our current strategy, it is becoming A increasingly clear that we have the wrong one for the job. Our current approach was appropriate in the immediate aftermath of the fall of Baghdad, but the inadequate number of troops we brought to Iraq and a series of other mistakes rendered it largely infeasible. Today, our problems have metastasized. We must fundamentally change our strategy to cope with the new challenges we face. The US effort to secure Iraq faces two overarching and interlocking problems: a full-blown insurgency and a continuing state of semi-lawlessness. Reconstruction will likely fail if either is unaddressed. Insurgent Dilemma I believe that the current US strategy in Iraq is misguided because it is not properly tailored to defeat the first problem and Finding the Right Strategies in Iraq largely ignores the second. Today, and since the fall of Baghdad, the US has employed a “postconflict stabiliza- by Kenneth Pollack tion” model of security operations. ﬁ

The Berlin Journal The key element of this strategy is pro- coin force provides the people with secu- A traditional coin strategy is thus best viding simultaneous security for the entire rity. In Iraq, this would mean security from understood as a strategy of reinforcing suc- country by concentrating Coalition forces on insurgent attack as well as from ordinary cess. Our current efforts to “take the fight those areas of greatest unrest to try to quell (and organized) crime. In so doing, the to the enemy” and mount offensive sweep the violence quickly. Had the US brought coin force creates a secure space in which operations designed to kill insurgents and sufficient ground forces to blanket the coun- political and economic life can flourish eliminate their strongholds have failed to try immediately after the fall of Saddam’s once again, pouring resources into the area even dent the insurgency so far. It is likely to regime and had we not made a series of to make it economically dynamic and take continue to fail, as was the case in Vietnam. other mistakes – like failing to provide our advantage of the security the coin cam- We must beware of the false promise of troops with orders to maintain law and order paign has provided. This, in turn, cements hunting guerrillas. and to impose martial law and prevent loot- popular support for the coin campaign and Against a full-blown insurgency such ing – I think this strategy might very well makes it attractive to people living outside as the one we are facing in Iraq, offensive have succeeded. the secure area. operations cannot succeed and are ultim However, our reliance on this approach The increasing attractiveness of these ately counterproductive. The guerrilla does is failing. By continuing to concentrate our safe areas also solves the intelligence not need to stand and fight but can run or overstretched forces on the areas of greatest problem that coin forces inevitably face. melt back into the population, thus avoiding insurgent activity, we are depriving most of Ultimately, there is no way that a coin force crippling losses. If the coin forces do not Iraq’s populated areas of desperately-needed can gather enough intelligence on insur- remain and pacify the area for the long term, security forces, and by emphasizing offen- gent forces through traditional means to the guerrillas will be back – maybe within sive search and sweep missions, we are exterminate them. The only way to gather weeks, maybe within years, but they will be making ever more enemies among Iraq’s adequate information is to convince the back nonetheless. Meanwhile, the concen- Sunni tribal population. In other words, we local populace to volunteer such informa- tration of forces on these sweep operations are failing to protect those Iraqis who most tion, which they will do only if they are means a major diversion of effort away from want reconstruction to succeed, and we are enthusiastic supporters of the coin cam- securing the population. Often, the priority American forma- As Mao Zedong once wrote, the guerrilla is like a fish who tions place on force protection comes at the swims in the sea of the people. If you can deprive the expense of the larger mission: the safety, psychological disposition, and dignity guerrilla of support from the people, he will be as helpless of Iraqis. Busting down doors, ordering as a fish out of water. families to lie down on the floor, holding them down with the sole of a boot, search- further antagonizing the community that is paign and feel largely safe from retaliation. ing women in the presence of men, wav- most antipathetic to our goals. We are rein- When these conditions are met, the coun- ing weapons, ransacking rooms or whole forcing failure. terinsurgents enjoy a massive intelligence houses, and confiscating weapons all come The crux of a traditional counterinsur- advantage, enabling the further eradication with a price. Because too much of the intel- gency strategy is never to reinforce failure of the insurgents. ligence that the US is relying on is poor, it but always to reinforce success. The US In addition, the coin forces use these is not a rare occurrence that houses raided has so far failed to employ a traditional “safe zones” to train indigenous forces that turn out to be innocuous. counterinsurgency strategy in Iraq – as can assist them in subsequent security Our disastrous policy risks pushing we failed in Vietnam. As Dr. Andrew F. operations. Once this base of operations is Iraq into fragmentation and civil war. It is Krepinevich’s important work The Army truly secure and can be maintained by local already convincing any number of groups and Vietnam (1986) demonstrated, the forces, the coin forces then spread their – and not just the Kurds – that they should Army high command largely refused to control to additional parts of the country, pursue autonomy from the central govern- employ a traditional counterinsurgency performing the same steps as they did in ment, which is increasingly seen as out of (coin) strategy against the Viet Cong the original area. touch, corrupt, and wholly focused on its and North Vietnamese Army forces. We As Dr. Krepinevich wrote, “The coun- own (irrelevant) squabbles over power. are now failing in Iraq just as we failed in terinsurgent must direct his efforts, not Vietnam. toward seeking combat with the insurgent’s he US needs to adopt a true As Mao Zedong once wrote, the guerrilla guerrilla forces, but at the insurgent politi- counterinsurgency strategy of the is like a fish who swims in the sea of the cal infrastructure, which is the foundation traditional “spreading oil stain” vari- people. If you can deprive the guerrilla of of successful insurgency warfare. Keep the T ety but simultaneously recognize support from the people, he will be as help- guerrilla bands at arm’s length from the that securing Iraq will take a very long less as a fish out of water. The goal of a true people and destroy their eyes and ears – the time nonetheless. Success in Iraq will, as coin campaign is to deprive the guerrilla infrastructure – and you can win.” This Donald Rumsfeld acknowledges, likely of that access. It begins by securing a base approach is typically referred to as a “spread- require over a decade if the US adopts the of operations by denying one portion of the ing oil stain,” which slowly deprives the right strategy. country to the insurgency. This portion can guerrillas of support by securing the popu- Painted in broad strokes, a true counter- be as big or as small as the coin force can lation and providing it with the material insurgency strategy for Iraq would focus handle; the bigger the coin force available, incentives of real security and a thriving on securing enclaves (Kurdistan, much of the larger the area. Within this area, the economy. southeastern Iraq, Baghdad, and a number

Number Eleven | Fall 2005 of other major urban centers, along with absolutely necessary if reconstruction is to Unfortunately, such a measure is not likely the oil fields and some other vital economic succeed. There is no question that force pro- to have more than an indirect impact on the facilities) while, initially, leaving much of tection must always be an issue of concern success or failure of reconstruction in Iraq. the countryside to the insurgents. Such a to any American commander, but it cannot The insurgency is only one of our problems strategy might therefore mean foregoing be the determining principle of US opera- there, and the insurgency is not principally national elections or rebuilding the entire tions. American military forces are in Iraq driven by external factors. Our intelligence power grid because the goals might be because the reconstruction of that country regarding Iraq has consistently established impossible where the Coalition forces have is critical to the stability of the Persian Gulf that foreign fighters comprise only a small abdicated control. The Coalition would and a vital interest of the US. In their cur- percentage of the insurgents. Furthermore, likewise redirect its political efforts and rent mode of operations, our troops are nei- anecdotal reporting suggests that foreign- economic resources solely to the secured ther safe nor are they accomplishing their born Jihadists are playing less of a role in the enclaves – both to ensure that they prosper most important mission. insurgency, as Iraqis are now much less reli- and because those would be the only areas ant on the foreigners for training. worth the short-run investment. This may rotecting the Iraqi border The best intelligence indicates that be the only option open to us if the US-led from foreign infiltration is another the bulk of the insurgency is drawn from Coalition cannot control large parts of the major issue. Iran is not as problem- Iraq’s Sunni tribal population, a great country or keep the peace in those areas P matic when it comes to the Iraqi many of whom were recruited for Saddam’s where it does operate. insurgency as Syria or Saudi Arabia are. Republican Guard and Special Republican At a more tactical level, a true coin The insurgency in Iraq is overwhelmingly Guard, the Fidayin, and other key security campaign in Iraq would make securing the Sunni, and while not everything that Iran forces. They have lost their prestige – and Iraqi people its highest priority. American is doing in Iraq is helpful to us, the coun- their paychecks; they have been dispos- forces in Iraq unfortunately remain preoc- try is not providing any significant degree sessed by a society they once ruled; and they cupied with force protection and with track- of assistance to the Salafi Jihadists, Sunni are fearful that the US intends to put the ing down the insurgents who are attacking tribesmen, former regime officials, and Shiah and the Kurds into the same position various other gro ups who comprise the of authority their community once occupied. Our policy is already con- bulk of the insurgency. The governments Thus, there are plenty of Iraqis fighting us vincing any number of of Sunni Muslim nations such as Jordan, out of fear and a lack of anything else to do. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Kuwait have not One way of making a dent in the insurgen- groups that they should been bashful about their own concerns in cy would be to effectively buy off the Sunni pursue autonomy from the Iraq, and their price for greater coopera- sheikhs, who appear to be ordering the young tion is likely to be a straightforward one: men under their authority to take up arms central government, which a greater say in the reconstruction of Iraq. against the US and the new regime because is increasingly seen as out of This is a tricky proposition but not an they feel politically and economically exclud- unworkable one. ed, fear a Shiite dictatorship, and because no touch, corrupt, and wholly The US and the new Iraqi transitional one is paying them not to. History has shown focused on its own (irrele- government should convene a Contact their willingness to “do business” with a Group consisting of all of Iraq’s neighbors wide range of governments in Baghdad from vant) squabbles over power. (including Iran and Syria). This group the Ottomans and the British-backed mon- would meet frequently and regularly to archy to various Iraqi military dictators and them and as a result provide little security to receive information about reconstruction Saddam’s Stalinist regime. Coupled with an the Iraqi people. US forces generally remain issues important to them and to provide effort to increase Sunni tribal representation penned up in formidable cantonments, cut advice both to the Iraqis and to the US in the new government, the Sunni sheikhs off from the populace. In the field, they regarding developments inside Iraq. The might be willing to decrease or even end their come out to attend to logistical needs and to function of the Contact Group should be support for the insurgency. conduct raids against suspected insurgents. purely advisory – neither we nor the Iraqis Because the insurgency is so diverse, In the cities, they generally only make infre- should be bound by its recommendations – however, others would likely fight on: for- quent patrols in Bradley fighting vehicles but that advice should not be ignored either. eign fighters; homegrown Salafi Jihadists, and in the ubiquitous “Humvees.” Prior to In a great many cases, simply tempering of whom there is also a significant number; the January elections, American forces did a policy to make it more palatable to Iraq’s and true Baathist regime “dead-enders” who (temporarily) engage in foot patrols in cities neighbors, or merely acknowledging their have so much blood on their hands that they like Mosul, and the result was an immediate concerns and providing a full explanation could never expect anything but a hang- but equally temporary increase in morale of why their recommendation will not be man’s noose from a new, democratic Iraqi and support for the US presence. the one adopted, can make a considerable government. Adopting a true counterinsurgency difference. In return for their expanded To weaken the insurgency, shutting down strategy – coupled with its attendant tactics role, all of the neighbors should be pre- Iraq’s borders cannot hurt, but doing so will such as guarding population centers and sented with detailed and concrete plans for be much harder and less likely to have real key infrastructure, foot patrols, presence, stemming illegal traffic across their bor- impact than convincing Iraq’s tribal sheikhs and the eradication of crime and attacks ders, and their membership in the Contact to withdraw their support from the insur on Iraqis – would doubtless expose US per- Group can be made conditional upon their gency. The first approach assumes that sonnel to greater risks. However, they are meeting these criteria. the insurgency is principally a foreign ﬁ

The Berlin Journal phenomenon, which it unquestionably is able Coalition forces, leaving them prey would greatly increase their attacks on not; the latter relies on traditional Iraqi tech- not only to insurgent attacks but to crime the new Iraqi government, on the Shiah, niques to get at what is largely a homegrown and lawlessness as well. on the Kurds, and on anyone else they do problem. If we stick with our current strategy, I not like. see no alternative to a major increase in I also believe it is wrong to simply pos- This is a classic mistake of Coalition forces over the next two to three tulate that Iraqis want the Americans out counter-guerrilla warfare: years, probably on the order of 100,000 or and that their resentment of the American more troops. At some point, if our train- presence is a major source of the violence The forces needed to take ing program is allowed to mature, several there. Iraqi views about the American pres- down an insurgent strong- hundred thousand capable Iraqi security ence are very complicated and, at times, personnel will be able to take over respon- contradictory. Most Iraqis dislike the US hold must move on, allowing sibility. However, that is several years away, occupation, but they regard it as more than the last to slip back into and in the interim, US troops must make a necessary evil. Because of the fears I have up for that deficit. Providing so many more just described and because they are realis- guerrilla control. ground troops for several years to come may tic about the state of their country, the vast necessitate a thorough restructuring of US majority of Iraqis knows that it is vital for The training of Iraqi security forces is ground forces more generally, but this is not American forces to remain in Iraq for the critical. We must train as many Iraqis as we the place to discuss those details. foreseeable future because the alternative can and be able to provide them with the To simply muddle through with the is chaos and civil war. However, Iraqis are luxury of time and proper training (not to inadequate forces we have on hand would deeply frustrated by the course of recon- mention the related issue of proper equip- be a huge gamble for the US, Iraq, and the struction. This frustration is compounded ment) so that they are someday able to shoul- region. Powerful centripetal forces in Iraq by their sense that American soldiers go to der the burden. They must be given the are gaining influence because of our failure great lengths to protect themselves and do psychological tools to handle their very dif- to deal with the insurgency and basic inse- little to protect them. Indeed, many Iraqis ficult responsibilities and must believe that what they are doing is of immediate benefit If we stick with our current strategy, I see no to their country, their people, their sect, and alternative to a major increase in Coalition forces over their family. the next two to three years, probably on the order of inally, and perhaps most con- 100,000 or more troops. troversially, I believe it would be of tremendous benefit for the US curity. The Iraqi people are frustrated and say that our obsession with force protection F to significantly increase the num- growing more so, and it is this frustration for our own troops comes at their expense. ber of high-caliber foreign troops in Iraq. that is our greatest threat because Iraqis are For instance, the long lines to get through Ironically, this is vital if the US sticks with beginning to turn to local sheikhs, alims, security check points around American its current approach to security, which I and other would-be warlords to deliver on bases become prime targeting grounds for have already described as a “post-conflict basic security and services like electricity, insurgents and criminals. stabilization” model; but is not necessary, gasoline, clean water, and jobs. Increasing the number of US forces in only desirable, if the US shifts to a true I believe it is wrong-headed and perverse Iraq and redeploying them to Iraq’s popu- counterinsurgency strategy. to suggest that more American troops in lated areas would probably be resented by We simply do not have the forces avail- Iraq will simply stimulate more terrorist some Iraqis. A great many others, however, able both to provide security in Iraq’s attacks, either because they will provide would feel that it was a move long over- populated areas and to suppress the insur- more targets or because they will gener- due. Evidence suggests that if additional gency in western and southern Iraq. In ate more animosity. As for the insurgents, American forces were deployed to provide truth, we do not have sufficient troops they have repeatedly demonstrated that security for the bulk of Iraq’s population, for either one of those missions indepen- they oppose not just the US presence but were deployed on regular foot patrols mixed dently. As a result, with our current force the entire project of reconstruction and formations with Iraqi units, and encouraged structure, we may be able to reduce the (for the Sunnis who comprise the vast to get to know the residents of the neigh- insurgency in the Sunni triangle, but we bulk of the insurgency) the ascendance borhoods in which they were stationed that cannot secure these areas for the long of the Shiite majority. The insurgents Iraqi attitudes would range from grudging term. Inevitably, the forces needed to take have committed far more acts of violence acceptance to positive relief. µ down an insurgent stronghold must move against other Iraqis than they have against on to the next one, allowing the last to American forces; they have made clear that Kenneth Pollack, Senior Fellow and slip back into guerrilla control. This is a they believe they are already waging a civil Director of Research of the Saban Center classic mistake of counter-guerrilla war- war against the Shiah, whom the Salafi for Middle East Policy at the Brookings fare, and it is tragic that we are repeating Jihadists regard as apostates and for whom Institution, presented this material in it. Moreover, our focus on trying to come they reserve far greater venom than for infi- testimony before the Senate Foreign to grips with the insurgents and clear out del Americans. Relations Committee on July 18, 2005. their strongholds has largely denuded Were US forces to leave Iraq, the insur- He was a C.V. Starr Distinguished southern and central Iraq’s cities of siz- gents would be even less restrained and Visitor at the Academy in September.

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The Berlin Journal PhotographsMirkoKrizanovicby here were over thirty ceasefires and agreements in Bosnia prior to the Dayton Peace Accords. All of them col- T lapsed. Yet what was agreed upon at Dayton not only survived, it established the basis for a country that, with all its problems, is moving forward towards becoming a peaceful participant in twenty-first century Europe. In the ten years since Dayton, the name of the small city in Ohio has become not only a simple shorthand for the entire Bosnian peace process but an internation- ally understood metaphor for taking an aggressive, engaged approach to conflict resolution. There have been numerous negotiations in conflict areas around the world which have not been successful, most notably, of course, in the Middle East. Dayton has contemporary relevance not because of the inherent drama in the negotiation – although there was plenty of that – but because it succeeded; in short, it ended a war. By the time negotiations began behind a high barbed-wire fence at the Wright- Patterson Air Force Base on November 1, 1995, the Bosnian war had become the worst in Europe since 1945, posing a real threat to the stability of post-cold war Europe. Parts of Bosnia were becoming a sanctuary for Islamic terrorists, some of whom belonged to an organization whose name was still unknown in the West: Al-Qaeda. Criminal gangs ran much of the country, sometimes Bosnia cannot be understood except in its precise pretending to be nationalist movements. The Bosnian Serbs were openly seeking historical context: the pre-September 11 world. the destruction of Europe’s largest Muslim After sixty years of continuous and expensive interna- community in an ancient homeland – a clear case of genocide. And most Bosnian Croats tional involvement that succeeded in defeating both would not have objected if the Serbs had fascism and communism, Americans were exhausted succeeded. A “war within a war” between Croats and Muslims had destroyed most of and ready to turn away from the outside world. the once-beautiful medieval city of Mostar and its historic bridge. Refugees by the hundreds of thousands had fled to Western Europe, overburdening the resources of the UN’s own Secretary General, Boutros as well as most of the American military, countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Boutros-Ghali, did everything he could to led by a towering Washington figure, the and Austria. hamper and undermine. Both Washington Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Yet, for the four preceding years, the and Brussels refused to even threaten, let General Colin Powell, arrayed themselves in European Union and the United States had alone use, decisive force against Bosnian opposition. Even after the Dayton Accords done little to stop the war. Their mediation Serb aggression. In 1993, when President ended the fighting almost three years later, efforts were puny and poorly coordinated; Clinton briefly considered a more aggressive an overwhelming majority of the American nato was involved only as an accessory policy (as he had called for as a candidate public still opposed using US troops to help to a pathetic United Nations effort, which the previous year), a majority of Congress, enforce the peace, and there were predic-

10 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 Bosnia cannot be understood except in its precise historical context: the pre-September 11 world. A Decade after Dayton After sixty years of continuous and expensive international involvement that succeeded in defeating both On America’s Path to Intervention in the Balkans fascism and communism, Americans were exhausted and ready to turn away from the outside world. by Richard C. Holbrooke

tions, many from leaders of the foreign pol- again – not only in the Balkans but also in the end of the twentieth century? And could icy elite, that Dayton would fail, and that, in Rwanda, where an even greater number of it happen again? any case, it was not worth its risks and costs. people, an estimated 800,000, were killed My generation had been taught that for purely ethnic reasons in an even shorter Bosnia cannot be understood except the Munich Agreement of 1938 and the period of time. in its precise historical context: the pre- Holocaust were benchmark horrors. At the time, I saw Bosnia as the great- September 11, 2001 world. In the decade before Leaders of the Atlantic alliance had repeat- est collective security failure of the West in September 11, Americans had turned away edly pledged it would never happen again. Europe since the 1930s. Rwanda was even from the outside world after sixty years of con- Yet between 1991 and 1995 it did happen worse. How could all this have happened at tinuous and expensive international ﬁ

The Berlin Journal 11 If the Serbian National Party had been banned and forced underground, things would be better today, even if parts of it resurfaced under a different name.

involvement, from Pearl Harbor to the dis- preferred long-range artillery and short- Bob Frasure, Joe Kruzel, and Nelson Drew – integration of the Soviet Union at the end of range murder to anything resembling a real and the Sarajevo marketplace shelling nine 1991. Americans were proud, of course, that military operation. But London, Paris, and days later. These two events rocked the through their sacrifices they had succeeded The Hague were fearful for the safety of administration (the men who died were in defeating both fascism and communism their own troops and refused suggestions extremely popular in Washington, and we during that long period, but they were for military actions until their forces had paid them emotional farewells at Arlington exhausted and ready to turn inward. left the three “safe areas” they had pledged Cemetery) and changed, in intangible ways, That changed, of course, with September to protect. Washington’s sense of personal involvement 11, but it was not a coincidence that the three President Clinton recognized immedi- in the war. After the funerals, President greatest disasters of international peace- ately that, although the American people Clinton immediately sent me back to the keeping, disasters that almost brought the still would not like it, the US could no longer Balkans with a new team, including then United Nations down – Somalia, Rwanda, avoid involvement. His choice boiled down Lieutenant General Wesley Clark, my mili- and Bosnia – all occurred in the decade to this: either assist the UN peacekeeping tary advisor and original team member who between the end of the Cold War and force in a humiliating withdrawal or else represented the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Chris September 11; call it, if you will, “the inter- make an intense American effort to end the Hill, a State Department colleague then on war years.” war on terms that protected the beleaguered the cusp of a brilliant diplomatic career; Jim Muslim community. Pardew, a tough former Army officer repre- ometimes, however, a horrific So in August 1995, President Clinton senting the civilian side of the Pentagon; event can force even the most reluc- launched the all-out diplomatic effort that then Brigadier General Donald Kerrick, rep- tant people to action. In the sum- Derek Chollet describes in vivid detail in resenting the White House; and Roberts S mer of 1995, over 7,000 Muslims, this book. It must be stressed that, at the Owen, our wise legal advisor whom we affec- including some women and children, were time we began our shuttle diplomacy, no tionately called “mad dog.” butchered by General Ratko Mladic and his one in Washington imagined that the diplo- Bosnian Serbs in an isolated town called matic effort would be accompanied by a What is remarkable, especially in Srebrenica, while UN peacekeepers from nato bombing campaign. That was a result hindsight, is that strong political opposition the Netherlands stood by helplessly and of two events that occurred in the first few to putting American resources, especially nato refused to intervene. I argued then, days of our travels: the death on Mount troops, into Bosnia continued even after and still believe today, that nato airstrikes Igman on August 19 of three of the five a combination of American airpower and would have stopped the Bosnian Serbs, who members of my original negotiating team – American leadership brought the war to a

12 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 negotiated conclusion at Dayton. Despite officers, including the Joint Chiefs of Staff have survived only in history books as case this agreement, which achieved all of the themselves, Vietnam was a distant but ever- studies in failed expectations. The results primary objectives of the US and Europe, present ghost. (My own three years there of the international effort to implement there were questions from almost every as a Foreign Service Officer working on Dayton would determine its true place in quarter of the American body politic about the pacification effort in the Mekong Delta history.” President Clinton’s decision to send 20,000 and Saigon had marked me deeply, but I felt Events since support this view. Vigorous American troops to Bosnia as part of the that the differences between Vietnam and implementation is the key to the success of 60,000-strong nato implementing force. Bosnia were fundamental.) The most nota- any ceasefire or peace agreement. One can- In a national poll taken right after Dayton, ble exceptions were Wesley Clark, who had not depend on the voluntary compliance only 36 percent of the American public sup- very close ties to Powell’s successor as the or goodwill of recently warring parties. ported sending troops to Bosnia; it was by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General John Force must be used, if necessary (and bet- far the lowest support that President Clinton Shalikashvili, and Donald Kerrick, then on ter early than late), to demonstrate that the had on any issue at that time. the NSC staff. Clark and Kerrick understood agreement must be respected and will be Opposition to the deployment was fueled the issues well and argued courageously enforced. And while Bosnia is at peace today by widespread predictions that Dayton with officers senior in rank over the need for and moving slowly forward, it would be in would fail and that, after the disastrous and very strong “rules of engagement” for nato. much better shape if the initial implementa- bloody experience of the UN peacekeep- It therefore took real political courage tion effort had been more aggressive. ing force in Bosnia, American casualties for President Clinton to send American It had been a rocky start. The interna- would be similarly heavy. “It’s not going troops to Bosnia. This was the most impor- tional community, including, I regret to say, to work,” said America’s most respected tant decision in regard to Europe of his nato, did not use its authority enough in senior statesman, Henry Kissinger, sum- presidency – opposed, incidentally, by most the crucial initial phase, the months right marizing a widely held view just after the of his political advisors. Bill Clinton has after Dayton. nato was fine in force protec- agreement had been signed. “When you’re not received as much credit as he deserves tion – that is, protecting itself – an important asking Americans to die, you have to be able for this classic Commander-in-Chief and necessary goal, particularly if compared to explain it in terms of the national interest. decision, which he made alone, without to the substantial American casualties suf- I see no vital US interest to support a combat Congressional support and only with fered in Afghanistan and Iraq. But several mission there.” A month later, Kissinger reluctant backing from the Pentagon. But failures of the nato command left a per- changed his position, but only slightly. “The it worked; without those 20,000 troops, manent mark on the land, inhibiting more only valid purpose for American troops in Bosnia would not have survived, several mil- rapid progress even today. The first and most there,” he said, “is to move into a demilita- lion refugees would still be wandering the important was the failure not to seek the rized zone between the warring parties…. face of Western Europe today, a criminal immediate arrest of the two leading Bosnian We should not risk American lives in nation- state would be in power in parts of Bosnia Serb war criminals, Radovan Karadzic and building, peacemaking, creating political itself – and we would probably have fought General Ratko Mladic. These two men, institutions.” His comments were echoed by Operation Enduring Freedom not only in who were still at large ten years later, were many on both the liberal and conservative Afghanistan but also in the deep ravines most vulnerable right after Dayton, but the sides of the political spectrum. and dangerous hills of central Bosnia. opportunity was essentially lost after the The opposition did not let up. In a stun- nato commander in Bosnia, US Admiral ning repudiation of the administration, the arge numbers of body bags Leighton Smith, told Bosnian Serb televi- House of Representatives – Newt Gingrich’s – as always, the exact number was a sion, “I don’t have the authority to arrest any- House, with its Contract for America call- closely guarded military secret – had body.” This statement, which was a deliber- ing for a strong American national security L been prepared for the casualties that ately incorrect reading of his authority under policy – approved by a lopsided vote of 287 the Pentagon believed were certain to come. Dayton, constituted a devastating invitation to 141 a bizarre resolution opposing the But in the end, none of the body bags were to Karadzic to resume his political activi- president’s Bosnia policy but “supporting ever used for combat related deaths; not one ties, which he did with a vengeance until a the troops.” During the debate, members nato soldier was killed from hostile action subsequent agreement, which I negotiated of Congress waved copies of time Magazine, in Bosnia. This was due, in large part, to in the summer of 1996, finally drove him its cover story captioned, “Is Bosnia worth the authority given to nato in the Dayton underground. Incredibly, as of the summer dying for?” In a comment typical of the hos- agreement: to shoot first and ask questions of 2005, Karadzic was still moving secretly tility among most Republicans, Senator Phil later – the exact opposite of the sorry rules across the Balkans, supported and hidden Gramm from Texas attacked the Dayton of engagement under which the UN peace- by a network of Serb sympathizers that agreement almost as soon as it was signed. keeping mission had operated and suffered undoubtedly included core members of his “Adding American names to the casualty so many casualties. nato was thus respect- political party, the SDS, as well as hard-core lists cannot save Bosnia,” he said. ed from the very beginning – a vital lesson, monks in the Serb church. His continued There was also trouble in the Pentagon. I hope, for any future operations involving freedom, no matter how constrained, was a Secretary of Defense Bill Perry publicly international peacekeepers. daily challenge to progress in Bosnia. (After predicted casualties on roughly the same President Clinton left office, he told me scale as the 1991 war against Iraq or as the Seven years ago, I wrote, “On paper, that he considered Smith’s behavior to have failed UN peacekeeping mission in Bosnia. Dayton was a good agreement; it ended the verged on “insubordination.”) The American military feared Bosnia war and established a single multiethnic The lesson is, I hope, clear: once the US would be another quagmire. For the older country. But countless peace agreements is committed in such a perilous project, ﬁ

The Berlin Journal 13 Condoleezza Rice’s upgrading the importance of the Balkans was welcome news in a region that respects the US above all other nations. For without a revitalized American policy, both Bosnia and Kosovo will drift aimlessly.

it cannot afford halfway, tentative measures. things would be better today, even if parts of should not have taken place until Karadzic To this day, this lesson has not been applied it resurfaced under a different name. and Mladic were in custody. Yet the pressure adequately in the Balkans. A serious mistake was permitting one of deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan far country to have three armies. But in 1995, larger and longer than anticipated was tak- hen I look back in hindsight, nato refused to accept responsibility for ing its toll on the American military, and there were many other things dismantling the three ethnic armies and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld we could have done better before, creating a single, integrated force, some- insisted on the change, despite quiet misgiv- W during, and after Dayton. I still thing General Clark and I thought was emi- ings expressed by Bosnians. Ironically, the regret, for example, agreeing to let the nently doable. Yet the nato high command change also suited the long-term French Bosnian Serbs keep the name “Republica inaccurately thought it would be dangerous goal of reducing the EU’s dependency on Srpska” for their entity. Bosnian President work and refused to allow it in the Dayton nato. Rumsfeld and French President Alija Izetbegovic was right when he told me agreement. In recent years, nato belatedly Jacques Chirac thus became unlikely bed- it was a “Nazi name”; we should have tried recognized the necessity of dealing with fellows. eufor deserves close study to see harder to change it, for practical and sym- this problem and has begun slowly to inte- if it works, but its initial effect was clearly bolic reasons. On the other hand, I should grate the army, creating a single defense unfortunate; it left the impression that the not have acceded to a strange request of ministry and an integrated senior staff and US, the only power universally respected Izetbegovic’s, nine months after Dayton, to command. But under the 2005 reorganiza- in the Balkans, was starting to depart, thus allow the sds (Karadzic’s party) to remain tion, units are still organized on an ethnic giving encouragement to the obstruction- a legal party. Instead, we should have dis- basis at the battalion level. This is not a true ists in Srpska and weakening moderates enfranchised it before the first Bosnian solution to the problem. If Bosnia is ever to everywhere. This spring however, the elections in September 1996, despite function without an international security new Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, Izetbegovic’s statement to me that, while he force, the military – and the police, whose placed Balkan policy (including Kosovo) in hated the sds, he “could work with them.” reform has been even more difficult – must the hands of her Undersecretary of State, Two weeks before he died, lying in a hospi- eventually be structured without regard to Nicholas Burns, a highly capable profession- tal bed in Sarajevo in October 2003, he told ethnicity down to the lowest levels. al diplomat who had been at Dayton. This me that he thought I was “joking [in 1996] At the end of 2004, that international upgrading of the importance of the region about dismantling the sds.” If that was the security presence was transformed from a was welcome news in a region that respects real reason for his position against shutting nato force (sfor) into a European Union the US above all other nations. For without down that criminal party, it was a costly force (eufor). This received almost no a revitalized American policy, Bosnia and misunderstanding. The sds has been the attention in the US and not much in Europe. Kosovo will drift aimlessly. main promoter of divisive ethnic politics But it represented a major evolution, not in Bosnia, while providing the core of the only in Bosnia but in regard to the nato-eu I hope students of conflict resolution network that has protected Karadzic. If it relationship. I felt at the time that nato’s will examine the Dayton negotiations care- had been banned and forced underground, departure (except for a small nato “office”) fully to learn what might be applied to other

14 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 problems. Of course, few negotiators have en years after Srebrenica, the Republica Srpska. The police – presum- the added leverage that comes with bomb- on July 11, 2005, I found myself back ably including some who had been involved ing one of the parties. Nor are all negotia- in Srebrenica as part of the official in the murderous events of 1995 – were tors usually able to lock up the leaders of the T American delegation appointed by respectful, if not exactly enthusiastic; they contending sides on an American military President George W. Bush. It was a mov- saluted as we passed and, more importantly, base. But much can be accomplished with- ing moment; I walked through muddy hills treated the endless line of victim families out such unusual incentives. To me, the key under a leaden sky as widows and moth- with correct politeness. An event that could ingredient is leadership – determined leaders buried almost 700 recently identified have exploded into violence was incident- ership from the world’s leading nation, with remains, their grief undiminished by a free. Even so, a large bomb had been found the clear backing of its allies. Assembling decade. at the site a few days earlier. and holding together a coalition of friends is I still thought of it as a valley of evil, but Unfortunately, it was also a day for hypoc- sometimes harder than fighting an enemy, there had definitely been progress. When risy. Senior European, American, and inter- as the current US administration is learn- I had last visited Srebrenica five years national officials spoke, some apologizing ing in Iraq. It is often forgotten that it was before, ten brave – one might say recklessly for the past failures, all pledging, as usual, not easy in Bosnia either. Frictions within brave – Muslim families had returned, liv- that it must never ever happen again. They the Contact Group and the nato alliance ing among 12,000 Serbs who had taken over also promised that the hunt for Karadzic were at times almost unbearable. But the old Muslim homes. By July 2005, however, and Mladic would be pursued with implaca- effort has to be made, for the returns are over 4,000 Muslims had returned, and an ble determination. Then they got into their enormous, especially when there is an equal number of Serbs had left. This was sedans and helicopters and went home. µ expectation that other countries will foot astonishing, and more of the same seemed the larger part of the reconstruction or non- certain if the international community Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke, military bill. This was, of course, the case stayed involved. founding Chairman of the American in Bosnia, as it is in most other parts of the It was a day filled with irony and high Academy in Berlin, served as the prin- world today, notably including Africa. drama. From Belgrade and Banja Luka ciple US envoy to Bosnia before serv- It was a huge honor to be part of the team came high Serb leaders who laid wreaths ing as Assistant Secretary of State for that ended the war in Bosnia. Like the band at the memorial, an appropriate silent Europe from 1994 to 1996. This arti- of brothers Henry V spoke to before the bat- acknowledgment of a great war crime. cle is the forward to Derek Chollet’s tle of Agincourt, whatever else we do, each Our route into Srebrenica, and the secu- book The Road to the Dayton Accords: of us will remember those amazing days for rity itself, was the responsibility of the A Study of American Statecraft, forth- the rest of our lives. entity we were in, which happened to be coming this November from Palgrave.

At the Heart of Europe

DW-TV DEUTSCHE WELLE Germany’s international television service DW-TV broadcasts programmes www.dw-world.de around the world, 24 hours a day, in German, English, Spanish and Arabic. DW-TV: fast, reliable, precise and unmistakable. The world of politics, business, sports and the arts with a dinstinctively European profile. DW-TV helps its viewers make sense of events in Germany and Europe. DW-TV: news and information, every hour on the hour.

The Berlin Journal 15

DW_BJ_Anz.indd 1 07.10.2004 13:30:36 Uhr rriving in Belgrade the After several hours all sides, not just the Serbs. Interrupting afternoon of September 13, 1995 of tense discussion, Mladic, Holbrooke turned to Milosevic Holbrooke’s delegation met with and threatened to leave. “We had an agree- A Milosevic in his hunting lodge. the Bosnian Serbs ment,” he said. “This behavior is clearly not They had to use the last bargaining chip agreed to allow the consistent with it. If your ‘friends’ do not provided by nato bombing. But as was wish to have a serious discussion, we will leave becoming his custom, Milosevic had anoth- Americans to draft now.” Milosevic quickly huddled with his er surprise for the Americans. Insisting the terms for an Bosnian Serb colleagues, and they agreed on addressing the air campaign before any to calm down and rejoin the discussions on other issue, Milosevic said that the situation end to the bombing American terms. needed “calming” and that he thought he campaign. At three o’clock that morning, the could get the Bosnian Serbs to agree to lift Bosnian Serbs accepted the American plan. the siege of Sarajevo. He then announced They pledged to cease all offensive opera- that Karadzic, Mladic, and other Bosnian that if he did not get what he wanted, he tions around Sarajevo and begin immediate- Serb leaders were in a nearby villa and were would call the last US leader he had been ly to relocate their heavy weapons. They also ready to meet with them. in contact with, former President Jimmy agreed to allow road access to Sarajevo and The Americans were shocked but ready. Carter. Holbrooke responded firmly that, open the Sarajevo airport to humanitarian On the flight to Belgrade that day, they had while he had worked for President Carter traffic. In exchange,nato would suspend agreed that, if given the opportunity, they 15 years earlier, the American team worked bombing for 72 hours to assess compliance. would meet with Karadzic and Mladic – two only for President Clinton. Later, Milosevic If the Bosnian Serbs cooperated, bombing indicted war criminals – provided three told Holbrooke that it was good to clear this would end indefinitely, and the agreement conditions were met: first, that Milosevic up for Karadzic. “You know,” the Serb presi- would be formalized with the Sarajevo gov- be recognized as the head of the delegation; dent said, “that was very smart the way you ernment. second, that the Bosnian Serbs be willing to handled Jimmy Carter. Those guys are so The Americans had gone to Belgrade to engage in “serious discussions,” not digress cut off from the world they think Carter can try their remaining leverage to negotiate into irrelevant historical monologues; and still decide American policy.” an end to the bombing, which was going third, that Milosevic accrue their agreement After several hours of tense discus- to end anyway, and remarkably, Milosevic to these conditions prior to their meeting. sion, the Bosnian Serbs agreed to allow the delivered. Once again, when doubts had He agreed, and Holbrooke led his team into Americans to draft the terms for an end to emerged that Milosevic was losing control the woods outside to wait. A few minutes after the Bosnian Serbs arrived at the villa, he called the Americans in. They faced Karadzic and Mladic warily; some Milosevic’s Surprise members shook their hands, others didn’t. From the moment the meeting opened, it was clear that these From a Dayton Chronicle by Derek Chollet men were visibly shaken by the air strikes. The Bosnian Serb vice president, Nikola Koljevic, complained that the the bombing campaign. General Wesley of his Bosnian cronies, the Serb leader use of Tomahawks was “no fair” and that Clark joined Lord David Owen, European moved decisively to prove that he was in it was “an outrage” that American jets had Community negotiator, Pardew, and charge. Although some had raised ques- struck 150 meters from his office. Karadzic Ambassador Chris Hill to write the docu- tions about the air campaign’s military launched into a self-pitying diatribe about ment. A halfhour later, Clark stood to share effectiveness, it seemed clear from this the bombing, referring often to the “humili- the draft with the Bosnian Serbs. One of the meeting that the Bosnian Serb leadership ation the Serbs are suffering.” Overall, the most successful military leaders of his gen- – as well as their chief patron – wanted the group appeared “staggered” by the bomb- eration, Clark had a commanding presence, bombing to end. The shuttle team had no ing and the losses in western Bosnia. “The and his straightforward intensity made doubt that the air campaign had enhanced atmosphere in the region indicates a him an effective communicator. (Several their bargaining power. Now they had general breakdown of Bosnian Serb will,” years later the world got to know his skills the Serbs’ agreement to lift the siege of James W. Pardew, Dayton Implementation much better when he served as the nato Sarajevo. The next step would be to sell it Ambassador, reported back to Washington. commander during the 1999 Kosovo cam- to the Bosnians. µ “[The Bosnian Serbs] argued long and hard paign and then, after his military career, as but primarily wanted a face-saving way out a 2004 Democratic presidential candidate.) Derek Chollet was speechwriter for of the bombing. They were very concerned As Clark read aloud, the Bosnian Serbs, par- Ambassador Richard Holbrooke from with ‘humiliation’ of the Serbs.” ticularly Mladic, became increasingly angry, 1999–2001 and a Bosch Public Policy Karadzic, clearly the leader of the mot- complaining that the terms were unfair and Fellow at the Academy in the spring ley group, did most of the talking. Mladic, offended Serbian pride. Mladic burst into a of 2002. This article is excerpted from dressed in battle fatigues, did little but tirade, calling the bombing a criminal act his forthcoming book from Palgrave, scowl. At one point, Karadzic threatened and claiming that the US needed to punish The Road to the Dayton Accords.

16 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 Richard C. Holbrooke by Chuck Close (2004), polaroid. Photographakg-images©

May 8, 1945 was a day of genuinely deep emotion, probably more so than any other From Defeat day in the history of the Third Reich. There were tears of joy and tears of disillusion. There was the sheer relief of having survived. And at the same time, there were feel- to Liberation ings of utter exasperation, of emptiness, and a sudden loss of the sense of life. The anger, hate, and desperation of the fanatics stood The End of the War in German Historical in contrast to the gratitude of those who now would realize that they “just barely got away.” Consciousness “Wir sind noch einmal davongekommen” became a proverb in the 1950s. Soon many Germans – even those who would not consider themselves perpetrators – came to by Norbert Frei realize that they had not come through these terrible times unscathed. But, just as soon, the sense of complicity would be diminished or denied. There were, of course, hundreds of thousands – indeed millions – who felt great relief and happiness on that day. They were the Germans and, much more so, the non- Germans who had then been regarded as the social, political, and racial enemies of the Nazi regime: the prisoners of war, survivors of the death marches, inmates of the concentration camps and of the Gestapo prisons, political opponents, and forced laborers. For them, the time of persecution,

18 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 torture, and exploitation had at last come to mood. A decade after the end of the Third not confront the complete history.” If such an end. A sigh of relief also went through Reich, the Germans indeed saw themselves simple truths have to be reiterated – and by the diffuse group of people who had passive- as victims. I will illustrate what I mean with the look of it, louder each time – it is worth ly kept a distance from the regime. a brief story. pointing out that the history of the Federal Liberation and defeat, relief and fear, Republic is full of commemorations to “the and above all the devastating judicial term victims of war and terror.” Local archivists “unconditional surrender”; May 8, 1945 ° I ° and historians began to document the his- already contained all the emotions and con- The scene was the first postwar tory of the destruction of their cities as cepts with which those who lived through meeting of the Waffen-SS in Verden an der soon as the war was over. All over Germany, this historical cesura would have to come Aller in October 1952. Bernhard Ramcke, memorial sites were built and church ruins to terms in the decades that followed. Sixty former general of a parachute division, transformed into places of commemoration. years later, how should we understand the complained bitterly because the Allies had The Volkstrauertag, or Memorial Day, is cel- end of the war? convicted some of his comrades as war ebrated each year. The answer is not necessarily self-evi- criminals. “Who are the real war crimi- If all of this remembering has been dent, for historical events are not fixed enti- nals?” he shouted. They are those “who forgotten, we should not be surprised that ties. In fact, May 8, 1945 is continually being destroyed whole cities without tactical pur- people today think that a taboo has been reinterpreted. pose, those who bombed Hiroshima and finally broken, thatfinally we are free to Consider 1955, the year the political lead- produced new atomic weapons.” Ramcke’s mourn our dead. ers of the young Federal Republic were first answer was rather popular at this time, In my eyes, the real scandal is not the confronted with the delicate task of com- and his sentiment was felt beyond his audi- allegedly cold attitudes of the Germans memorating a major anniversary. Compared ence. This kind of criticism of the victors toward their dead but in the ongoing pub- to the pomp of later years, this tenth com- was ubiquitous in Western Germany in the lic talk about taboos that have to be broken. memoration of the war’s end was as mod- 1950s. It was more subdued in the German Right-wing radicals have continuously est as West Germany’s economic miracle Democratic Republic, where it was strictly referred to these alleged taboos, and it is was efficient. In a letter to Theodor Heuss, framed for propaganda purposes. Tellingly, they who now profit from the fact that this Konrad Adenauer suggested that the date however, the officialgdr line was identi- tone has permeated our society. should transpire “without too much noise.” cal to the one Goebbels had used: “Anglo- And in fact, the speech that the president of American strikes of terror.” The catchword Soon after the war, Germans generally felt the young republic chose to give on May 8, was “Dresden.” that they themselves had been the primary Why do so many people believe these days – or allow themselves to believe – that Germans could not mourn their dead until now? How did such a misperception enter the public realm? Is this not an expression of trememdous confusion?

1955 commemorated the 150th anniversary On February 8, 2005 in front of the victims of Hitler’s regime, a feeling shared of Friedrich Schiller’s death. Dresden Frauenkirche, there was a lot of in both the west and the east. In the gdr, Three days before, however, in his talk about reconciliation. But there was also, the interpretation of Allied area bombing farewell address for the Allied High as Die Zeit reported, quite a lot of babble was dictated from above. In the frg the Commissioners who were retreating from “about the legitimate right of the Germans protest came from below. The latter called Bonn, Heuss expressed the ambivalent feel- to mourn their World War II victims.” “We for abolishing all sanctions that had been ings of his fellow Germans. In juxtaposing are finally free to do justice to our own part of the Allied policy of denazification the “feeling of being liberated” with the dead,” a young woman was heard to say. and of the judicial persecution of Nazi awareness of “military destruction,” Heuss Significantly, these were the thoughts of crimes. In the early 1950s these requests spoke of the “annihilation of hundreds of people who had assembled to demonstrate culminated in public demands to release years of history of the German state and against right-wing radicals and neo-Nazis, all condemned war criminals. But there people.” In doing so, he again took up his who had also rallied in Dresden. Is this not was more at stake in these heated debates 1949 interpretation of the German state of an expression of tremendous confusion? in both East Germany and West Germany. mind when he had formulated the idea that Why, one must ask, do so many people The undercurrent was a socio-psychic the Germans had been “simultaneously lib- believe these days – or allow themselves to search for the relief of guilt in the broadest erated and annihilated” at the end of the war. believe – that Germans could not mourn possible sense. What strikes today’s ear as particularly their dead until now? How did such a It has become a truism that the foreign strange about this is the use of the term misperception enter the public realm? policy rationale of both new German states “annihilation” (Vernichtung). Although It seems that nobody remembers the implied a commemoration of the “victims of Heuss spoke of annihilation, he surely had speech given in Dresden ten years ago by the Nazi terror regime” – or, to put it into not intended to equate the politics of the Roman Herzog, the then president of the gdr speak, “the victims of fascism.” But the Allies with the politics of Hitler. But the con- newly united Germany. Herzog literally expectations of those who lived through the notation of his words was apparent; the fall insisted that we “also mourn the German Nazi period were much higher. The average of the Third Reich had made victims of the victims of our history” because “one can- former Volksgenossen at that time expected Germans. Heuss had captured the public not find relief or reconciliation if one does the acknowledgement of all victims, ﬁ

The Berlin Journal 19 including those who had sacrificed them- book series on German pows and expel- they were with the speakers of the skepti- selves for the Nazi cause. lees. In other words, there was no suppres- cal generation, their seniors by 15 to twenty This policy of leveling guilt was most sion of German victimhood.) years. The critical pragmatism, the matter- intense among those who could be called During those days, a differentiation of-factness that characterized the skeptics’ the Third Reich’s “functional generation,” emerged that was politically necessary for efforts to explain the Nazi past, did not sat- those born around 1905, who continued to the sake of the young democracy: the sepa- isfy the ideals of the 68ers. They had more be highly influential in West German soci- ration of private memory, which follows radical demands, which, although deeply ety but who were also not without influence its own rules, from the responsible public rooted in conflicts with their parents, were in the east. This generation immediately representation of history. This was the con- hardly linked anymore to an interest in the claimed the tu quoque argument by citing cept of Vergangenheitsbewältigung – coming Nazi past. The 68ers sought to fight capi- the Allied area bombing and the policy of to terms with the past – a term that by now talism – and despised anti-fascism for its expulsion of German populations from has itself become history. In the 1960s, “helplessness.” Eastern Europe to prove that the others had however, it emerged as a deliberate contrast This was, of course, thirty years ago. also committed crimes. With this reflexive to permanent denial of the past. To judge Today we find quite a few of those who formerly perceived themselves as revolu- The few remaining survivors of the Holocaust and other Nazi tionaries prepared to make milder judg- crimes find themselves surrounded by a growing group ments about the past. Completely changed perspectives may still be the exception. But of Germans who also understand themselves as “victims.” the shift in emphasis from remembering the victims of the Germans to remembering response of denying any guilt – and later of the value of this concept in retrospect, one the Germans as victims is perceptible none- meeting their childrens’ questions with bla- must take into account the intransigence of theless, as in the case of former left-wing tant silence – most of the functional genera- its opponents, who denounced it as a kind radical Jörg Friedrich, whose expressionis- tion missed the chance for any real mourn- of black pedagogy of “re-education,” as a tic cascades about the Allied air raids have ing, even of their own suffering. diabolical machination to sap the strength found a wide audience in recent years. And Fortunately, the general mood of those of the German people. if one listens a bit more carefully in circles who had believed in Hitler and sustained Since the 1990s some leading intellectu- that formerly believed everything personal the Nazi system was contested by the “skep- als of the skeptical generation have begun to is political, one hears astonishingly private tical generation.” The former Flakhelfer dissociate themselves from the moral task and completely apolitical views of history, (youth who helped with anti-aircraft guns) of confronting the past. There was Martin views that blur the distinction between per- and young soldiers, born around 1925, Walser’s 1998 lecture in the Frankfurt petrators, victims, and bystanders. refused to join in the self-pity of their elders. Paulskirche, where he spoke of his desire Today, the wish to reconcile with one’s From the late 1950s and early 1960s on, they to be free of the “obligation to remember.” ageing parents seems to be taking prece- introduced a different, critical discourse in Günter Grass’s novel Crabwalk about the dence over the search for leftist traditions in order to promote the political and cultural sinking of the ship “Wilhelm Gustloff” is the German past. And where this reconcili- renewal of German society. An important told in the voice of one who overcomes a ation is no longer possible, a new form of part of this new discourse was the effort to “taboo” by focusing on the suffering of the suffering has been discovered: the shame of launch a correct, indeed self-critical, discus- refugees from the German east. Perhaps having missed one’s chance. Psychohistory sion of the past. such new tendencies can be understood now urges us to listen to the war’s “last Only now would the German victims as the changing perceptions of those who contemporaries” before it is too late. This – those killed in air raids and on the front, think their own project of critically explor- means not just talking to the survivors of those expelled from the east – somewhat ing history was successful. And certainly Nazi persecution but also “meeting with fade into the background. Only now would it indicates a change in the constellation members of the war generation” – regard- there be room for the other victims, the of generations. The functional generation less of what their role had been. victims of the others – among which, how- has disappeared; postwar generations have The disappearance of the Third Reich’s ever, German Jews were often still counted grown up. Most of this changing mood last contemporaries not only produces a (rather than as Germans). The commit- among the Flakhelfer, however, must proba- kind of laissez-faire in matters of dealing ment of the skeptical generation – of people bly be understood in the context of their own with the past, a calmness toward the policy like Hans-Ulrich Wehler, Martin Walser, aging, in their wish to reconcile themselves of the past that would have been impossible Günter Grass, and Jürgen Habermas, to and their biographies with German history. in earlier constellations. It also seems to do name only a few – also implied a certain away with some old competing and differ- refusal to answer false questions and to ing attitudes among the following genera- rebut the opinions of the forever faithful ° II ° tions. The average German bystanders are Nazi adherents. (Today’s assertion that If the way the Nazi past has been now becoming subjects of their children’s it became a taboo during those years to dealt with is to some extent founded in gen- compassion. For the latter, this offers oppor- reflect on Germany’s “own” victims is sim- erational constellations, then the generation tunities to understand themselves as vic- ply wrong. Any newspaper of the period that came of age in the 1960s is, of course, tims as well: as victims of the bombings, of confirms this, as do the flourishing publi- of great interest. By the end of that decade, the expulsion from the east, even as victims cations by the associations of expellees, war the members of this agegroup were almost of inherited feelings of guilt. The identi- widows, war orphans, and the semi-official less in conflict with their own parents than fication with the victims of the Holocaust

20 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 – once the distinctive mark of rebellion the feeling of a huge distance toward, in being advised to believe that “the future” toward their parents’ generation – is slowly Schröder’s words, “the old Germany of was impossible until now, since they were receding into the background. those dark times.” delving so deeply and for too long into The consequences of these psychodynam- Schröder, born in 1944, brought up the Nazi past. While over the course of ics is a multifaceted process of diffusion of fatherless in meager circumstances, is the six decades Vergangenheitsbewältigung empathy, if not a transfer. The first genera- perfect representative of this fast-growing has indeed become part of the Federal tion, i.e. the contemporaries of the Nazi community of the children of the war Republic’s political culture, the argument period, in the view of their children, regain whose self-invention we are now witness- overlooks the fact that exactly this histori- a place next to the actual victims of Nazism ing. “Only four years ago,” he told the pub- cal self-criticism has gained the Germans – even substitute for them. They regain lic at Normandy, “my family located the the respect of their neighbors. Not only the place where they had seen themselves grave of my father, a soldier who was killed because they acknowledged historical already when the regime came to an end. At in Romania. I never got to know him.” guilt, but also because they assumed the same time, members of the second gen- When a statesman speaks about history in financial responsibility. eration are now seeking – for themselves as this private mode, he is not simply confess- President Köhler’s address this May, well as for their view of their parents – the following the example set by President understanding of their own children, i.e. Many believe that, with Richard von Weizsäcker in 1985, inter- the third generation of Germans. the disappearance of the preted the surrender of the German Since the generation of the perpetrators Wehrmacht as a day of liberation; today, is almost extinct, these shifting self-per- last contemporaries of the however, Weizsäcker’s interpretation is ceptions are leading to a strange phenom- Nazi period, the discourse being contested with increasing regularity. enon: the few remaining survivors of the To call May 8 a day of liberation is less con- Holocaust and other Nazi crimes – as well of guilt has rendered itself vincing for today’s Germans than it was as their children and grandchildren – find obsolete. The end of guilt only ten years ago. This is true not only in themselves surrounded by a growing group the former East Germany, with its compli- of Germans who also understand them- seems to have come closer. cated history. The argument for liberation selves as “victims.” is not, it seems, compatible with the idea of ing to a typical “fate” of his generation. He Germans as victims. is participating in changing the code of In this context, it is not surprising that ° III ° memory: to its center the Germans are now another argument against the notion of It is obviously too early to judge streaming – as victims. defeat tends to be forgotten. The idea that these new generational constellations in This shift is also becoming apparent in the Germans had been liberated of a “ter- full, but one thing is clear: a new tone has the controversial proposal to build a pri- rible burden” – to cite the phrase used by entered the political debate about the past vately funded “Center against Expulsions” President Walter Scheel in 1975 – always since the Flakhelfer were voted out of office – initiated by the Association of German had a euphemistic tone. Not all Germans that is to say, since the end of the Helmut Expellees, which currently faces strong longed for political liberation in 1945. Nor Kohl era. criticism from German experts and nega- did the Allies want them to view them- In 1984, the Chancellor Kohl introduced tive public opinion in Poland and the Czech selves as liberated. a new tone into political discussion about Republic. That the center is to be built in the The ambivalence of the liberation thesis the past when he invoked the Gnade der German capital can only be understood as deserves to be studied carefully, as do the späten Geburt – “the grace of late birth”– an attempt to counterbalance Berlin’s newly political implications of that ambivalence during a visit to Israel. Kohl’s suggestion opened Monument to the Murdered Jews of for democracy. Those who consider the lat- that he and his generation bore no guilt Europe. ter should be able to overcome the con- unleashed ardent criticism. Ironically Many believe that with the disappear- straints of a purely German perspective, enough, twenty years later, the “Schröder ance of the contemporaries of the Nazi which again have arisen in the recent generation” has been able to appropriate the period, the discourse of guilt has rendered debate. The Germans, even sixty years same argument with disturbing ease. Kohl’s itself obsolete. The end of guilt seems to after Hitler, have difficulties accepting the successor can say many things that would have come closer, and across the politi- utter truth: what was at stake on May 8, have been completely impossible, even dam- cal spectrum the expectations for this 1945 was not the liberation of the Germans aging, to his predecessor. new state of mind are high. In a country but the liberation of Europe and the world It has become almost routine for the where the perpetrators have died out, the of the Nazi plague. µ German political class to confess, at home future offers many opportunities. During and abroad, to the Nazi past. President the commemorations this May, a twofold Norbert Frei is professor of history at Köhler’s address on May 8 of this year is postulate could be heard in nearly every Friedrich-Schiller-Universität in Jena. a case in point. Another occurred in the speech and talk-show: the Germans need His recent books includeVergangenheit- summer of 2004 at the commemoration of to remain conscious of their “historical spolitik (1996; published in 2002 as the sixtieth anniversary of the Normandy responsibility,” but they also need to stop Adenauer’s Germany and the Nazi Past) Invasion, when Gerhard Schröder claimed letting themselves be inhibited by their and 1945 und wir (2005). This text is to speak for a nation that had “found its past. We should be proud of our talent for derived from a lecture in honor of Fritz way back into the community of civilized democracy. And we should trust in our- Stern given at the American Academy on peoples.” The comment neatly sums up selves. Without any evidence, Germans are May 9, 2005.

The Berlin Journal 21 1889_FM_21x28 9/9/059:40amPage1

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Ethics in a World of Strangers W.E.B. Du Bois and the Spirit of Cosmopolitanism

by K. Anthony Appiah

n a 1788 essay in the Teutscher – whom nobody, alas, ever called the French Merkur, Christoph Martin Wieland Wieland – spoke eloquently of the obliga- – once called “the German Voltaire” – tion to understand those with whom we wrote, in a characteristic expression share the planet, linking that need explic- I of the cosmopolitan ideal: “Cosmopolitans… itly with our global economic interdepen- regard all the peoples of the earth as so dence. “Fed by the products of their soil, many branches of a single family, and the dressed in their fabrics, amused by games universe as a state, of which they, with they invented, instructed even by their innumerable other rational beings, are citi- ancient moral fables, why would we neglect zens, promoting together under the general to understand the mind of these nations, laws of nature the perfection of the whole, among whom our European traders have while each in his own fashion is busy about traveled ever since they could find a way to W.E.B. Du Bois (c. 1907). his own well-being.” And Voltaire himself get to them?” ﬁ

The Berlin Journal 23 But there are two strands that intertwine Loyalties and local allegiances determine and clear the music ... The infinite beauty of in the notion of cosmopolitanism. One is more than what we want; they determine the wail lingered and swept through every the general moral idea that we have obli- who we are. George Eliot, in Daniel Deronda, muscle of his frame, and put it all a-tune.” gations to others, obligations that stretch wrote of choosing “the closer fellowship But it is also present in the many ways beyond those with whom we are related that makes sympathy practical – exchang- in which, as the scholar Russell Berman by the ties of kith and kind, or even the ing that bird’s-eye reasonableness which has pointed out, the fictional story of the more formal ties of a shared citizenship. soars … for the generous reasonableness two Johns echoes the themes and tropes The other is that we take seriously not just of drawing shoulder to shoulder with men of Wagner’s Lohengrin, the very opera by the value of human life but of particular of like inheritance.” Her thoughts echo which the black John was so transported. human lives, which means taking an inter- Cicero’s claim that “society and human est in the practices and beliefs that lend fellowship will be best served if we confer It is hard for most people them significance. People are different, the the most kindness on those with whom we nowadays to think of cosmopolitan knows, and there is much to are most closely associated.” A creed that learn from our differences. There will be disdains the partialities of kinfolk and com- cosmopolitan nationalism times when these two ideals – universal munity may have a past, but it has no future. as anything other than concern and respect for legitimate differ- The challenge of cosmopolitanism is to ence – clash. There’s a sense in which cos- combine this recognition of the need for an oxymoron. mopolitanism is the name not of the solu- partiality and the value of difference with tion but of the challenge. the recognition of the value of encounter To give but one instance; the Sorrow across identities. W.E.B. Du Song that begins the essay, “I’ll Hear the Bois, I believe, almost always Trumpet Sound,” contains the lines: got this balance right. Du Bois’s cosmopolitan- You may bury me in the East, ism is displayed in his open- You may bury me in the West, ness to the achievements But I’ll hear that trumpet sound of other civilizations; his In that morning. celebration of European culture, high and low, is always Berman points out that these lines echo evident. He had more than the lines in which King Heinrich promises a passing acquaintance with equality between Germans in the east and Germany. After Harvard, the west of the German Empire: where he earned his second BA in 1890, cum laude (his Ob Ost, ob West? Das gelte Allen gleich! first had come from Fisk, a black university) and an MA Du Bois’s cultural cosmopolitanism is W.E.B. Du Bois at Atlanta University (1909). in history, working with equally evident in his citations not just of Albert Bushnell Hart – one German high culture but of its folk culture We all share a disgust with cosmopol- of the founding fathers of modern histori- as well: as when he quotes a German folk- itanism’s noisiest foes. Both Hitler and cal studies in the United States – Du Bois song in the final pages ofThe Souls of Black Stalin – who agreed about little else, save studied at Berlin’s Friedrich Wilhelm Folk: “Jetz Geh i’ an’s brunele, trink aber that murder was the first instrument of University. Here he would find himself at net.” (Now I’m goin’ to the well, but I ain’t politics – launched regular invectives the apex of a German academic system that gonna drink.) against “rootless cosmopolitans”; and had recreated the university by inventing This was not just aesthetic cosmopoli- while, for both, anti-cosmopolitanism was modern graduate education. He worked tanism; Du Bois accepts the fundamental often just a euphemism for anti-Semitism, with Wilhelm Dilthey; he listened to cosmopolitan moral idea that, whatever his they were right to see cosmopolitanism as Max Weber and Heinrich von Treitschke; duties to the Negro, he has obligations to their enemy. For they both required a kind and he deepened his knowledge of the those outside his racial horizon; and he is a of loyalty to one portion of humanity – a Hegelianism that he had learned from methodological cosmopolitan, finally, also, nation, a class – that ruled out loyalty to George Santayana at Harvard. When he in his insistence on adopting a globally com- all of humanity. And the one thought that could not raise the funds to complete the parative perspective even when he is talk- cosmopolitans share is that no local loyalty doctoral degree in Germany, he returned ing about the United States. Du Bois sees can ever justify forgetting that each human home and received the first Ph.D. granted the problem of Jim Crow as part of a global being has responsibilities to every other. to an African-American by Harvard. tragedy: the color line imposes Jim Crow in Fortunately, we need take sides neither In The Souls of Black Folk, first published Georgia, but it also imposes a destructive with the nationalist who abandons all for- in 1903, we can see this intense respect for colonialism on “Asia and Africa … and the eigners nor with the hardcore cosmopolitan European, and particularly German, cul- islands of the sea.” This tone is consistent. who regards her friends and fellow citizens ture in “The Coming of John,” when the After World War I, writing in criticism of with icy impartiality. The position worth black John is moved beyond measure by American hostility to the Negro, he says: defending might be called (in both senses) Wagner’s music: “… he sat in dreamland, Conceive this nation, of all human peoples, a partial cosmopolitanism. and started when, after a hush, rose high engaged in a crusade to make the “World

24 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 Safe for Democracy”! Can you imagine the makes it is called Cosmopolitanism and the The democracy which the white world United States protesting against Turkish National State (1908). Anyone who followed seeks to defend does not exist. It has been atrocities in Armenia, while the Turks are – as Du Bois certainly did – the movements splendidly conceived and discussed, but silent about mobs in Chicago and St. Louis; of nationalism in nineteenth-century not realized. If it is ever to grow strong what is Louvain compared with Memphis, Europe would have recognized the senti- enough for self-defense and for embracing Waco, Washington, Dyersburg, and Estill ment of Giuseppe Mazzini, the great Italian the world and developing human culture Springs? In short what is the black man patriot, who in 1844 wrote in The Duties to its highest, it must include not simply but America’s Belgium, and how could of Man, “Your first duties – first as regards the lower classes among the whites now America condemn Germany for that which importance – are, as I have already told you, excluded from voice in the control of indus- she commits, just as brutally, within her own borders.1 The European nationalism of the nineteenth century recognized that the demand for national rights only made sense as There can be little doubt, then, that Du Bois deserves to be called a nationalist – I a moral demand if it was claimed equally for all peoples. understand this is not news – but also a cosmopolitan. And it is hard, I think, for most towards Humanity. You are men before you try; but in addition to that it must include people nowadays to think of cosmopolitan are either citizens or fathers.” the colored peoples of Asia and Africa, nationalism as anything other than an oxy- In 1840, in a famous essay on “Byron and now hopelessly imprisoned by poverty and moron. Surely cosmopolitanism, the idea Goethe,” Mazzini had written admiringly of ignorance. Until these latter are included the English poet who had gone to Greece to and in as far as they are not, democracy is fight for its independence: a mockery and contains within itself the I know no more beautiful symbol of the seeds of its own destruction. future destiny and mission of art than the death of Byron in Greece. The holy alli- Du Bois always recognized, too, the risk ance of poetry with the cause of the peoples; that black folk, facing a world in which so the union – still so rare – of thought and many of the white people they met would action – which alone completes the human refuse contact with them, would be forced Word, and is destined to emancipate the into an un-cosmopolitan withdrawal from world; the grand solidarity of all nations the contact across nations and peoples, the in the conquest of the rights ordained by contact that the cosmopolitan claims is W.E.B. Du Bois with fellow Harvard graduates (1890). God for all his children, and in the accom- vivifying and essential. He makes the point plishment of that mission for which alone in Dusk of Dawn, when he talks of the way that all human beings are, in some sense, such rights exist – all that is now the reli- American racism imprisons black people fellow citizens of the world, is the very gion and the hope of the party of progress within the race: opposite of nationalism, the conviction that throughout Europe, is gloriously typified in Practically, this group imprisonment within the boundaries of nationality should be the this image, which we, barbarians that we a group has various effects upon the pris- boundaries of citizenship? And yet, as we are, have already forgotten. oner. He becomes provincial and centered shall see, elegant as this argument is, it is upon the problems of his particular group. simply a mistake. The European nationalism of the nine- He tends to neglect the wider aspects of Not a mistake, however, that someone teenth century, at least in the elevated and national life and human existence. On the with Du Bois’s intellectual background philosophical formulations that Du Bois one hand he is unselfish so far as his inner was likely to make. Friedrich Meinecke would have studied, as in the form he expe- group is concerned. He thinks of himself – who was only a little older than Du Bois rienced it more directly in Berlin, recog- not as an individual but as a group man, and, like him, had studied with Treitschke – nized that the demand for national rights a “race” man. His loyalty to this group idea wrote, just five years afterThe Souls only made sense as a moral demand if it was tends to be almost unending and balks at was published, “Cosmopolitanism and claimed equally for all peoples. Du Bois’s almost no sacrifice. On the other hand, his nationalism stood side by side in a close, defense of the Negro and of the legitimacy attitude toward the environing race con- living relationship for a long time.” Here of Negroes, like himself, having a higher geals into a matter of unreasoning resent- Meinecke was discussing the philosopher degree of concern for their own kind, was ment and even hatred, deep disbelief in Johann Gottlieb Fichte, one of the key fig- always framed within the recognition both them and refusal to conceive honesty and ures in the transition from Kant to Hegel; that they had obligations to people of other rational thought on their part. This attitude but the point he is making applies quite races and that they would gain greatly adds to the difficulties of conversation, inter- widely both to philosophers and to practical from conversation across the races. His course, understanding between groups. patriots, which is why the book in which he nationalism, his partiality for the Negro – like Mazzini’s Italian nationalism – never Du Bois was in his seventies when he pub- 1. The American cities are the sites of descended into chauvinism. When he is crit- lished the book from which these words come. lynching; Louvain was the Belgian city ical of “white people,” it is most often for a Notice that everything he says here about where German troops ran riot in August general failure to recognize and implement black people enclosed within an American 1914, murdering civilians and destroying the universality of the very values they claim context can be applied equally to Americans many of the buildings. as their own. As he said in Dusk of Dawn: enclosed in a provincial nationalism ﬁ

The Berlin Journal 25 within the world. This formulation is surely deliber- ately abstract: it is a critique of the anti-cosmopolitan tendencies of nationalism that is completely general. And indeed, in “The Souls of White Folk,” which he published in Darkwater in 1920, he expressed pity for white Americans “imprisoned and enthralled, hampered and made miserable” by racism in very much the same terms. Still, if this careful statement by the aging scholar is more sober and universal, it is also, I think, less moving than the way he expressed it half his life earlier in The Souls of Black Folk. There he spoke with a cosmopolitan instinct for conversation across peoples in these justly more famous words: I sit with Shakespeare and he winces not. Across the color line I move arm in arm with Balzac and Dumas, where smiling men and welcoming women glide in gilded halls. From out the caves of evening that swing between the strong-limbed earth and the tracery of the stars, I summon Aristotle and Aurelius and what soul I will, and they come all graciously with no scorn nor condescension. So, wed with Truth, I dwell above the Veil.

In 1900 Du Bois said that the color line – the double problem of racism within the West and racial imperialism outside it – would be the problem of the twentieth century. In the century of Hitler and of Stalin (and, for that matter, of the Khmer Rouge and Hutu Power) we cannot say that his exclusive focus on racism directed against people of color turned out to be justified. Indeed, I don’t know if it’s worth trying to decide what slogan would properly identify the problem of a century with so many problems. But it was undeni- ably a century in which more of the cosmopolitan spirit – a little more respect, that is, for difference and a little more concern for the moral interests of strangers – would have made a huge difference for the better. The record of such prophecies is not great, but if I were asked for an enemy of human hope for our new century, I would say it was anti- cosmopolitanism; one that has taken new forms in our time but that already underlay the indifference and contempt for others that Du Bois dubbed “the problem of the color line.” The challenge of the twenty-first century is, I believe, the cosmopolitan challenge, and in reading Du Bois today I am struck by how much his spirit engages this new challenge. The world has changed in the century since The Souls of Black Folk first appeared; but the spirit that animates it is, I believe, as relevant now as it was then. µ

K. Anthony Appiah is Laurance S. Rockefeller University Professor of Philosophy and a trustee of the American Academy in Berlin. This text is taken from the Distinguished W.E.B. Du Bois Lecture, which he presented at the Humboldt Universität on June 1, 2005.

26 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 Fighting Hitler and Jim Crow African Americans and World War II

by Jane Dailey Courtesy of the NationaltheCourtesyof Archives

The Berlin Journal 27 t is a scholarly commonplace for critics of American politics and soci- The black campaign to equate the two that the American media’s response to ety. They seized the opportunity to make systems of racial segregation was strategic the anti-Jewish policies of the National fascism synonymous with racism, and and did not necessarily reflect concern for Socialists in Germany during the 1930s vice versa, and to tie democracy to non-dis- the fate of Germany’s Jews. Many African I was disengaged and skeptical. The perse- crimination. Establishing the first of these Americans (including Du Bois prior to his cution of the Jews, as historian Deborah equations was increasingly easy, particu- 1936 trip to Germany) indulged in consid- Lipstadt has pointed out, “was never the larly after passage of the 1935 Nuremberg erable Schadenfreude at the predicament central theme of the reports about the new Laws regulating and restricting Jewish of European Jews. At the same time, the regime.” Lipstadt’s description is accurate German life, which – leading Nazis and political usefulness of comparing fascist the African American press Germany with democratic America was Black papers reported early and both pointed out – were mod- irresistible to this generation of civil rights often on Nazi racism and drew com- eled on Jim Crow statutes. As workers. Frequently noting that racial one black author put it, “What prejudice was officially outlawed in the parisons – most of them unflatter- else are Jim-Crow laws but Soviet Union, black publications ham- ing – with America, particularly with Fascist laws.… it is difficult mered home the point that “Nazi prejudice to believe that Hitler to save against Jews is like Dixie’s.” In an edito- the American South. time did not copy them directly rial on lynching in the NAACP newspaper from the southern statutes The Crisis, the editor explained, “The only with regard to such white-owned and oper- and from the unwritten laws of America essential difference between a Nazi mob ated publications as the New York Times against negroes.” While the New York Times hunting down Jews in Central Europe and and Life magazine, but it does not hold true searched for a neutral tone to address the an American mob burning black men at for America’s thriving black press, which new German regime and the 1933 Christian the stake in Mississippi, is that one is actu- served the nation’s 13 million African Science Monitor described life in Germany ally encouraged by its national government Americans. In the 1930s, newspapers were as “normal and serene,” America’s black and the other is merely tolerated.” In 1941, as segregated as everything else in America; papers and magazines made Nazi racial as America avoided being drawn into the and whereas blacks read white papers persecution a front-page story. W. E. B. European war, the Urban League made like the Times, very few whites read black Du Bois reported from the 1936 Berlin racial equality a crucial marker of democ- papers such as the Pittsburgh Courier or the Olympics for the Pittsburgh Courier that racy. “All over the world,” it lectured, “the Baltimore Afro-American. Worried about the Nazis had declared “world war on Jews.” color line is being erased as nations fight verification of stories considered unlikely More than a year before, the Afro-American to preserve the democratic form of govern- – and preoccupied with offending the new had called whites protesting the admis- ment. All over the world except in Hitler’s German regime – both the US government sion of a black student to the University of Germany, Mussolini’s Italy, and the and mainstream newspapers and maga- Maryland law school “American Nazis” and United States of America.” zines adopted a circumspect stance toward proclaimed them “quite as bestial as their Nazi racism. Black papers, on the other German brothers.” Having absorbed comparisons of hand, reported on it early and often and Such sentiments crossed the political segregation to fascism for the past seven drew comparisons – most of them unflat- spectrum and increased as the Nazis years, it was not immediately apparent to tering – with America, particularly with the became more openly anti-Semitic. In 1939, many African Americans in December American South. William Z. Foster, chairman of the National 1941 why they should risk their lives fight- The US was a segregated nation in the Committee of the Communist Party usa, ing for a nation indifferent to its own core 1930s. South of Washington, D.C. and east testified before Congress that “I do not principles. A Philadelphia man, Harry of Arizona, those American citizens legally think you will find anywhere in the world a Carpenter, was arrested for treason when defined as non-white were unable to vote or nationality so deeply oppressed as the col- he remarked in public that the war was “a be elected to office. When black people rode ored group in America. They are worse off white man’s war and it’s no damn good.” the bus, they stood or sat at the back; when than the Jews under Hitler.” That same year, Why, many wondered, should black they took a train, they were relegated to the Opportunity, a monthly published by the Americans support the war on Hitler smoking car; when they saw a film, it was Urban League – which occupied a political while Jim Crow reigned at home? from the balcony. Their children attended slot to the right of the National Association The na acp acknowledged African ramshackle segregated schools lacking both for the Advancement of Colored People American ambivalence toward fighting books and indoor plumbing. Sex and mar- (na acp) – editorialized that “Germany is the fascists. “We all know that the attitude riage with whites were strictly forbidden; modeling its program of Jewish persecution toward the colored people of the nations those (white as well as black) who violated after American persecution of Negroes.” fighting Hitler, Mussolini, and Hirohito restrictive marriage laws found themselves Although some white newspapers did note leaves much to be desired,” admitted the guests in the state penitentiary. Southerners the erosion of Jewish civil rights in organization’s executive secretary Walter called this system of legal segregation Jim Germany, they did not acknowledge the White. But he insisted that African Crow, and it influenced race relations in obvious parallels between German Americans had special interests at stake other regions in America as well, particu- Rassenpolitik and Jim Crow, and they were in this war: “If Hitler wins, every single larly the west. uninterested in doing anything about what right we now possess and for which we Hitler’s sudden rise to power in 1933 the Philadelphia Tribune (black) called the have struggled here in America for more created ideological and rhetorical space “Nazis zu Hause.” than three centuries will be instanta-

28 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 neously wiped out. … If the allies win, we men remained skeptical about America’s in southern society and southern societal shall at least have the right to continue wartime politics, and both strove unceas- and racial relationships.” Believing that fighting for a share of democracy ingly to keep the needs of the nation’s larg- they were fighting for things “as they have for ourselves.” est racial minority center stage. been in America” and haunted by “revolting In the end, black civilians joined the war visions of what the new society may be like,” effort because they saw it as part of their Leading whites, including Franklin white Southerners often seemed to be fight- own struggle to gain access to democracy. Roosevelt, were irritated by black demands ing their own separate war. As with the earlier comparison of segrega- for equality after 1941, seeing them as The campaign many white Southerners tion to fascism, this was a calculated deci- untimely. At the same time, many progres- were most interested in pursuing was sion. Nothing short of “a considerable weak- a rear-guard action against ening of the white races by war” would, in In January 1942, white military and African-American efforts to the sober estimation of historian Rayford civilian police wounded 21 black erode Jim Crow. If not officially Logan, “bring any appreciable improvement” under siege by the government, to colored peoples world-wide. All things soldiers and killed ten in a riot in which refused to desegregate considered, Logan concluded, American Alexandria, Louisiana, that began the armed forces during the blacks should “change their song from war, the South’s social system ‘Ain’t goin’ to study war no more’ to ‘Let’s see when a military policeman slapped a was challenged more directly what we can get out of a war.’” black soldier’s girlfriend. and more systematically than Determined not to let the opportunity it had ever been before. As the of wartime change slip away, America’s sive white and black commentators were dis- war industry brought better paying jobs to leading civil rights organizations exhorted, gusted by the attitude of white Southerners more and more blacks, they felt empowered “Now is the time not to be silent about the to the war, which seemed to be primarily to to ask for better conditions and an end to breaches in democracy in our own land.” shore up the domestic racial caste system segregated labor. Disagreement about seg- To this end, black Americans added a fifth under wartime conditions and only second- regation exacerbated the more general war- freedom – “freedom from segregation” – to arily to win the war. According to reports time aggravations of urban overcrowding the “four freedoms” already denominated by filed in 1942 by field agents for the Bureau and food and fuel shortages, and those who President Roosevelt (freedom of speech and of Agricultural Economics, southern whites kept track of such things worried about the religion, freedom from fear and poverty). refused to “go all out” in the war effort rising number of interracial altercations Both the black press and civil rights spokes- if “going all out may mean … a revolution across America. Fisk University’s Social ﬁ

The Berlin Journal 29 Science Institute counted 242 incidents of one northern black. English civilians were that “men who faced bullets overseas deserve interracial rioting and violence during 1943. informed by white southern troops that ballots at home” and that black disenfran- Many of these involved soldiers. Because “Negroes had tails, that they were illiterate, chisement reflected “the hateful ideologies” of its temperate climate and the power of that their color was due to disease, that all that the nation opposed in the war. its congressional delegation, the South Negroes carried razors which they would use Even so, undoing the beliefs of a lifetime housed most of America’s new men in arms. on the slightest provocation, and that ‘they would not be easy. A white southern lieu- Northern black recruits unfamiliar with the will rape your women,’” the na acp’s Walter tenant, in a letter to Margaret Halsey (the quotidian indignities of Jim Crow clashed White reported. writer who helped run the famous integrated daily with white southern GIs and war work- Such tales were reinforced by the chief of Stage Door Canteen in New York City), wrote ers, and they chafed against the strictures of the Service of Supply (to which the majority frankly of the obstacles to racial equality in segregation. In the three months after Pearl of black soldiers in Britain were assigned), America. Describing himself as one of those Harbor, there were two army camp riots; Lt. Gen. John C. H. Lee of Virginia, who “who seek democracy in a nation where it by May 1942, 14 black men in uniform had explained that “colored soldiers are akin to is sometimes hard to find,” the lieutenant been killed by civilian police in communi- well-meaning but irresponsible children.… continued, ties adjacent to Army training camps. At Generally they cannot be trusted to tell the Even I am not sure how far I would go to Fort Benning, Georgia, Private Felix Hall truth, to execute complicated orders, or to act insure that democracy. I want my colored was found hanging from a tree, his arms on their own initiative… They individually or friend to vote; I want him to be free from prej- and legs bound. Black soldiers stationed collectively can change form with amazing udice in the courts; I want him to go to college; at Luke Field near Phoenix, Arizona spent rapidity from a timid or bashful individual to I want him to have the best of living condi- Thanksgiving Day 1942 shooting it out with brazen boldness or white military police; three were killed and madness or become English civilians were informed by white 11 wounded, and 27 black GIs faced courts hysterical.” This southern troops that “negroes had tails, that martial. The previous January, white mili- sort of instruction tary and civilian police wounded 21 black in the verities of Jim they were illiterate,” and “that their color soldiers and killed ten in a riot in Alexandria, Crow was resented was due to disease.” Louisiana, that began when a military police- by many non-south- man slapped a black soldier’s girlfriend. All ern white American troops (and even by a tions; I want him to be paid what he is worth; in all, wartime America saw six civilian race few white Southerners), who began to draw I want him to be an active and respected riots, more than twenty military riots and the same comparison between the US and member of any union he desires; I want him mutinies, and between forty and 75 lynch- Germany that the black press had made to know and enjoy the Four Freedoms. I will ings. As Howard Donovan Queens, a black since the mid-1930s. “What is taking place work and work hard to see that he – or his officer in the Regular Army who eventually in our army today is nothing [less] disgrace- sons – gets these things, but – I do not want rose to the rank of colonel recalled years later, ful than what Hitler is doing to minorities in him to live next door to me; I do not want him “The Negro soldier’s first taste of warfare in Germany,” wrote one disgusted white GI in to be my house guest; and I do not want him w wii was on army posts right here in his a 1943 Army survey on race relations among to dance with my daughter. How can I recon- own country.” soldiers. “I joined the American Army to cile these conflicting desires? Conditions were better in England, where fight against the persecution of minorities,” Halsey responded by explaining that 130,000 African American GIs trained for this young soldier concluded. “I resent that she did not think the lieutenant (or most the June 1944 invasion of Europe. Proud our Army actually practices the same type of white Southerners of his generation) could of the fact that, as the British Home Office persecution.” Black soldiers also interpreted reconcile them: they would just have to live put it, “there is no color bar in the United their fight overseas as linked to their future with the tension these conflicting desires Kingdom and none will be permitted,” the in America. As one explained to the Army, produced. British government nonetheless did what it “Our mothers and fathers would feel very bad could to discourage black-white social inter- after we have come over and help won the war It would take another twenty years, and an action, with mixed success. “Everybody here [if] some of our peoples have to go back down all-out campaign of direct action and civil dis- adores the Negro troops. All the girls go to South and put up with the same thing [fas- obedience, to gain for black Americans the their dances,” enthused a Wiltshire woman cism] on these plantations.” rights promised them by the Constitution. In in March 1943. “But,” she added, “nobody It may be too much to assert (as some his- the meantime, Halsey recommended that the likes the white Americans. They swagger torians have) that Hitler “gave racism a bad lieutenant join an organization dedicated to about as if they were the only people fighting name.” Nonetheless, the comparison African working for racial justice when he returned this war. They get so drunk and look so unti- Americans first drew between the Nazi per- to the States and suggested that the white dy, while the Negros are very polite, much secution of the Jews and America’s Jim Crow man “stock up on bicarbonate of soda and try smarter, and everybody’s pets.” regime made an impression on many white not to think of posterity.’ µ Needless to say, the social equality offered Americans, some of whom reevaluated the to African Americans by the English enraged harsh realities of white supremacy at home Jane Dailey is professor of history at Johns white southern GIs, who made every effort to during the years they fought fascism abroad. Hopkins University and held a Berlin Prize enforce southern social mores abroad. “Here The fight against Nazi Germany may not at the Academy in the fall of 2004. She is the in England we are the butt of white American have made racism unfashionable across the author of Before Jim Crow: The Politics of Race insults wherever we go, which the English ocean, but by the end of the war even many in Post-Emancipation Virginia and is complet- themselves don’t understand,” complained white Southerners agreed with the sentiment ing a book to be called Sex and Civil Rights.

30 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 Remembering Lloyd N. Cutler 1917–2005

he american Salzburg Seminar in American tions to bankruptcy law, admin- House Counsel. For the others, he Academy in Berlin lost Studies to coincide with the istrative law, securities law, auto served on important Presidential an active, thoughtful Salzburg Music Festival) – and, at and drug safety law, and was a Commissions. trustee and special friend some point, to a little illuminat- major force in launching and Lloyd also devoted a substan- T when Lloyd Cutler passed away ing gossip as well. carrying out the American Law tial amount of his time to private on May 8, 2005. Lloyd founded and helped Institute’s path-breaking project organizations designed to serve Lloyd had an extraordinary build a renowned Washington- on corporate governance. public purposes. In the 1960s, range of interests and experi- based law firm (now Wilmer In addition to being sought out he founded and co-chaired the ences, which made it a particular Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr), as counselor to a large number of Lawyers’ Committee for Civil delight to be asked to lunch with which was always recognized for corporate executives, including Rights under Law. (He sug- him. At lunch, the conversation attracting particularly outstand- German chief executive officers, gested that I consider serving as would turn to ideas – in law, poli- ing lawyers to its ranks. He was Lloyd was recruited by six US staff director for this important tics, art, music (he was a director a superb advocate and argued presidents for important service. effort, but unhappily I could not of the Metropolitan Opera and before the US Supreme Court For Presidents Jimmy Carter take up his suggestion. It was tried to time his teaching at the nine times. He made contribu- and Bill Clinton, he was White the last time I failed to follow

The Berlin Journal 31 his advice. One of his later “sug- all steeped in his respect for gestions” was that I serve as the rule of law and his sense president of the American of right versus wrong. In the Academy in Berlin.) Lloyd also years to come, I will often ask founded the South African Legal myself “what would Lloyd have Services and Legal Education thought.” These were the quali- Project, which fought apartheid ties that Lloyd Cutler brought to in South Africa. He was a direc- the American Academy in Berlin. tor and, for many years, chair- His world perspective and sound man of the board of the Salzburg judgment were indispensable to Seminar in American Studies. shaping our original intentions. He was a member of the Council With thanks to Wilmer, of the American Law Institute Cutler & Pickering, the Academy for more than thirty years and established the Lloyd Cutler served on its executive commit- Fellowship. I brought the first tee for 15 years. Lloyd also served Lloyd Cutler Fellow, Hiroshi as a trustee of the Brookings Motomura, to visit Lloyd at Institution. The list goes on. his office in Washington. Mr. Lloyd had a remarkable career Motomura is a professor at the because he was an extraordinari- University of North Carolina ly successful and influential prac- and was writing a book on immi- titioner who fully understood gration and citizenship in the the profession’s obligation not US. Even though this meeting only to serve clients but also to occurred in Lloyd’s last year, he serve the community in which he asked insightful questions and lived. Lloyd recognized that his offered Mr. Motomura several community was not confined to books from his bookshelf that he Washington or the United States, thought would be helpful to Mr. but embraced the world. The Motomura’s research. broad-gauged, public-minded Lloyd had a gleam in his eye PhotographsCutlerLloydfamilytheof courtesyof professional practitioner, the and a bright, original wit. His lawyer-statesman has become sense of humor was with him sion networks defending the machinery, judicial and civil rare in the American legal world, to the end. He asked a friend first amendment, the people of service salaries, and American and therefore we feel his loss who visited him during the last Czechoslovakia seeking a con- intelligence capabilities. He particularly deeply. week of his life whether she had stitution, the people of South wasn’t an “expert” in any of brought him a favorite cookie, Africa seeking simple justice, these things – just the guy you -Robert Mundheim which she often served him at and Greenpeace, the na acp, the wanted to talk to when you really her home in New York. When the Metropolitan Opera, and the needed the right answer. lady said that she had not done Rolling Stones. I’m not sure how Lloyd did it was always pleased so but would go home and bring He argued in the Supreme all, but I have some ideas. when Polly Kraft, Lloyd some back, he quipped, “You’d Court about elections and rail- One is that Lloyd found joy I Cutler’s wife, would travel out better hurry.” roads and securities fraud. He in everything that could put his of town. It meant that one of the It will be difficult carrying on negotiated treaties about fishing mind to work. He would not be most charming and interesting without Lloyd, but how fortunate and strategic arms. He made surprised to hear me say that he men I knew was available for I was to have known one of the business deals that doubled had a very Jewish love of the com- dinner. last distinguished American his clients’ money. He crafted plexity and beauty of this world, I had the good fortune of liv- gentlemen. legislation that made automo- because the world gave him ing around the corner from the biles safer. And he counseled so many things he could have Cutlers. Lloyd and I would often -Gahl Burt everyone: powerful public and interesting thoughts about. A walk to a nearby Italian restau- private clients, ordinary citizens side benefit for the rest of us was rant for a bowl of pasta and a of Washington caught up in the that he was wonderful company, bottle of Chianti. These evenings loyd cutler’s legal 1968 riots, and all of us who were whether you felt like talking became important to me, and I domain covered much of his friends. about law or business or politics will always remember them with L the earth, important parts He enhanced our under- or Verdi’s Otello or Shakespeare’s great fondness. of the sea, and various slices of standing of all three branches Othello or Goya’s tapestries or It is not often that one can the sky. of government and a dozen the human genome or menus sit in the company of someone His clients included presi- fields of law. Presidents sought or wine lists or his always loyal with Lloyd’s breadth of knowl- dents, secretaries of state, his help in dealing with hous- but deliciously observant views edge, wisdom, courtesy, and manufacturers with household ing supplies, urban violence, of public figures and mutual unusual intelligence. This was names, newspapers and televi- hostage negotiations, election friends. He was the only person

32 Number Ten | Spring 2005 on earth that I ever looked forward to taking long plane flights with. Lloyd also had an instinctive generosity in dealing with ideas. He liked listening, and he also liked sharing his own thoughts without saving anything for later, and he really liked it (not all of us do) when a collaboration produced something larger than his own contribution, and he enjoyed giving his collaborators more credit for our parts than we often deserved. But Lloyd’s greatest source of strength was his conviction that his own purpose on earth was to solve problems. Sometimes they came to him from public or paying or pro bono clients (it didn’t matter which), but very often he just looked for problems and went to work on them. One example, because it’s important: In the last couple of years of his life, Lloyd confronted the fact that the Constitution doesn’t provide any efficient way to replace members of Congress if they are disabled in large numbers, with the result that a terrorist attack might leave Congress without a quorum to pass laws or appropriate funds. He proposed Lloyd Cutler was my partner to get them to agree. But there Washington when I arrived in a constitutional amendment that for more than thirty years and my was only one Lloyd Cutler. He the mid 1960s, a man consulted has languished in Congress. One friend – in some ways my best had an extraordinary ability informally and confidentially concrete tribute we could make friend – for nearly forty. I will be to cut through people’s differ- by leaders of American political to his memory would be to do grateful all my life for the privi- ences, extract whatever common and corporate life. But he had something about that. lege of knowing and working ground they had, and fashion cre- time for a young foreign service Lloyd calmly attacking a with him, and his death leaves an ative solutions. officer, and I will always be grate- tough problem was something to empty place that will not be filled. As we remember his remark- ful. Over the years, I sat with him behold. What a comfort he was to able career, we must also recognize often, seeking his counsel on his friends and clients and to the -Louis R. Cohen what we have lost. And that loss, issues both personal and profes- nation. which is a loss to our nation, is also sional. On my last visit, less than But although he was fiercely our loss at the American Academy three weeks before he died, his loyal to his clients, he never let loyd cutler believed in Berlin, where Lloyd was one of wife Polly sent me upstairs to see their own perceptions of their in the constructive power our most treasured trustees. He him. He was clearly uncomfort- problems distract him too much L of rational reasoning, and believed in the Academy when able and weak, but his interest in from finding a solution. And so he believed that if serious people it was no more than an idea and events around him was undimin- he taught generations of law- who held different points of view worked hard to help make it a real- ished. He was pleased that he had yers, who might otherwise have talked through their differences, ity. He believed also in the city just brought his law firm a new thought that a lawyer’s job is they could resolve them, or at least of Berlin, where he and his col- piece of business. “You see, I am to get the client what the client narrow them significantly. leagues had the vision to open an still a rainmaker,” he joked. He thinks he wants, that a lawyer’s Of course, Lloyd left out one office when many other firms were wanted to discuss Iraq and, of real job, from start to finish, is to critical ingredient: himself. We going elsewhere. And he believed course, his beloved Democratic get to the right answer and then needed Lloyd, or someone very in US-German relations, to which Party. He had just heard an inter- sell it, first to the client and then much like him, to get people to he devoted much energy. esting story about someone; was to the court or the guy on the the table. We needed Lloyd, or I knew Lloyd for almost forty it true? He worried about the other side of the table. someone very much like him, years. He was already a pillar of future of the Democrats. And

The Berlin Journal 33 tems. To me, Lloyd Cutler reflected the cosmopolitan style of a New England man – a personality ideal for the international stage. Well versed both in culture and jurisprudence, he was endowed with a great liberal American mind. The experts whom he picked are the best of their class, many with experience in both government and industry. They helped Lufthansa get approval for the Global Star Alliance in three places simultaneously. This case was exemplary of the kind of legal advice that international business companies seek today. Lloyd Cutler served presidents, indus- trialists, and common people. It was his lofty goal to moderate the process of reconciling conflicts of public and private interests. Looking back, we appreciate his outstanding work, and we may say why was the Bush administration belonged – the wisest of advisors, process had reached a stalemate. that he more than succeeded in so inept at building a consensus and the best of friends. Lloyd stepped in and helped his aims. among different constituencies? restart the discussions, and with How is your beautiful wife? Isn’t -Richard C. Holbrooke his guidance, we were able to -Jürgen Weber Polly wonderful? She is bearing reach a solution. That day I wit- up so well. nessed Lloyd’s great moral and We talked as though there loyd was a great personal authority. I will honor loyd cutler made was all the time in the world. But American citizen, but he Lloyd’s memory. worldliness and idealism of course there wasn’t, and we L was also a great personal L seem like perfect friends. both knew it. He wanted me to friend to people outside the -Otto Graf Lambsdorff Because Lloyd believed that law is know how much he enjoyed the United States, once they had won one of the supreme expressions American Academy, what a con- his confidence. I have always of the human spirit; and that law, tribution it had made, and how considered it an honor to count nyone in business will even in its most arcane regions, is honored he was that his law firm as one of them. Our friendship, sooner or later discover an the service of justice; and that jus- had led the establishment of a fel- which began with a meeting of A old axiom of law. Not only tice is the unceasing work of rea- lowship in his name. the Trilateral Commission and is law based on pure realization son; and that reason is the highest We talked about the Dayton which lasted more than thirty or cognition of, say, “the truth,” method of government; and that Peace Agreement that had ended years, was extremely precious to law is also a matter of hard-fought government, or the direction of the war in Bosnia ten years ago; me. Our annual lunches at the interests that influence legisla- power by wisdom, is the telling Lloyd had been part of our delega- Metropolitan Club in Washington tion – even more so, when pro- measure of a society’s goodness – tion, offering valuable ideas and were always the highlight of my tagonists of different cultures and because all this was Lloyd’s true creative approaches to issues of visits to the US. Thanks to Lloyd, legal systems come into play. The and diligent faith, his religion of sovereignty. If you look closely at I met a great many interesting increasingly global dimension of law and justice and reason and the photographs of the opening people and learned more about trade, industry, and services is government – because all his life day of those negotiations – which the American legal and political constantly creating new realities Lloyd mingled stringency with were on every front page in the system. that call for new legal approaches. sympathy, he brought honor not world the next morning – you For me, the high point in our Lloyd Cutler was a personality of only to his country, but also to his will find him seated in the first friendship was Lloyd’s legal rep- outstanding qualities and quali- people; and so it is my melancholy row behind the small round table resentation of German compa- fications, which enabled him to privilege to recite in my formi- of the chief negotiators, right nies at the compensation negotia- deal with the legal challenges dable friend’s memory Judaism’s between his old friend Warren tions for forced laborers during globalization is posing to admin- ancient prayer for mourners, the Christopher and me, within easy World War II. Without Lloyd, we istrations and companies alike. doxology known as the Kaddish. earshot to offer advice and coun- would not have achieved the out- He transformed Wilmer, Cutler & Yitgadal v’yitkadash, magnified sel. That day, as on so many other come we wanted. I will always Pickering into a truly internation- and sanctified… days, Lloyd was exactly where remember an especially difficult al law firm that is fully at home he wanted to be and where he day at the Treasury when the in various cultures and legal sys- -Leon Wieseltier

34 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 once said to Lloyd Cutler Forty years ago I first heard about continuity in times of terrorism. as true patriots, have rendered … that he was not Herschel Lloyd Cutler from Don Turner, And it goes on and on. efficient service to their country.” I Bernardi. But who is law professor, economist, Justice Lloyd was a legal builder. That, Lloyd, is our duty to you. Herschel Bernardi? That’s the Department official. Lloyd had With John Pickering he created We who love our country and point. Herschel Bernardi was a realized that Don, were he chief of from scratch one of the country’s work in its service will miss our comedian who said that a career the antitrust division, could help greatest law firms. More than friend, our mentor, our guide, our has four stages. Stage One: Who reform anti-trust law, help it make that. Lloyd understood that gov- inspiration. We will miss him, but is Herschel Bernardi? Stage Two: economic sense. So Lloyd set to ernment had to work well in a we have not lost him. He remains Get me Herschel Bernardi. Stage work; he encouraged Don; he talk- democracy. And he did something with us, giving us advice, remind- Three: Get me someone like ed to people; and, how typical, the about it. Commissions, boards, ing us to take others’ views into Herschel Bernardi. Stage Four: appointment happened, and the Presidents (several) were all the account, helping us to exercise Who is Herschel Bernardi? law was reformed. beneficiaries of Lloyd’s creative sound judgment, inspiring us Lloyd’s Stage One ended, I recall Lloyd talking to young energies and his sound judge- to look for ways to make a practi- and Stage Two began, during foreign civil rights leaders at ment. Lloyd was practical, he was cal difference, showing us that World War II, when an intelli- Salzburg. The castle, the lake, the wise, he was effective, he was Holmes did not express a vain gence expert, a friend of Lloyd’s, mountains, the restaurants, the everywhere. hope when he said, “I wanted to announced, “We need Cutler.” music festival, all served as back- Lloyd loved to organize: a brief, prove to my father that a lawyer And off went Cutler to become a drop, not to the Sound of Music, legal arguments, government can be a great man.” top code-breaker. but to hard work, teaching classes institutions, social events, and, I To the new generation of Lloyd’s brush with Stage Three and the kind of exchanges that must admit, sometimes other young men and women, of law- was brief. President Clinton, after would eventually mean new con- people too. He wanted it (whatever yers, of those who revere our insti- beginning to say, “Get me some- stitutions, better law, in Eastern “it” might be) to work and to work tutions, we say, draw near. Reflect one like Lloyd Cutler,” caught Europe and elsewhere. Whose fine well. As for people, he was deeply upon a life that, in this 216th Year himself, said, “Get me Lloyd hand did we see organizing those devoted to his family, Louise, his of the Republic, provides convinc- Cutler,” and persuaded Lloyd meetings, guiding and encourag- children of whom he was so proud, ing evidence that a man can have to become the only lawyer to ing the participants? The hand of and Polly whom he adored and family, success, the highest of undertake two separate tours of our modern Max Reinhardt, or, who gave him so much support. standards, all the while making a duty, serving President Carter as he was then known in Austria, He loved watching basketball, difference for the better, in public and President Clinton, as White Herr Graf Cutler. baseball, football, movies, with life. House Counsel. Commitment to improving his friends. He wanted his friends Look upon a life characterized As for Stage Four, it never institutions was another Cutler to be friends. He created a net- by that spirit of public service that happened. trademark. Lloyd, an inveterate work, committed, as Cutler was, distinguishes the law at its best. Lloyd, my friend, my guide, problem solver, would persuade to using their own abilities to help Contemplate our friend Lloyd my mentor … so many of us have each side to understand the others. Cutler, the lawyer statesman, the silently spoken those words. other and would devise reason- Cicero tells us that “it is our good citizen, the ancient Roman Lloyd had an unusual ability to able, often imaginative, solutions. duty to honor and revere those republican, the modern great see potential in others and to The list includes Presidential whose lives are conspicuous for American. help them develop talents they rule-making, a better Special conduct in keeping with their might not even know they had. Prosecutor, Government high ethical standards and who, -Stephen Breyer

udn | United Designers Network www.uniteddesigners.com

34 a Number Eleven | Fall 2005 rarely found under the rigid rules Mason University will round out The Privatization of of diplomatic etiquette. Staffer the discussion on Iran. In addi- meetings in the Bundestag, tion to its overarching semester Foreign Ministry, or Chancellery topics, the C.V. Starr Forum also Public Diplomacy enable an equally open debate offers informal expert meetings with the working level of public on short notice to cover other An Update on the C.V. Starr Program administration – often across lay- foreign policy issues of pressing ers of hierarchy that can be equal- importance. Two months after ly stifling. Roundtables in Berlin’s the terrorist attacks in London, “oh, i wouldn’t want it,” The C.V. Starr Public Policy think tanks and business associa- for instance, Jane Harman, rank- replied Ambassador Stapleton Forum builds on that model. tions are proving to be inspiring ing Democrat on the House Roy to Bernd Mützelburg. The Made possible by a generous gift venues for political debate as well, Permanent Select Committee on German National Security from the Starr Foundation, the and there is a keen media interest Intelligence, visited the Academy. Advisor had jokingly recommend- forum uses various formats to in the forum’s visitors. In a talk moderated by Rüdiger ed that the former US envoy to enhance the dialogue on topics This fall, after last spring’s Freiherr von Fritsch, vice presi- China, Indonesia, and Singapore of high political relevance with focus on China, the program dent of the German Intelligence (now managing director of a rotating regional focus. The addresses Iran. Kenneth Pollack Service, she discussed counterter- Kissinger Associates) reenlist in Academy recruits seasoned US from the Brookings Institution, rorism and intelligence sharing the foreign service. Mützelburg policy experts, both from within Reuel Marc Gerecht of the with a small group of high-level had spent an afternoon candidly government and from the think American Enterprise Institute, German intelligence officials in discussing the challenges and tank community, brings them and Samuel Berger, President the Hans Arnhold Center library. opportunities of China’s rise with to Berlin for a week, and builds a Clinton’s National Security Discussing public policy Roy and later moderated his pub- platform around them. In infor- Advisor, will not only bring new through private diplomacy is, it lic talk to more than one hundred mal, one-on-one meetings, politi- perspectives to Berlin; they will seems after a year, an unmitigat- guests at the Academy this May. cal leaders and key journalists also bring European views to ed success and one of those rare But Roy just laughed: “Doing discuss controversial issues of the US. Next spring, Eliot Cohen win-win constellations. diplomacy in private is much transatlantic concern with influ- from Johns Hopkins University more interesting.” ential US experts with a candor and Shaul Bakhash from George by Thomas Rid

Regine Leibinger The Academy Welcomes a New Trustee

At the spring meeting at their Hans its innovative designs, such as the Arnhold Center, Academy trustees biosphere in Potsdam. The practice welcomed Regine Leibinger to the continues to flourish, with industrial Board of Trustees with an enthusiastic projects from Stuttgart to Hartford, a round of applause. Leibinger has been highrise under construction in Seoul, a close friend of the Academy since and a new building underway for the its inception. After receiving her M.A. architecture school at Cornell University. in architecture at Harvard’s Graduate One of her passions has been teaching, School of Design, she moved to Berlin in and, after regular guest professorships 1993 and established Barkow Leibinger at Harvard and London’s celebrated Architekten with her husband Frank Architectural Association, Leibinger Barkow. The firm has enjoyed numerous accepted a tenured professorship at the exhibitions in the US and has been Technical University in Berlin, where she

recognized throughout Germany for herself once studied. DarugarPhotographGittyby

The Berlin Journal 35 Julie Finley From Washington to Vienna Academy Trustee Julie Finley was sworn in by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as US Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), assuming her duties in Vienna on August 18, 2005. “Although we are sad to lose her for the time being, her appointment is a very encouraging sign,” said the Academy’s director, Gary Smith. “In her longstand- ing engagement for NATO expansion, she has developed impressive multilateral skills and knowledge of central Europe, all of which will serve her well in her new role.” Ambassador Finley has been

Ensemble will perform works by outspoken on behalf of the Academy Bringing Berlin to Beethoven and Academy alumnus from Washington since she joined the Mason Bates. Following the con- Academy’s board in 2000. “The political New York cert, the members of the ensem- and intellectual elite of Central Europe ble will join the guests for dinner. as well as the best of both conservative Henry Kissinger and Sir Simon The Academy Debuts at Carnegie Hall and liberal thinking in Washington would Rattle will make remarks. meet at dinner parties at her Washington In recognition of the event ever held by the American The interest in underwriting home,” Smith said. “Now the same thing Academy’s engagement in Academy in Berlin. tables has been immense, and we can happen in Vienna.” cultural exchange, the Berlin The evening will be chaired are happy to announce that over Philharmonic’s prestigious by Richard Holbrooke and Kati two-thirds of the twenty tables Scharoun Ensemble has agreed to Marton, Henry and Nancy available have been reserved. give a special performance honor- Kissinger, Felix and Elizabeth DaimlerChrysler has generously ing the Academy at Carnegie Hall Rohatyn, Jürgen and Lydia agreed to underwrite the evening. on Tuesday, January 24, 2006. Schrempp, and James and Elaine For more information, please This will be the first New York Wolfensohn. The Scharoun contact the New York office.

of America, an Ellen Maria The 2005–2006 Berlin Prizes Sneak Gorrissen fellow; Cl audia were awarded by an independent Koonz from Duke University, selection committee that includ- Preview recipient of the Haniel Berlin ed: Carolyn Abbate and Anthony Prize; and DaimlerChrysler Fellow Appiah (Chair) of Princeton The Spring 2006 Fellows Paul R ahe from University of University; Paul Baltes, Max Planck Tulsa. Art historian Jacqueline Institute for Human Development, In spring 2006, journalist Roger Jung of the University of Berlin; Scott Brewer, Harvard Cohen of the New York Times California, Berkeley will be the University; Stephen Burbank, and H.D.S. Greenway of the Coca-Cola Fellow. University of Pennsylvania; Boston Globe will hold Bosch Berlin Charles Molesworth, pro- Christopher Caldwell, the Weekly Prizes in Public Policy. They are fessor of English at Queens College Standard; Barbara Epstein, the New joined by Steven Chapman takes up the DaimlerChrysler York Review of Books; James Hoge, of the Chicago Tribune, a George Fellowship. The belles lettres Foreign Affairs; Andreas Huyssen, H.W. Bush Fellow. The semester’s are represented by Ellen Maria Columbia University; Jürgen other George H.W. Bush Berlin Gorrissen Fellow and poet Kocka, Wissenschaftszentrum Prize-holder, legal scholar Ruth Rosanna Warren and writer Berlin für Sozialforschung; Wedgwood, hails from Johns Joyce Hackett, a Holtzbrinck Charles Maier, Harvard University; Hopkins University’s sais and Fellow. Artist Kerry Tribe, the John Mearsheimer, University Yale Law School. Guna S. Mundheim Fellow, will of Chicago; Amity Shlaes, the Historians include Jerry stay on at the Academy to complete Financial Times; and Leon Muller from Catholic University her year-long fellowship. Wieseltier, the New Republic.

36 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 everything from the political cul- to the future of American jus- Guest Appearances ture of current American politics tice. The former judge of the US to Holocaust studies. In October, Circuit Court of Appeals for the Notes from the Fall Program he will discuss tradition and District of Columbia and of the modernity in the Muslim world at International Criminal Tribunal the Academy, in a lecture moder- for the former Yugoslavia (ict y) the academy is proud page 53), Foer also read from his ated by current JPMorgan Fellow will then join other judicial col- to welcome Justice Patricia most recent novel Extremely Loud Anson Rabinbach. leagues and experts at a day-long Wald as Richard C. Holbrooke and Incredibly Close in the opera’s The Academy is fortunate to conference “The Persecution Distinguished Visitor and many warehouse, where the collab- host a wide range of authors at of Crimes of War and Crimes other guests to the Hans Arnhold orative opera premiered in early the Hans Arnhold Center over against Humanity Sixty Years Center throughout the fall. September. the semester. New York author after the Nuremberg Trials,” The semester kicked off with As the Journal went to press, Nicole Krauss (see page 61) will hosted by the Academy at the a public interview of Ambassador David M. Rubenstein, founding read selections from her criti- German Federal Ministry of Holbrooke by Alison Smale of partner and managing direc- cally acclaimed novel The History Justice. Keynote speaker Philippe the International Herald Tribune tor of the Carlyle Group, shared of Love. Later in the fall, ucl a Kirsch, current president of on the Balkans ten years after his thoughts about the future of physiologist Jared Diamond, who the International Criminal the Dayton Accords (see page private equity in Europe in three won a Pulitzer Prize during his Court, will specifically address 10). Holbrooke, the Academy’s separate meetings chaired by Wissenschaftskolleg year in 1998 the ever-debated role of the chairman and former ambassa- Academy trustees: a small, private for Guns, Germs, and Steel: The International Criminal Court. dor to Germany and the UN, has lunch hosted by Kurt Viermetz Fates of Human Societies, will join Other participants include received numerous Nobel Peace (including cdu finance expert the S. Fischer Verlag and the US Ernest W. Michel, former special Prize nominations for his achieve- Friedrich Merz), an evening Embassy at the Academy for a correspondent at Nuremberg; ment at Dayton. The evening lecture at the Academy entitled lunchtime roundtable. Richard W. Sonnenfeldt, former interview with Smale, who report- “Everything You Always Wanted The same evening, Jonathan chief interpreter at Nuremberg; ed at the time from the Balkans to Know about Private Equity in F. Fanton, president of the Eberhard Kempf, vice president for the AP, drew a crowd of almost Europe but Were Afraid to Ask” MacArthur Foundation, will give of the International Criminal two hundred to the Hans Arnhold led by Otto Graf Lambsdorff, and the semester’s Stephen Kellen Bar; Gerhard Werle, professor of Center. a breakfast introduced by Franz Lecture. His subject is private German and international crimi- When the Deutsche Staatsoper Haniel. The Carlyle Group spans philanthropy in the US. With nal law; and Hildegard Uertz- Unter den Linden was looking for 13 countries on three continents approximately $180 million of Retzlaff, senior trial attorney at an American to write a libretto and boasts some $31 billion under grants annually, the formidable the ict y. for an experimental production, management, making the private MacArthur is one of the nation’s The Academy’s departing the Academy recommended its equity firm one of the world’s ten largest private philanthropic Deputy Director, Paul Stoop, was frequent guest Jonathan Safran largest. organizations. instrumental in organizing the Foer. In conjunction with the Dan Diner of the Hebrew In mid November, Justice proceedings. He will be much bestselling author’s stay in University in Jerusalem and Patricia Wald, inaugurating the missed by Academy Fellows, staff, Berlin for the opening of Seven Simon Dubnow Center at the prize named for Holbrooke, will and many appreciative alumni. Attempted Escapes from Silence (see University of Leipzig explores discuss the major challenges r.m./m.e.r.

www.phoenix.de PHOENIX-Hotline 01802-8217

DER EREIGNIS- UND DOKUMENTATIONSKANAL POLITIK, WIRTSCHAFT, ZEITGESCHEHEN VON ARD UND ZDF UND AKTUELLE EREIGNISSE. DIE BESTEN DOKUMENTATIONEN VON ARD UND ZDF.

Seit vielen Jahren produziert PHOENIX im anregenden Ambiente der American Academy die erfolgreiche Reihe „Kamingespräch” mit Klaus-Peter Siegloch.

vierviertel, köln Danke für die Gastfreundschaft.

The Berlin Journal 37 LIFE & LETTERS at the Hans Arnhold Center

– in many ways a companion to in 2001 with its Career Award, The Fall 2005 Fellows the 1978 book – will take place a five-year stipend of $250,000, in Berlin, where the professor for her project “Designing Profiles in Scholarship at the Nitze School of Advanced International Agreements: International Studies at Johns Theoretical Development, Data Hopkins will consult local politi- Collection, and Empirical Though Brecht’s Threepenny Opera by Dessau (known above all for cal analysts. Calleo’s expertise, Analysis.” Koremenos is only has become a staple of the twen- his compositions for film), for however, ranges far beyond the the second political scientist to tieth-century German literary instance, as an entrance into the borders of Germany. His 1992 canon, his other forays into libretto larger considerations of Socialist in-depth look at US economic writing tend to be dismissed, if Unity Party policies, and she con- philosophy, The Bankrupting acknowledged at all. The author cludes that rather superficial cen- of America, was praised for its himself was even apt to criticize sorship of the 1951 piece implies ability to ��overturn widely held the genre of opera as a “bourgeois a much different relationship misperceptions. In�� addition to oppression,” which has since led between Berlin and Moscow than some dozen more books on US scholars to ignore this signifi- most scholarship acknowledges. and European political science, cant body of work. Joy Calico, Calleo has written for a variety of assistant professor at Vanderbilt Germany is familiar turf for the publications including the New Academy’s current George H.W. York Review of Books and Foreign Bush Fellow, David Calleo. Affairs. have won such a prize in the ten His 1978 classic Germany years since this award has�� been Reconsidered took a hard look at Many aspects of high-level deci- given.�� Integration is at the heart the common questions posed by sion making and negotiating of Koremenos’s work, as she uses German history with the aim of undoubtedly remain hidden from her academic research tools to reaching beyond the common the outside observer, but Bosch produce results both relevant answers to better understand Public Policy Fellow Barbara and accessible to the policy com- cold-war politics. With the fall of Koremenos dissects the pub- munity. the Iron Curtain, old questions lic material to pinpoint specific components of agreements. The “I am an embarrassed inhabitant University’s Blair School of Music, ucl a political scientist’s cur- of my own biography,” writes hopes to remedy this academic rent research aligns well with the Norman Manea in The oversight while in Berlin, where Academy’s transatlantic goals, as Hooligan’s Return. And yet, it has she will delve into the archives she is now specifically putting provided his work with an endur- to augment her already devel- international agreements under ing theme: exile. Deported as a oped research. She is combing the lens to determine how they five-year old child from his native for sketches, notes, and scores of affect international cooperation. Romania to a concentration three neglected opera projects Her theoretical work is grounded camp in Ukraine, he returned to that Brecht conceived – and dis- in solid empirical research: Bucharest after the war, where he cussed with composers as varied case studies ranging from the later lived through the insularity, as Kurt Weill, Hanns Eisler, and of the “German problem” are international coffee trade to the brutality, and deep absurdities Paul Dessau – during his years of being posed once again. Fears of Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty, of Ceauçescu’s Romania. For American exile. As the projected a presumably evil, power-hun- which she breaks down into cat- years, Manea resisted the waves book, Brecht at the Opera, and her gry unified Germany have since egories such as flexibility provi- of Romanian-Jewish migration past work on Eisler and the gdr’s been quelled, but the country sions, membership provisions, to Israel – despite the palpable musical cultural politics reflect, still must face the difficult task and references to other inter- indignities of living in a coun- Calico takes an interdisciplinary of defining its role within a national agreements to assess try where “anti-cosmopolitan- approach to all her inquiries. The united Europe. The final stages the effectiveness of each. The ism” was but a barely disguised Anna-Maria Kellen Fellow consid- of the resulting book project, The National Science Foundation rec- form of anti-Semitism. As ers a Brecht libretto set to a score German Problem, Old and New ognized this singular approach Larissa MacFarquhar has writ-

38 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 ten in a recent New Yorker pro- A former Beijing bureau chief he plans to look beyond the wel- ethics, she holds that individuals’ file, “He could imagine living for the LA Times, Mann made a ter of studies focusing on the particular commitments to their outside Romania but not outside splash with Beijing Jeep (1989), specifics of internet law to the specific communities can, in fact, Romanian.” As Holtzbrinck a critical analysis of American- broader, theoretical factors at help them gain freedom. In an Fellow this fall, Manea will write style business within the con- work. These include examining era of competing loyalties and the companion to his first auto- fines of Communism. While put- the social sciences’ theories of competing definitions of patrio- biographical volume, to be titled ting the final touches on a new globalization and the ways in tism, the issue could not be more The Fifth Impossibility in homage book about China, the Siemens which technological progress timely. to Kafka. Manea’s literary fore- Fellow will also turn to the sub- has influenced jurisdiction ject of cold-war policy at the end throughout history. The result- Author of In the Shadow of the Reagan era. His focus: the ing book will propose a shift in of Catastrophe: German president’s famous Brandenburg how we think about these issues Intellectuals between Apocalypse Gate rhetoric. From the Wannsee, – “from the conflict of laws to a and Enlightenment, Princeton Mann will interview the political coordination of laws.” University’s Anson leaders of the time as well as nor- R abinbach takes up a mal German citizens in hopes of Hegel accorded great importance JPMorgan Fellowship at the better understanding Reagan’s to the concept of patriotism in Academy to write on the Reichstag true role in the fall of the Berlin The Philosophy of Right, calling it fire campaign and its legacy. The Wall. The book will coincide with “the substance of the individual German-born historian sees the the twentieth anniversary of the subject.” But what, exactly, did bear had named four impossibili- historical event. he mean by patriotism? How ties particular to his condition: could it be reconciled with the the impossibility for a Jew to “Law is essentially a local philosopher’s emphasis on indi- write in German, the impossibil- instrument,” writes R alf vidual self-determination – on ity of not writing, the impossi- Michaels of Duke University, bility of writing differently, and, “yet technological progress has finally, “the impossibility of writ- made physical territory and ing per se.” To this Manea adds distances less relevant and has the impossibility of writing in created more and more phenom- exile, which he calls, “the snail’s impossibility.” The writer takes controversial fire as a superb along his language “as the snail means to chart the sixty-year histo- does his house.” ry of antifascism. The 1933 fire has long been understood as a staged Touted by the New York Times as Nazi pretext to ostracize and “blessedly level-headed,” author-in- freedom? Lydia Moland, condemn the communists. But residence at John Hopkins’ Nitze this semester’s Commerzbank Rabinbach looks carefully at how School of Advanced International Fellow, is exploring the idea that the Communist party fought back. Studies James Mann is well Hegel’s patriotism had more cos- The Brown Book, whose conspiracy mopolitan connotations than is theory of a doped-up, homosexual ena that are non-local – not only commonly assumed. According Nazi party enjoyed instant success, because they spread over territo- to the assistant professor of phi- gave new energy to the disorga- ries, but also because they have losophy at Babson College, Hegel, nized communists and launched, no true locality at all.” Michaels, along with many of his French, in essence, a new political-cultural who holds this fall’s Lloyd Cutler German, and English contem- movement. Using newly declassi- Fellowship, cites the internet as poraries, would have under- fied material, Rabinbach follows one (but by no means the only) stood patriotism as allegiance the primary minds behind the such example. How, he asks, to humanity as a whole rather book in order to trace a series of can local courts and legislators than “instinctive allegiance complex shifts in the antifascist address such non-local phenom- country” in the narrow sense. movement and its various cul- known for his non-partisanship. ena as human rights and global Moland suggests that Hegelian tural manifestations. Rabinbach, His recent bestseller The Rise of markets? Is the solution to be patriotism was “a willingness to a founder of the eminent journal the Vulcans: The History of Bush’s found in proposals for world put aside individual interests for New German Critique, has also War Cabinet surveys the first law and world courts? Ought the greater good.” For her book devoted much scholarship to the Bush administration’s self-pro- countries to assert jurisdiction project on the intersection of eth- concept of totalitarianism and claimed “gods of fire” and offers when they see violations of their ics and politics in Hegel’s work, how the term’s use has broadened not only a glimpse into their indi- laws abroad? “Globalization Moland will examine the values since the 1930s to simultaneously vidual careers but also a broader requires a global theory,” writes that national and cultural heri- encompass regimes and political scope on shifts in the White the German-trained expert in tage has on our ethical lives today. systems as diverse as Stalinism House over the last thirty years. comparative law. From Berlin, Applying Hegel to contemporary and Nazism.

The Berlin Journal 39 “Must look like a terrorist,” speci- of actors, children, and everyday E. Wakeman has devoted his led a dramatic life in the commu- fied an ad placed by artistKerry people to establish the parameters prodigious scholarly powers to nist underground in 1930s- and Tribe in December 2001 inviting of her art. The result gently spoofs exploring and explaining four wartime Shanghai, later serving actors to sit for one-minute screen the documentary genre’s claims centuries of Chinese history. With as the city’s deputy mayor – before to authenticity. Her films wit- benchmark publications on sub- being denounced by Mao in 1955 ness actors flubbing their lines at jects ranging from social unrest and ending his days in a labor an audition – part of a series that in South China to the philoso- camp. Wakeman was fascinated Tribe tellingly styled as “home phy of Mao Zedong, Wakeman’s “by the transformation of a gifted movies” – the meandering recol- contribution to Chinese history romantic poet into a hardened lections of elderly Florida residents, party intelligence chief, and by the the thoughtful naiveté of a ten-year- sacrifice of such an intellectual old girl responding with innocent to the autocratic arbitrariness of aplomb to a series of complex phil- Mao.” The historian knows this osophical questions. The result world well, having already devoted is a strange mix of uncanniness, two books to the Shanghai of Pan tests for an experimental film. humor, straightforwardness, and Hannian’s day and penned a biog- Untitled (Potential Terrorist), her lyricism. Often enough, the work raphy of Dai Li, chief of China’s silent homage to Warhol, shows probes existential questions: how wartime secret service. Though the faces of 28 men and a single do families communicate? What is Berlin may seem far from central woman in painfully slow succes- the difference between being and China, the German capital also sion, each actor trying his hardest acting? How does memory relate is unparalleled in the US. As a figured in Pan’s world; by infiltrat- to project the very stereotype he to experience? Tribe is the first art- JPMorgan Fellow at the Academy, ing the Japanese secret service as would want to avoid in an airport ist to hold the Guna S. Mundheim Wakeman will write a biography a double agent, Pan was able to or office lobby. Tribe, who studied Berlin Prize for a full year. of an enigmatic figure of the inform Mao – who, in turn, passed semiotics at Brown before earning Chinese Communist Party: Pan on the news to Stalin – of Hitler’s her mfa in 2002 at ucl a, engag- In his forty years at the University Hannian (1905–1972). A child of plans to attack the Soviet Union. es the sometimes unwitting help of California, Berkeley, Fredric the Mandarin intelligentsia, Pan r.m. / m.e.r.

piece I’d written, and I remember the Gewandhaus Orchestra, the premiered. The Circle of Friends Sebastian thinking, ‘They’re not sound- San Francisco Symphony, and the of Anne-Sophie Mutter has coming very good.’ I suppose that Frankfurt Radio Orchestra are missioned a cello and piano was a sign of something to come, among the fine orchestras that composition, “Aerialism,” which Currier though I’m not sure what.” have performed or recorded his the German cellist Daniel Muller- Currier attended the work. Among his many honors Schott will debut in 2006. Composer in Residence Manhattan School of Music, are an award from the American Currier prizes Germany, “like where he took a degree in gui- Academy of Arts and Letters, the everyone else, as the country of American composer Sebastian tar, and then Julliard, where he Rome Prize, a Guggenheim fel- Beethoven and Bach and Brahms, Currier grew up in Providence, lowship, and now the Deutsche but now, maybe even more, for the Rhode Island in a family of musi- Bank Berlin Prize from the contemporary musical culture, cians. His mother and brother are American Academy in Berlin. which is so rich, has such tre- composers, and his father played “For me, writing music involves mendous vitality.” In the coming the violin and viola in the Rhode such an ideal balance between months, his music will resound in Island Philharmonic. “Our house form and emotion,” Currier says. Berlin. A concert of his chamber was filled with music,” he says. “They each necessitate one another, music performed by members of “The number of instruments we of course, but finding this way to the Berlin Philharmonic at the had lying around! Guitars, a rebec, express feeling within a musical Kammermusiksaal will take place a nun’s fiddle, four pianos – three structure is endlessly exciting and on October 26.

of them grands! Scores every- portraitsMinehanMike Fellow by absorbing.” Currier lives in New York, where. A synthesizer too. We studied composition with Milton In 1993, Anne-Sophie where he teaches composition didn’t, as you can imagine, talk Babbitt. Since then he has written Mutter commissioned Currier’s at Columbia University. “I love sports at the dinner table. One day orchestral, vocal, and chamber “Aftersong,” a fifteen-minute piece my students,” he says, “but the when I was very young, no more music at a prolific rate, pieces for violin and piano that she per- chance to come to one of the great than 13, my father invited a string that have then been performed formed on tour at Carnegie Hall, cities of the world and settle down quartet over to play, and when I by distinguished musicians in the Barbican in London, and the into serious work is so exciting.” came downstairs, my father point- most of the world’s major concert Salzburg festival, among other ed to me and said, ‘Oh, by the halls from Paris and Washington venues. Mutter has since com- By Nicholas Dawidoff way, guys, my son here has some- to Tokyo and Moscow. The missioned a second piece, “Book (Ellen Maria Gorrissen Fellow, thing for you to try.’ They played a National Symphony Orchestra, of Hours,” which has not yet spring 2002)

40 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 Philip V. Bohlman Tom Geoghegan Also by W.J.T. Mitchell Alumni Jüdische Volksmusik: Eine mittel The Law in Shambles Edward Said: Continuing the europäische Geistesgeschichte Prickly Paradigon Press Conversation, co-edited with Böhlau Verlag Homi Bhabha Books Brandon Joseph University of Chicago Press Anthony McCall: The Solid 2005 Releases Light Films and Related Works, Adam Posen co-authored with Christopher The Euro at Five: Ready for a Global Andrew Bacevich Eamon and Jonathan Walley Role? The New American Militarism: Northwestern University Press Institute of International Education How Americans Are Seduced by and Steidl Verlag War David Rieff Oxford University Press At the Point of a Gun: Democratic Dreams and Armed Intervention Simon & Schuster

Also by Philip V. Bohlman Donald W. Shriver, Jr. Music in American Religious Honest Patriots: Loving a Country Experience, co-edited with Maria Enough to Remember Its Misdeeds M. Chow and Edith L. Blumhofer Oxford University Press Oxford University Press

Hillary Brown Diana Ketcham High Performance Infrastruc- The de Young in the Twenty-First ture: Best Practices for the Pubic Century: A Museum by Herzog & de Right-of-Way, co-authored with Meuron Paul Berman Steven Caputo, Signe Nielsen, and Thames & Hudson Power and the Idealists Kerry Callahan Soft Skull Press Design Trust for Public Space and the City of New York, Department of Design and Construction

Paul Carrington Spreading America’s Word: Stories Stephen Szabo of Its Lawyer Missionaries Parting Ways: The Crisis in Twelve Tables Press German-American Relations Brookings Institution Press Gerald Feldman Jeremy King Networks of Persecution. Business, Budweisers into Czechs and Anne Wagner Bureaucracy and the Organization Germans: A Local History of Mother Stone: The Vitality of of the Holocaust, co-edited with Bohemian Politics, 1848–1948 Modern British Sculpture Wolfgang Seibel Princeton University Press Paul Mellon Center for Studies in Nina Bernstein Berg Publishers Paperback edition British Art Magic by the Book Farrar, Straus and Giroux Harry Frankfurt W.J.T. Mitchell On Bullshit What Do Pictures Want? The Lives Princeton University Press and Loves of Images University of Chicago Press

Alan Wolfe Return to Greatness: How America Lost Its Sense of Purpose and What It Needs to Do to Recover It Princeton University Press

The Berlin Journal 41 courts stood alone as far as Jurisprudence in the Age of Globalism constitutional jurisdiction in a Justice Margaret Marshall Compares Constitutions democratic state was concerned. There simply were no comparable institutions, not even in Great The United States has no fewer At the American Academy Court of Human Rights, and Britain. The triumphal procession than 51 different constitutions. in Berlin this April, Marshall universally accepted principles of a shared foundation of human When Margaret H. Marshall, Chief pointed out that the current US of human freedom to declare as rights did not begin until after Justice of the Supreme Judicial administration calls for unilater- unconstitutional an old Texan law World War II. Court of Massachusetts, issues an alism. The judiciary, in contrast, forbidding “homosexual sodomy.” In the US, Marshall explains, opinion, she often looks beyond nurtures an increasingly trans- And recently, it again cited inter- “judicial globalizers” and “origi- state borders, be it to Washington’s national orientation. She ascribes national jurisprudence standards nalists” make up two sides of the Supreme Court or to other states this development at least in part to overturning a death sentence debate. The former, who are in the like Connecticut or Utah. In doing globalization. All over the world, against a convicted murderer who majority, do not want to replace so, she has established that the constitutional courts visit one had been a minor at the time of national with transnational legisla- differences in constitutions and another, inform each other, and the crime. tion but rather hope for opportu- jurisprudence are immense. When quote one another. Constitutional So is it impossible to tell the nities for comparison in order to in 2003 her own court ruled on comparativism has also long been difference between American and find as “perfect a jurisprudence” the constitutionality of same-sex on the agenda in the US. European judges? The matter is a as possible. The latter, centered marriages, the tension between Even the US Supreme Court bit more complicated. In the cases around Scalia, see the references the Massachusetts Constitution has been affected by this devel- mentioned above, the Supreme to foreign legislation as illegiti- and the US Constitution became opment. In 2003, it cited British Court’s winning margin was a mate. Marshall describes Scalia as obvious. jurisprudence, the European slender five to four. And a move- a brilliant judge who knows exactly ment is gathering steam in the what he is doing. For him, the text House of Representatives to pre- of the US Constitution is holy; the vent the citation of foreign author- only relevant criterion of interpre- ities in American courts. tation is the intention of its authors. Under what circumstances Defending Scalia from the audi- can foreign decisions help guide ence at the Hans Arnhold Center US courts? Marshall suggests a were Ulrich K. Preuß and Patrick pragmatic approach: “When it is Bahners. Was it not possible to helpful,” she says. “When we are argue that Scalia’s interpretation looking at something for the first of law is the more democratic one? time.” And which constitutional When the US Constitution is silent, courts are worthy of reference? a glance abroad need not be the Again, the Chief Justice answers only solution, Marshall concurred. pragmatically: democratic states A constitutional amendment that guarantee fundamental would be more democratic, but it rights and enact independent is much more difficult to achieve. constitutional jurisdiction. These Although certain topics could include the courts of Great Britain, not be discussed that evening, Australia, and Germany, as well Marshall nonetheless made clear as Israel and Marshall’s native how lively judicial debate in the US South Africa. is becoming. Marshall explains why some American judges, in particular By Tim B. Müller Supreme Court Justice Antonin Süddeutsche Zeitung Scalia, are resistant. For almost April 15, 2005

All photographsAllMinehanMike by two centuries, the American Translated by Andrea F. Bohlman

42 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 tive UN that will not look away Transatlantic Tears from human rights violations. Newt Gingrich for German-American Harmony in Berlin Later, when Gingrich apologizes for the emotionalism with which he began the evening, Volker Rühe, The American Academy’s rooms This influence has brought him to chairman of the Foreign Affairs are deathly quiet as Newt Gingrich Berlin as the appointed co-chair Committee, takes exception: “We begins to lose his poise. It is a of a congressional task force on can be grateful for your emotions. June evening, and the former United Nations reform. There are not enough emotions on Speaker of the US House of The former Republican hardlin- either side of the Atlantic.” Representatives has just turned er’s message is simple: Europeans In the end, Gingrich is to the topic of German-American and Americans are coming togeth- impressed that Germans want relations. His voice breaks. Tears er to face certain common chal- more for the UN than just a seat for well up. “Why would you think we lenges such as the emergence of themselves on the Security Council. would not want you to succeed?” China and India. But members of Because Gingrich is “personally” the Republican asks. Then he gets the Academy audience, including convinced that the Security Council a hold of himself and delivers a Richard von Weizsäcker, look some- will be expanded, and because blazing plea for more intensive what surprised to hear Gingrich Germany is on his list of “personal” transatlantic cooperation, especial- cite his childhood pride in the favorites (number three behind ly where Germany is concerned. Treaty of Rome as a sign of current Japan and India), the German gov- He even suggests – to a dumb- European-American solidarity. over the gap between Germany’s ernment can rejoice that it is one founded audience – that the US be Gingrich then proceeds to the own UN ambitions and the current step closer to its goal. “Personally,” granted associate membership to topic at hand, emphasizing how reality, a new German-American Gingrich is also sure that no cur- the EU. Naturally Gingrich quali- seriously the US takes the subject harmony starts to spread through rent permanent member of the fies this as his “personal opinion,” of UN reform. As he starts listing the room. Sailboats drifting peace- Council will veto an expansion. but everyone in the room knows a number of necessary reforms, fully on the Wannsee complement that the former Congressional you can see Bernd Mützelburg, the scene. Mützelburg affirms his By Andreas Rinke leader still has considerable influ- the chancellor’s national security agreement, point by point. He too Handelsblatt, June 3, 2005 ence in Republican Washington. advisor, relax. Despite fierce debate supports a transparent and effec- Translated by Andrea F. Bohlman ;gZZidVaaVindjgjc^kZghîn[dg(%YVnh/ I]ZldgaYÉhCd#&cZlheVeZgd[VXVYZbZ */530%6$*/(5)&$)30/*$-&0')*()&3&%6$"5*0/50&6301& >ihgZVYZghVgZaZVYZgh[gdb8VbWg^Y\Zid=VgkVgY!7Zga^cidHiVc[dgY#I]ZcZlhVcY^c[dgbVi^dcîWg^c\hidVYb^c^higVidgh VcYegd[Zhhdgh]VkZWZZcXîZYWnWdi]i]Z778VcYI]ZCZlNdgÌ^bZh#>cYZZY!î]VhWZZcXVaaZYÆi]Z:Xdcdb^hid[VXVYZbZ#Ç >i^hI]Z8]gdc^XaZd[=^\]Zg:YjXVi^dc#EjWa^h]ZYlZZàn^cLVh]^c\idc#GZVYdc[^kZXdci^cZcih#6cYh^cXZ&.++!i]ZCd#& hdjgXZ[dgcZlhVcY^c[dgbVi^dc!gZk^ZlhVcYXdbbZciVgn!XVgZZgVYk^XZVcY_dWa^hi^c\h^c]^\]ZgZYjXVi^dc# CdllZÉgZd[[Zg^c\V(%"YVn[gZZig^Vad[8]gdc^XaZ8Vbejhl^YZ#>iÉhVadl"XdhihjW" hXgêi^dchîZa^XZchZi]ViaZihZkZgndcZVindjgjc^kZghînVXXZhhi]ZZci^gZXdciZcih d[I]Z8]gdc^XaZk^VndjgXdbejiZgcZildg`#Ndj\Zi[jaaiZmid[i]ZlZZàneg^ci ZYî^dc!eajhYVânjeYViZh!VcYVgX]^kZhWVXìd&.-,#>iÉhi]ZeVeZgaZhhVcYYgV" bVi^XVaanV[[dgYVWaZlVnid\ZiZkZgni]^c\I]Z8]gdc^XaZd[[Zgh#6[iZg(%YVnh!ndj XVcXdci^cjZVii]Z^cigdYjXidgneg^XZ#DgndjXVcXVcXZaVcYdlZcdi]^c\#IddgYZg Vig^Va!XdciVXi=j\]Idba^chdcd[EgdfjZhi!djgeVgicZg^ci]ZJ@VcY:jgdeZ# IZaZe]dcZ ))%&''(',&'+%#DgZ"bVâ=j\]#Idba^chdc5egdfjZhi#Xd#j`#

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The Berlin Journal 43 Berlin Jour Half Pg Final.indd 1 23.03.2005 13:38:26 Uhr Restructuring Risk SEC Commissioner Roel Campos on Hedge Fund Regulations

SEC Commissioner Roel Campos or the market as a whole were Die Welt But that only affects ille- spent a week in Germany as developing. gal business. a Distinguished Visitor at the Die Welt Are these measures Roel Campos You can be sure American Academy this June. In enough? that a telephone call from the addition to giving a talk at the SEC is enough to get the manag- Academy, Mr. Roel Campos found Roel Campos Regulation in the ers to come around. We want to time to speak with the German US will be quite far reaching. know to which markets hedge press, including Daniel Eckert Every hedge fund manager con- funds are giving preference. If, and Holger Zschäpitz of Die Welt. trolling more than 25 million for example, they are mostly in dollars will be required to reg- Die Welt About 8000 hedge funds currency speculation or if they ister. Professionals will need to control one billion dollars worth predominantly prefer arbitrage make public the investment style of investments worldwide, and dealings, or if they act, like many they are pursuing. We also want they are largely unsupervised. others, as private equity firms. to know if there are conflicts of How can this go well? By knowing this, we can better interest or if they have previously assess whether a systemic risk is Roel Campos Hedge funds are not had conflicts with supervising developing and can then step in inflated its financial statements fundamentally bad things, even authorities. This information will before it is too late. for several years. if this is often suggested. In fact, also be accessible to the hedge they fulfill an important role in fund clients. Die Welt Where else do you see a Roel Campos Exactly. That exam- the financial markets by increas- need for action in the investment ple also shows that an authority Die Welt For many fund managers ing efficiency, standing in for industry? like the SEC is more important this will be a culture shock. Are liquidation, and absorbing risks than ever. Henceforth we are you afraid that the industry will Roel Campos In the US, the super- for which there would otherwise hoping for stronger international turn its back on the US? visory authorities still need to do be no buyers. For firms who find cooperation, though every coun- something in the area of account- themselves in precarious situa- Roel Campos No, I think that we try is certainly allowed to keep its ing standards. For example, the tions, hedge funds are often their have found a good compromise. own regulatory framework where many complicated rules in the last resort. As inspectors, we don’t want to appropriate. evaluation of companies compli- be looking over the shoulders of Die Welt So are these high-risk cate comparison for the inves- Die Welt But precisely the interna- thousands of hedge fund manag- funds unfairly criticized? tors. By the end of the decade the tional companies on Wall Street ers on a day-to-day basis. We don’t international standards should be complain that the regulations Roel Campos Not exactly. In their need to be informed about every unified. Another issue is manage- imposed by the Sarbanes-Oxley overall development, we do see investment decision. But the ment salaries. Here too, we don’t Act are too strict. Some have even a risk, especially as the number hedge fund industry also needs to want to dictate how the companies completely withdrawn from the of funds constantly rises. If the abide by certain rules. should compensate their lead- American market as a result. same hedge funds are always Die Welt What is the point of all ing employees. High salaries can chasing the same yields, depriv- Roel Campos It is unfortunate this information, if in the end you become a problem if the managing one another of profit, it when foreign companies turn cannot do anything? ers do not produce enough return becomes increasingly difficult to their backs on Wall Street. We for the stockholders. meet investors’ high hopes. Over Roel Campos By all means we can will approach the companies the long term, it is hardly possible do something. If we know that Die Welt It almost sounds as if the and address possible problems to produce earnings to justify a too many funds are pursuing the world has been straightened out through direct discussion. handling charge of as much as same kinds of investments and in the three years since the Enron Fundamentally, we cannot over- 2 percent and a success royalty of there is a conglomeration of risks, and Worldcom scandals. turn Sarbanes-Oxley, even if we 20 percent. we will begin by negotiating the might be able to improve it here Roel Campos As a matter of fact, reduction of risks in discussions and there. Die Welt What can the SEC do to the American economy has been with the funds management... prevent this? able to gain back some confidence. Interview by Daniel Eckert Die Welt And if that does not Still, we have a long road ahead Roel Campos We want to imple- and Holger Zschäpitz work? of us; as the cases of manipula- ment the registration of hedge Die Welt tion of stock funds in the US and fund managers starting in Roel Campos If not, we can shut June 29, 2005 the Parmalat scandal in Europe February 2006. There are also down the funds in the most Translated by Andrea F. Bohlmann have shown, there will always be plans for all hedge funds to report extreme cases. We have already setbacks. their activities on a monthly basis. done this in the past, when a This would indicate whether or hedge fund manager was involved Die Welt Such as the case of the not risks for the individual funds in deceptive practices. insurance company AIG, which

44 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 uoenfrinpolicy foreign European Fax (915)755-4806e-mail:[email protected] TX79924-9906 c/oAlutaCompany 5108WallyIP-Subscription Service DriveElPaso, Please sendyour subscriptionorderoryour requestforafreecopy to good newsindeedtothe internationalforeignpolicycommunity.« Relations wouldbeofgreatinterestandimportance toawidereadership.IPwillbe »I havelongfeltthattheeminentjournalof GermanCouncilofForeign The

TRANSATLANTIC EDITION journal for European viewsoninternationalrelations. economic issuesandisinterestedin is workinginthefieldofpoliticsandglobal who IP isessentialreadingforeveryone European foreignpolicymagazines. ofarticles from book reviews,andasurvey affairs. ItalsopresentsEuropeandocuments, op-ed piecesontopicalissuesinforeign IP featuresaselectionofarticles,essaysand Foreign RelationsinBerlin. magazine oftheGermanCouncilon Edition isthequarterlyEnglish-language Internationale Politik(IP)–Transatlantic Henry A.Kissinger Henry A Course in Islamology Everyday Dilemmas of Muslim Life in Berlin by Ian Johnson PhotographAbbas/Magnum© Focus Photos/Agentur

46 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 arlier this year, I wanted to learn what to do in Europe, where secular states the Middle East, North Africa, and of course more about Islam as young Muslim have established independent courts with Turkey. Fourteen of the 19 were women, activists in Europe see it. So I signed laws passed by elected parliaments, not which could be explained perhaps only by E up for a course in “Islamology” and issued by muftis? All but a few zealots view the fact that women have more questions spent a snowy March day listening to Amir it as impractical to turn European countries about Islamic law because the status of Zaidan. into Islamic states. Going “back home” is women in Islam is so complicated. Mr. Zaidan is a Syrian immigrant impossible. That leaves two possibilities: The language of the conference was who earned some notoriety in Germany make sharia compatible with Western life or German, which reminded me that second- a few years back for his “camel fatwa.” A opt out of Western society by constructing and third-generation Muslims increasingly Muslim family in the state of North Rhine- identify themselves as Muslims first and Westphalia had refused to let its daugh- Some questioners were in see their ethic and national backgrounds as ter go on a class outing on the basis of an the traditional garb of their secondary. opinion that Mr. Zaidan had given to a Mr. Zaidan stood at the front, a stocky, local mosque, and the issue had gone to homelands, but many were friendly figure with an untucked plaid shirt, court. Mr. Zaidan’s fatwa, or religious young German Muslims in rolled up sleeves, and a beard that was so opinion, was that women may not take closely trimmed it was almost a shadow. overnight trips without a male blood rela- T-shirts and sneakers, their The one clue that he was not secularized tive accompanying them. Without such a scruffy facial hair attesting was an embroidered fez that he wore jauntily guardian, women should only travel as far to the side. from the family home as a camel caravan to their first efforts at grow- Islam is a religion that thrives on certain- could travel in a day in ancient Arabia. The ing beards. ties, and Mr. Zaidan’s goal was to eliminate court, without commenting on Mr. Zaidan’s uncertainty. His lecture treated the Koran fatwa, ruled that the girl was in such a tense parallel societies where Islamic laws have as it is traditionally presented: the word of psychological state that she shouldn’t go on practical, if not legal, precedence. God as transmitted through the Archangel the trip. A few German publications wrote Adapting sharia to the West is a project Gabriel to the Prophet Mohammed. In fact, about it, and Mr. Zaidan had his 15 minutes that Islamic scholars are undertaking with the Koran was treated as such a bedrock of fame. varied degrees of success. Some have argued that it was not analyzed at all. Instead, he In the world of Muslim activists, however, in favor of loosening the traditional ban focused on the use of hadiths, sayings attrib- Mr. Zaidan is a more enduring figure, large- on interest, for example, to allow for home uted to the Prophet, which are acknowl- ly because of the courses he regularly leads. mortgages. Without such changes, they edged to be of varying degrees of reliability The goal of his courses is simple: to trans- argue, Muslims will be condemned to an but crucial for determining how the Prophet mit as much of the great Islamic tradition economic underclass. acted, and by extension, how modern as possible to modern, Western Muslims Constructing parallel societies is more Muslims should act. without losing the religion’s character. And haphazard. The phrase is much in the “Hadith science is unique,” Mr. Zaidan that character is one of rules and certain- German media today and is used as though said at the start of the lecture. “It is different ties. Yes, there is some flexibility, but only it were a concrete project. In fact, it is mess- in Christianity. It isn’t clear who Matthew, to a point. The camel rule, for example, is ier, a battle won in the minds of people, one Mark, Luke, or John were. Who wrote the not seen as a guideline to be understood in by one. New Testament? We can prove water boils its original context (1,400 years ago, travel at 100 degrees but if I say there’s a Day of in Arabia was dangerous, and there might ‚ ° ‚ Judgment or angels, where do I know this? have been some threat to women going on It’s not enough to say that Mohammed long trips alone) but rather as a part of the he two-day course was held in a said something. You need witnesses. The Islamic legal heritage, something not to be Turkish cultural center housed in science of hadiths tells us who witnessed changed lightly. a small villa in the working-class what he said and how reliable they were as Mr. Zaidan has held dozens of these Tneighborhood of Neukölln. It was a witnesses.” courses, and they vary in content. The one surprisingly pleasant part of that sometimes His talk was a brilliant mixture of tradi- I attended was on Islamic jurisprudence. It gritty district, and we were far from the busy tion and modernity. Mr. Zaidan said Islamic was designed to teach the fundamentals streets. The introductory materials made it law is not sexist. Female witnesses to the of Islamic law, or sharia, to what in essence clear that we should bring our own lunches Prophet’s sayings, for example, are valued as amounted to the cadres of various Islamic because there were no restaurants or even much as male witnesses. The audience liked organizations and mosques around Berlin. döner kebab stands nearby. the message: Islam is modern and favors The idea was to give them a grounding in We sat down around four tables arranged sexual equality. Heads also nodded later, what the religion does and does not allow. in a rectangle. I looked at some of the par- when Mr. Zaidan said that Muslim coun- The course was open to everyone, but most ticipants’ nameplates: Belal, Jennifer, Musa, tries traditionally have had plenty of prob- participants were activists of some sort. Cigdem, Susanne, Mandy, Maryam, Bärbel, lems and should not be taken as role models. How Islamic law is interpreted is argu- Nadeem, Sivia, Nina, Ian. A fair number Instead, the participants were expected to ably one of the most important issues fac- were converts from Christianity, mostly create for themselves a new, purer form of ing Muslims in Europe. Traditional Islamic through marriage, and almost all had been Islam, one untainted by the corrupt regimes jurisprudence is unequivocal: Muslims born in Germany. Those with immigrant in many of their nominally Muslim home should live in a state governed by sharia. But backgrounds came from a variety of regions: countries. ﬁ

The Berlin Journal 47 But critical thinking only went so far. so people, but that night more than seventy the fund accumulates interest until retire- Though Hadith science might be advanced, men crammed into the small rectangular ment. Mr. Zaidan realized that the pension Mr. Zaidan advised students not to delve room, and, on the other side of a folding is voluntary but that, in today’s Germany, too deeply. Hadiths have already been stud- divider, thirty women listened in. state pensions are no longer sufficient. ied and compiled according to four main Mr. Zaidan’s topic was innovation in Strictly speaking, the program should be schools of jurisprudence. He recommended Islam. His talk was short and to the point: forbidden by sharia, but he decided to com- the Hanbali school, which is widely viewed innovations are necessary but have to be promise. as the most conservative. Some things were carefully controlled. People listened atten- “Then your payments are acceptable unchangeable, Mr. Zaidan said. You must tively, but it was clear they were there for because you have no choice. The govern- eat with your right hand, and men should something else: the chance to ask questions. ment’s and the company’s contributions urinate sitting – because the Prophet did so. When Mr. Zaidan got up to leave, the are acceptable too. But the interest is forbid- A leitmotif of the talk was that the West mosque erupted, and he was surrounded den. Deduct the interest that is accrued and does not understand Islam. He was derisive by men with anxious questions. Some were refuse to accept it.” of Islamic studies. “What we have are people wearing the traditional garb of their Middle Many men nod, relieved. But some were who learn a semester of Arabic and a bit of Eastern homelands, but many were young perplexed. “The system only works on Urdu and a bit of Turkish, and they’re called German Muslims in T-shirts and sneakers, compounded interest,” said one man to his ‘Islamic scholars.’ If you don’t agree with their scruffy facial hair attesting to their neighbor. “Without this, the pension will them, you’re an extremist,” he said with a first efforts at growing beards. not pay enough when we are old.” But his laugh. “Can I contribute to my pension?” young friend, wearing a long cotton tunic of The students were most interested in a his parents’ Egyptian homeland, was con- section on contracts – taught by a young Turning European countries vinced. “Nevertheless, interest is forbidden.” man named Usama – because this area into Islamic states is imprac- On one issue, Mr. Zaidan was more had the most impact on their daily lives liberal: celebrating the Prophet’s birth- in Germany. They peppered Usama with tical. Going “back home” is day. Many fundamentalists condemn this questions about what was and was not impossible. That leaves two as adopting a Western tradition; Arab allowed in stores, at banks, and at work. Muslims do not traditionally celebrate Charging or paying interest, he said over options: make sharia compat- birthdays, and many Muslims say there and over again, was taboo. But some ible with Western life or opt is no evidence in the Koran or other writ- weren’t satisfied with the message they ings that the Prophet did either. But Mr. were hearing – that sharia essentially has out of Western society by con- Zaidan answered that such celebrations precedence over German law. structing parallel societies. are culturally specific, not related to reli- “What if you sell stolen goods,” one stu- gion. Moreover, mosques are able to use the dent asked. “You don’t really know it’s stolen, “Is life insurance forbidden?” Prophet’s birthday to stage events that draw but you think so.” “People here celebrate Easter and casual Muslims into the mosques. “Ah,” said Usama, parsing the question Christmas. If these are pagan holidays and Again, many of the men disagreed. They like a good Islamic scholar. “How much do have no real religious meaning, can we cel- see birthdays as a door to Western licen- you not know?” ebrate them too?” tiousness. Boys and girls innocently eating A young man named Musa quickly “Can we celebrate the birthday of the birthday cake and playing pin-the-tail-on- butted in. Prophet, peace and blessings be unto him.” the-donkey will become young men and “If you sell a notebook computer for “May I let my daughter go to birthday women drinking beer and carrying on. 400 Euros in the original packaging, you are parties?” After a few more questions, Mr. Zaidan legally liable. It’s illegal in Germany.” Overwhelmed, Mr. Zaidan decided to got up and begged to go. Everyone gave him “Yes, but if you don’t really know it’s sto- stay a bit longer. He was tired but smiled a round of applause. len,” Usama ventured, “then...” politely and sat down on the floor, his back The men began to filter out of the Musa shook his head. “It’s illegal.” to the wall. The men settled in front of him, mosque, commenting on the answers. One and the women stayed behind the divider. younger man began to argue strenuously ‚ ° ‚ Tea and cakes were passed around. He with a neighbor about birthdays. “No, I tell sipped a cup of tea and, with a smile, ges- you it’s wrong. It’s un-Islamic. But he has to few weeks later, I got to hear how this tured to the first man, assuming the role of say that birthdays are okay. Otherwise peo- learning plays out in a mosque. Mr. mufti, or Islamic judge, who wants to know ple are going to flip out. They have nothing Zaidan was back in Berlin from his the details of the problem before issuing an they can celebrate with the Germans.” µ A new home, Vienna, to give another opinion. Islamology course. A local mosque had “Your pension. Is it mandatory? I have Ian Johnson, who won the 2001 Pulitzer asked him to give a talk, and he had agreed. to know the details. You can’t just have one Prize for international reporting, writes The mosque, a low-ceilinged room in the rule. Islam requires that the specifics be for the Wall Street Journal in Berlin. To backyard of an apartment complex, once known.” date, three articles from the “Islam in housed a work shed. Since being converted The man explained that his pension is Europe” series have been published, to a mosque, it has been painted, carpeted, part of a new German government program with two more due this autumn. He will and fitted out with a small niche in the wall to supplement state pensions. Individuals, take a leave from the paper in 2006 to facing Mecca. It usually attracts thirty or the state, and companies kick in money, and write a book on the subject.

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50 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 The Islamic Challenge A Study of Muslim Elite in Europe

by Jytte Klausen

urope has become a battlefield,” for ways to build institutions that will allow according to Gilles Kepel. Samuel P. Muslims to practice their religion in a way Huntington says it is facing a “clash that is compatible with social integration. E of civilizations” and “cultural war,” To be sure, there is not one Muslim posi- a new Kulturkampf. Helmut Schmidt, the tion on how Islam should develop in Europe former chancellor of Germany, argues that but many views. However, there is general a peaceful accommodation between Islam agreement that immigrants must be inte- and Christianity is possible only in authori- grated into the wider society. There is also a tarian states. widespread feeling that Europe’s Muslims These apocalyptic pronouncements are should not rely on foreign Islamic funding not only counter-productive; they are also of local institutions but be able to practice dangerously misleading. The question of their faith in mosques built with local fund- Islam in Europe is not a matter of global ing and with the assistance of imams certi- war and peace. Rather, it raises a more fied and educated at European universities familiar set of domestic policy issues about and seminaries. the relations between state and church Huntington predicted a historic and and, on occasion, even prosaic questions decisive global confrontation between about government regulation and equitable “Islam” and “the West,” and he represent-

Domestic conflict over the integration of Islam in European countries has little to do with foreign policy.

policy enforcement. Muslims are a new ed problems with Islamic minorities in interest group and a new constituency, and Western countries as local skirmishes in European political systems will change as this international struggle, a struggle that the processes of representation, challenge, was, at bottom, one of values, symbols, and and co-optation take place. There is a clash identity. of values, but perhaps the most important Huntington’s thesis rests on two pos- is that between two old European par- tulates. The first is that religion is the ties, secularists and conservatives, as each predominant source of identity and value struggles to come to terms with religious orientation for Muslims. “Liberal” and pluralism. The conflict does raise large “Muslim” values are irreconcilable. The questions, but these have to do with long- religious Muslim cannot separate public standing European preoccupations with law and private religion. Only individuals state neutrality in religious matters and the who renounce key parts of Islam can be place of Christianity in the construction of trusted as interlocutors in democratic soci- European public identity. eties. The second postulate is that Islam Europe’s Muslim political leaders are not and Christianity are competing for global aiming to overthrow liberal democracy and control. Islam is represented as monolithic to replace secular law with Islamic religious and intent on world domination. From law, the sharia. Most are instead looking this perspective, a Muslim schoolgirl’s ﬁ

The Berlin Journal 51 headscarf is imbued with symbolic signifi- gist, Jan Rath, and his collaborators found the public ownership of all available ceme- cance beyond the individual girl’s reasons that the first reference to Muslims in Dutch teries, concerns about animal rights that dis- for wearing the scarf. government sources was a memorandum on allow ritual slaughter, issues of pastoral care Domestic conflict over the integration of foreign workers from 1970, which referred for Muslims in prisons and social services, Islam in European countries, however, has obliquely to the need to provide “pastoral the teaching of religion in public schools, little to do with foreign policy. Muslims in care” for foreign workers. and divorce law and other family law issues. Great Britain and the United States, the two The lack of public policy involvement has It is not possible to discuss the “clash of allies in the war in Iraq, find fewer obstacles both historical and political roots. When practices” set off by Muslims’ claims for rec- to the development of faith institutions Muslims first came to Europe in the 1950s ognition without also discussing the reaction than do Muslims in France and Germany, and 1960s, they were not expected to stay. of the Christian churches. There is a popular the two leading European anti-war coun- They were mostly labor migrants – and fallacy that public life in Europe is secu- tries. Rather, domestic conflicts have local often single men – who themselves expect- lar. On the contrary, European states have causes, rooted in the particular histories ed to return with savings to the families they given privileges to Christian churches for of modern European states. One of the key had left at home. Ironically, it was the col- centuries, from public funding for religious factors usually neglected in these debates is the legacy of the “stability pacts” that were As a Dutch Muslim parliamentarian said to me, “any made between the majority churches and suggestion that Muslims are victims of employment European states in the course of twentieth- century adjustments to universal suffrage discrimination is not helpful right now, when Christians and constitutional reforms. The accommo- think that Muslims already take far too much.” dation of Islam necessitates a rethinking of those pacts and obliges national churches to reconsider their own positions on matters of lective statement by Europe’s Muslims that schools to tax support, to the maintenance of proselytizing, inter-religious relations, and they are “here to stay” that triggered conflict. church real estate and clerical salaries. Most even on questions of theology and liturgy. Once Muslims demanded integration, it Europeans are accustomed to relying on Until very recently, European govern- became evident how much Europeans and the state for the public provision of pastoral ments have been reluctant to formulate poli- their governments would have to change in needs, from cemeteries to churches and the cies for the integration of Muslim minorities. order to accommodate them. training of clergy. The bias of current poli- Muslims interpret this neglect as yet another There are probably about 15 million cies has become perceptible only with the form of discrimination, an extension of the Muslims living in Western Europe, but the increased visibility of the different customs discrimination experienced in daily life, in exact number is in doubt. The count is sub- of the immigrant religions. employment, education, and the provision ject to inflation, in part because Muslim However, Muslim leaders are generally of social services. Yet governments are now leaders and populist politicians like to exag- reluctant to press too hard for equal treat- beginning to grapple with the issues. Some gerate the number to press their causes, but ment on all fronts. The German Greens were of their initial measures provoked fresh con- also because few reliable statistics exist. the first to suggest that an Islamic holiday flicts, notably bans on wearing thehijab , the Most European countries do not include – Eid al Fitr, the end of Ramadan – should Islamic headscarf, by female Muslim stu- questions about religious affiliation in be added to the long list of official German dents and teachers; policies curtailing ritual their censuses, instead extrapolating esti- holidays, but the other parties responded slaughter; and immigration controls on mates based on immigration statistics. This with derision. Few Muslim leaders to whom imams. These policies are often perceived to method, however, would exaggerate the size I spoke think that holiday equity is a cause be discriminatory, but they are sometimes of the Muslim population, since allowance worth fighting for; granting Muslims supported also by Muslim leaders. There is not made for assimilation through inter- employment protection to take the day off as is little disagreement that radical clerics marriage or the acculturation of descen- a personal holiday is sufficient. It is not pro- should be kept out, although the general dants, and it obviously confounds religious ductive for Christian-Muslim relations in the view is that Muslims have democratic rights affiliation with country of origin. (Nor does current situation to suggest that Christians to say stupid things, too. Most Muslims it take account of conversions to Islam.) On should take off Islamic holidays. As a Dutch think the headscarf should be tolerated, but the other hand, official estimates do not Muslim parliamentarian said to me when I many think it is a bad idea to wear it. But include illegal immigrants who in recent suggested that the Netherlands beef up anti- few governments have institutionalized years have arrived primarily from predomi- discrimination law in the face of unequivo- democratic consultative mechanisms with nantly Muslims countries such as Albania cal evidence of wide-spread employment Muslims or have come to terms with the fact or Nigeria. discrimination against well-educated immi- that they are dealing with a diverse religious Public reactions in Western Europe to the grants, “Any suggestion that Muslims are constituency that cannot be represented by a growing presence of adherents of an unfa- victims of discrimination is not helpful right single head of a national “church,” as is the miliar religion have been remarkably simi- now, when Christians think that Muslims European custom. For decades, Europeans lar. From Protestant Scandinavia to pluralist already take far too much.” paid little attention to the modest prayer Holland and Catholic France, controversies At the same time, there has been a halls and mosques that sprang up in their have broken out over religious holiday sched- growing suspicion about Muslims’ loy- cities. Benign neglect was the preferred ules, accommodations for prayers, the wear- alty to Western values. The issue was first official response to the growing presence of ing of Muslim dress in the workplace, the dramatized in 1989. Ayatollah Khomeini Muslim immigrants. A Dutch anthropolo- provision of building permits for mosques, pronounced a death sentence in absentia

52 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 against Salman Rushdie for blasphemous those who feared that a new jihad was being claims and needs of new social groups and descriptions of the prophet Mohammed in prepared in Europe, as was the “Kalif aus by their capacity to integrate new elites who his novel, The Satanic Verses. Book-burn- Köln,” Metin Kaplan, who was extradited to represent those claims. The prospects for the ing demonstrations in the English towns of face murder charges in Turkey in October accommodation of Islam rest in part on the Bradford and Oldham and violent demon- 2004. The murder of the Dutch filmmaker, ability of governments to generate solutions strations across the Islamic world invited Theo van Gogh, by a young Dutch-Moroccan and in part on the Muslim elite’s involve- comparison to fascist bonfires of banned who was linked to Hezbollah, an Islamic ment in the resolution of conflict. books in the 1930s. terrorist group, and the July bombings in There is an urgent need for a wide-rang- A decade later, there were fears that ter- the London tube system elicited strong reac- ing public debate about the implications of rorist networks were embedding themselves tions against Muslims. Sixty-five attacks on state neutrality and how equitable treatment in little-known mosques throughout Europe. mosques and imams were reported over a six- of different religions is possible. The main Mohammed Atta, one of the September 11 month period in Holland, and hate crimes concerns of Muslim leaders, however, are terrorists, attended the al-Quds mosque in against Muslims on the streets of major what is seen as the persistent mischarac- Hamburg. When the German police found British cities multiplied. However, the over- terization of Islam by the media and politi- a tape featuring the imam of the mosque, a whelming majority of European Muslims are cians, the absence of public policy initiatives man of Moroccan origin known only by his as repelled by the ranting of these clerics as to support Islamic religious organizations, last name, al-Fazizi, raging that “Christians are Christians. and the lack of public recognition that and Jews should have their throats slit,” The Muslim mainstream is better repre- Muslims are Europeans too. µ seven men from the mosque were arrested sented by civic and political figures who have on terrorism charges. It was discovered that a been elected to public office by voters and Jytte Klausen is a professor at Brandeis 37-year-old Swedish Muslim convicted of pos- parties that draw support from all voters and University and was a Bosch Public Policy sessing weapons and suspected of planning by leaders of Muslim national and commu- Fellow at the Academy in fall 2004. This terrorism had links to the Finsbury Park nity organizations. Their views and policy text is the introduction to her forthcom- Mosque in London and its fiery preacher, choices must be heard. European Muslims ing book The Islamic Challenge: Politics Abu Hamza. The shoe-bomber, Richard Reid, are necessary partners in the negotiation and Religion in Western Europe and is and the suspected twentieth September 11 of accommodations with Islam, and the excerpted with the permission of the hijacker, Zacarias Moussaoui, were also Muslim political and civic leaders will play publisher, Oxford University Press. PFB_OstWest_BerlinJournallinked with the Finsbury Park13.09.2005 Mosque. Abu12:36 aUhr critical Seite role in1 that PFB_ process.OstWest_BerlinJournal Democracies A German edition will be published by Hamsa became an emblematic figure for are tested by their capacity to respond to the Campus Verlag. www.berlin-partner.de

The Berlin Journal 53 Seven Attempted Escapes from Silence

Seven Operas by Karim Haddad, Bernhard Lang, Cathy Milliken, José-María Sánchez-Verdú, Annette Schmucki, Miroslav Srnka, and Larisa Vrhunc

Libretto by Jonathan Safran Foer

54 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 n the summer of 2004, I was approached pletely unlike anything I’d ever worked on by the Deutsche Staatsoper, at the before would be great fun. (Or so I thought.) American Academy’s encouragement, I said yes. I to write a libretto. Knowing very little My thinking about this project changed about opera and feeling anxious about fin- dramatically over the course of my writ- ishing my novel, I was hesitant. The idea, as ing the libretto. Before my visit to Berlin it was explained to me, was that one libret- in September 2004, I had thought I might tist (me) would work with seven composers write about speechlessness. It felt like a from seven countries. The same short libret- politically and aesthetically relevant theme. to would be given seven different scores, as The allegorical potential was so strong, a new way of illuminating the choices made especially in the moment in which the by a composer. (The libretto would serve world then found itself, on the eve of the as the fixed variable.) So it wasn’t a libretto, American elections. And what better way to per se, but one-seventh of a libretto. Which give a composer freedom – a necessity for translated, I was promised, into very few any libretto to “work,” but especially given pages and hardly any words at all. I didn’t the parameters of this project – than a libret- say yes. But I didn’t say no, either. to without words? As the conversation moved forward with During my stay in Berlin, I was forwarded the Staatsoper – one short, long-distance headlines from local papers, with the hope phone call at a time – it started to become that some might inspire me. Several did. clear that one libretto performed seven – Lion Escapes from Zoo; Community times would be a drag for anyone who had Wants Answers. to watch it. So a full-fledged libretto – a – Foreign Minister Resigns after Sex Probe. Libretto – would be needed. It could be – Double-Suicide Raises Questions. divided into seven distinct “chapters,” each of which could be handled by a different There was one, in particular, about trash composer. The same ends would be accom- bins in Berlin. For whatever reason, I was Ahem… In addition to obvious prob- plished – one literary vision expressed taken with the idea and started writing a lems of concept and execution, the fur- through seven different musical vehicles – libretto about a conference of designers ther I got into it, the more I realized it and it would have a fighting chance of being asked to create a more beautiful trash bin was too narrative, too … closed. I wanted sufferable for an audience. The novel, at that for the city. I liked it. It was weird, dark, and to make something composers could point, was just about done. (Or so I thought.) funny. And I found the idea of German interpret in radically different ways and And the idea of working on something com- trash to be powerful. make their own. Something, like a haiku, that was completely empty of meaning but full of significance. Minister 1 It has been said that a trash bin could never be beautiful. The more I thought about that prob- We have no choice, Berliners: Our trash bins cannot not be beautiful! lem, the more right speechlessness once Hostage 1 What about a trash bin that was transparent? again felt. And sadly, it’s an idea that has Minister 1 Totally absurd, we’d have to see our garbage. become more relevant with time. So I Hostage 2 What about a trash bin that thanked you when you filled it? returned to my original inspiration and Minister 2 Totally absurd! A talking trash bin! set to writing a libretto without words. Hostage 3 What about a trash bin? What about a trash bin? Every collaboration depends on strik- What if Berlin had only one trash bin? ing the right balance of direction and Minister 1 How could all the garbage fit in only one trash bin? freedom. I’ve tried to write something Hostage 3 What about a very, very, very deep trash bin? that isn’t overly determined, so the com- What about a trash bin that went posers aren’t constricted, but is precise to the Earth’s magma? enough to be coherent as a whole. (Much With the added bonus of my writing is stage directions. The Of the temperature of the magma. inmates don’t speak, but they can pro- As the garbage fell duce sound. What they “say” is left to the It would be incinerated. composers.) Of course there had to be Minister 1 Totally absurd! a speaking “guide” in the world of the Have you no sense of history! speechless. But he, too, holds within him Hostage 2 What about a trash bin? What about a trash bin? one hundred million words for every one What about an itsy bitsy microscopic trash bin? that’s said. Maybe there’s nothing excep- What about a well-hidden trash bin, a camouflaged trash bin? tional about that. What about a trash bin that looked nothing like a trash bin? Knowing how hard it is to inspire A levitating trash bin? An incandescent trash bin? someone without constraining them, I A trash bin! A trash bin! can only hope I’ve used exactly the right My kingdom for a trash bin! number of words … ﬁ

The Berlin Journal 55 Structure The seven “chapters” of this opera will take place in a facility that houses people without the use of language. (I was very much inspired – maybe even overly inspired – by the Kafkaesque space of the Staatsoper’s Magazin, or warehouse. It has been one of the guiding forces in my creative process.) “Silence” is actually a misno- mer, as the “inmates” are capable of making sound. They simply don’t http://www.staatsoper-berlin.de/ have access to language. de/fs_b2_neu_seven.htm

The narrator – a “speaker,” who is our guide – is a guard. Or perhaps he is another inmate. It isn’t entire- ly clear. Whatever the exact case, he is some sort of authority figure. He introduces the facility and proceeds to tell the story of seven attempted escapes. µ

Photographs by Monika Rittershaus

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methodical schedule, repeated daily, from five in the morning until ten in the evening. Without any A modification, the same ordeals, over and over, repeated indefinitely. To humiliate, intimidate, destroy. From morning to evening. Sometimes at night as well. The same precision, the same cruelty, for several months now. And then, suddenly, a change. One Tuesday morning, without any warning, an unbelievable change. They hadn’t beaten her, and instead of beating her, they’d moved her to a bigger cell, on the first floor. She was allowed an extra hour of exercise, alone in the courtyard, before lights out. In the evening, a fat, grumpy guard replaced the toilet can with an enam- eled chamber pot. The next morning, hot sugared tea; the meals were better than usual, too. In the afternoon, at the time formerly reserved for her harshest punishment, she was taken to the shower. When she returned, she found a sheet on her bed, and a clean blanket, and some clothing, neatly folded. The most astonishing thing of all: the small rectangular mirror and the slender tube of Nivea lotion found among the clothes. Thursday morning, they took her through a maze of corridors, going left, right, down, up, left again. A room with white walls, like a doctor’s office. A woman was waiting there, smoking, sitting on a couch covered in brown oil- cloth. She seemed like a former colleague, or a vaguely remembered acquaintance. They were left alone together for almost an hour. The unknown woman sat with her legs crossed and wrote in a notebook Nelson Mandela’s cell on Robben Island

58 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 propped up on her lap. Above her white nervous hands. Bluish circles under her A large desk, running almost the entire knee, an elegant little fountain pen flew eyes. Very, very white skin, like the milky length of the room. Not a single picture. back and forth; every once in a while, the white of her short skirt, which didn’t quite Bare walls, except for a big round clock knee would twitch. cover her thighs. resembling a barometer, over the desk. Then a doctor entered the room. Judging “We’re getting you ready to see someone. Two windows, heavy drapes. Three chairs, from the questions he asked, he had to be a An important meeting for you.” including hers. Beneath one of the windows, psychiatrist. The unknown woman listened A tense, pinched smile. a credenza with two shelves; on the lower to all these routine tests with a bored or, rath- “The gentleman would like you to look one, a radio. A telephone and a lamp on the er, a blasé air. She must have been a person nice. In other words, normal, at least. He desk. of high rank, because a simple gesture from can’t stand violence. He’s a sensitive soul, Lunch at two o’clock. Carp’s eggs, green her was enough to dismiss the doctor. Later you see.” salad, deviled eggs, pork spareribs, slivovitz, she explained to the prisoner the reason for Her eyes seemed to have changed color, tiny meatballs, spicy sausage, pickles, wine, the unexpected changes of the last few days. grown even blacker, with a steely blue glint, mineral water, baklava pastries. But only after making her stand com- and her voice was stern. She fainted. Before passing out, she’d pletely naked for an hour, during which “As you’ll find out, he’s doing you a favor. vomited until she was exhausted, and vom- time the woman did invite her to sit down, A lucky break, you’ll see.” ited again. She was taken to the bathroom, true, and offered her cigarettes (which she She lit a cigarette, then turned her the one with the tub; she hadn’t realized it herself chain-smoked), but she would not back, looked out the window, her thoughts was right next door. They cleaned the stains allow her to go anywhere near her clothes. elsewhere. Suddenly she whirled around, off her collar, they rubbed her temples and “Leave them alone,” she’d barked imperi- her hands clenched tightly together. Her ously. “Later.” face flushed, her expression pained. She Lunch at two o’clock. Carp’s The woman had carefully studied the slammed the door on her way out. eggs, green salad, deviled different parts of her body. Without malice, She didn’t come back. The only indica- with a cold, professional eye. The inspection tion that she might have remained in the eggs, pork spareribs, finished with a smile. vicinity came two hours later, when a some- slivovitz, tiny meatballs, “Sorry about your hair – I can’t make it what panicky young man appeared, obvi- grow back in three days.” ously instructed to be polite. spicy sausage, pickles, wine, So it seemed she was the one who had “Sorry, they forgot you were here.” mineral water, baklava thought of, or at least supervised, the details Yes, the prisoner had put her clothes back of this new program. on quite a while ago and was waiting, sitting pastries. She fainted. “Too bad they shaved you. Did you have rigidly on a chair. pretty hair?” “Please follow me.” forehead with a damp washcloth. They She didn’t seem bothered by the lack of a She saw that her cell had been swept and stretched her out on an air mattress, to reply. Her questions were more in the line of aired. On the cement, a pile of newspapers let her recuperate… They took her back to amused hypotheses. and magazines. the same room, supporting her under the “As for everything else, you’ve taken fairly At around three o’clock, her reading was arms. Eggplant caviar. Meatballs. Deviled good care of yourself. And you haven’t even interrupted. Two of them escorted her. She eggs. Carp’s eggs. Slivovitz. Rum. Spareribs. become too bitter. Actually, that’s quite a tri- went downstairs, around corners, along Escalope Milanaise. Wine. Cake. Everything umph, I must admit.” lengthy corridors. This time, to a bathroom. came up again. They caught her at the last She smiled again, as though giving a Not the shower she’d already used. A gleam- moment, as she was falling. She sat down at handout to a poor relative. ing white bathtub. Big, colorful, fluffy tow- the table once more. She picked up the knife, “Today you won’t have to follow any sched- els. A cake of perfumed soap. All sorts of the fork. Then the bottle, the glasses, one ule. This afternoon, a nice hot bath. It’ll do little bottles. Slippers, nail polish. When she after the other… When she awoke, the table you good, you’d be silly to refuse. I’ve had got back to her cell, a cup of hot tea was wait- was bare, cleared. There was only a slim some magazines and newspapers taken to ing for her. black bottle, with a golden label marked Eau your cell. If you need or would like anything And now, here it was, the fourth day. de toilette, and beside it, a tiny flask, hardly in particular, let me know, I’ll take care of it. “Would five in the afternoon be convenient? bigger than a thimble: Perfume. She looked Here, I’ll make a note of it right now, if you Would it be convenient at five?” the woman at the clock. Four-thirty. want something.” had asked, as if speaking a line from an So she’d fallen asleep while eating, had She took a blank sheet of paper from the opera libretto, tired of the absurdity of what slept with her head on the table. She pulled desk. She waited, unruffled by the stub- she’d been told to do and say. a handkerchief from the pocket of her born silence of the naked woman sitting So, the appointed day. That morning she dress. They’d given her handkerchiefs, and before her. She folded the piece of paper was taken to another wing of the building. a dress. A kind of chemise, long and loose, several times and then slipped it into the An elegant room. Thick carpets. Beautifully of a thick material, like a new blanket. She breast pocket of her black satin crepe blouse, paneled walls. She was seated in an arm- moistened her face and hands with the toi- which had a pointed collar and long sleeves. chair, before a round, glass-topped table in let water. So she’d fallen asleep. She looked She stood up. A dainty brunette, almost a corner of the room. The table shook, the at the clock again. She’d have liked to go tall, her waist tightly encircled by a wide silver coffee service and china tea things back to sleep. She felt groggy from the food leather belt. Hair worn loose about her frag- tinkled. Croissants in a basket. Cherry pre- and drink, and would have loved to rest ile shoulders. Slender legs, arms too long, serves. Butter. Honey, apples, sugar cookies. some more. ﬁ

The Berlin Journal 59 What could the important person have She’d noticed that her stubborn determi- The prisoner didn’t know what to think, to say? Why should he waste any of his pre- nation had lost its edge, especially during what to do. She was unable to move. A cold cious time on her? Would he say the same the last few hours. The sweetish, fruity wine sweat broke out on her forehead; her hands things, ask her the same questions? Would had made her tipsy. Ever since her faint- and back felt clammy. A bad joke, right the Plenipotentiary turn out to be more ing spell, she’d felt weak and lethargic. She before the arrival of the Plenipotentiary, subtle than his subordinates, the gorillas would have liked to sleep for weeks in a big because a few minutes are all he’s got left, who carried out his orders? Would he con- clean bed, in a quiet, spacious room. Only this, this … nobody … this … this janitor, fine himself simply to doing his job? Send waking up occasionally to soak in a steam- stock clerk, cashier with too many mouths his report, in turn, to his bosses, and nothing tub, with perfumed bath oil, like the last to feed, this post-office drone, doorman, ing more? Indicating that he has person- time. And have brightly colored refreshing storekeeper, salesman, plumber, whatever, ally contacted, that he personally visited, drinks. with his voice, so … yes, yes, so… that he made an effort, that he personally The door opened quietly, very quietly. But “I was on time, you noticed. Come closer, knows, etc., etc. Yes, yes, yes, he thinks there were still two minutes left! Was he please. I’m used only to small audiences, there’s nothing more to be done, he sug- early? No, it was only some minor employee short distances.” gests immediate measures, no leniency, who hardly dared set foot into such an He swallowed syllables, ran words togeth- and so on. important room. Humble, hesitant, on tip- er, telescoping them. He seemed to think But what about that strange, lovely go- toes. Some timid functionary, sent to dust or only in leaps and bounds. A warm, tentative between, who seemed like someone from air out the room, who knows? voice. And yet a commanding tone. Affected. her past, like a refined, sadistic former col- He was carrying boxes of different sizes. A bizarre mixture: firmness and fear, gentle- league? “Your hair – I can’t make it grow He piled them carefully against the wall, ness, power, yes, and harshness, and, also… back in three days.” “Did you have pretty in a corner, next to the door. He left and “Well, would you please come over here hair?” The question hadn’t seemed mali- returned with a long, fat tube. A kind of now?” cious; it had been asked quite simply, in a cardboard tube, with a cover on one end. He As he watched her stand up and walk to vaguely pensive tone. Perhaps the most sur- moved silently, stooped over, without look- the armchairs in front of the desk, he pulled prising thing that happened the whole time ing up, trying to be unobtrusive. He came in, a slim flask containing a reddish-brown liq- they were together. disappeared, reappeared, gliding noiselessly. uid from one of his jacket pockets and gently Nine minutes to five. If this wasn’t some Clearly terrified by the importance of the set it down flat on the glass surface of the new ordeal, intended to fray her nerves to person for whose arrival he was preparing. desk. Once she was seated, he studied her shreds, if this important person really did The cautious movements of this dogsbody closely for a long time, allowing himself to exist, if he’d actually set up this appoint- – possibly one of the maintenance or clerical be examined by her in return. ment, and if, moreover, he arrived on time, personnel – were enough in themselves to He wore a kind of knitted shirt of fine then there were nine minutes left. What show that the expected personage was a very wool, mustard-colored, with buttons and an else could he propose or ask of her beyond high-ranking official indeed. open collar. A jacket in a gray check. He had what she’d already heard day after day? The prisoner checked the clock. One few teeth, and those were bad, stained by Threatening her family, her friends… Could minute past five. So he was late! They were nicotine. Tiny red spider-veins on his nose. the fate of the man she loved be made even making her wait on purpose, of course, they Pale, flabby face. Small ears, scrawny neck, worse? Would he ever forgive her if for one were hoping that she’d become upset and frail hands. Short, thin fingers, twisted and crazy moment she believed their lies, their wonder what they were up to now. An old yellowed. Nails bitten to the quick. A high promises? If she gave in, for a single instant, trick: they weren’t showing much original- forehead, extended by a bald pate. Large, to her desire to know that he was free? They ity with that one. She’d learned how to pro- dark eyes. Intelligent, yes, lively and black. were planning something; she had to be tect herself. A penetrating gaze, restless, glittering, ready for anything. Weary, no doubt, the silent employee sat searching, observing, evaluating. There In only a few days they’d succeeded in down behind the desk! The poor man had was a wild, glassy sparkle in his eyes that bringing her back almost to normal. Ready some nerve! Snatching a moment’s rest, sit- suddenly became fixed, unblinking, dead. to remember the rules of normal life. How ting in the boss’s chair! And what if he were Extraordinary, the look in those eyes! This to wear a dress, set the table, serve a meal. to appear at that very moment? Just look at was definitely the man in question. Yes, it Yes, it was the food, the meals that had him: to cap it all of, he’s smiling, shame- was, no doubt about it now. µ softened her up. Good food, and lots of it. faced but proud, like an imbecile! He was Probably brought over from a fancy restau- looking at her, yes, he was staring at her and Norman Manea is Francis Flournoy rant. Contrary to the usual practice, they grinning. Pleased with himself, but lacking Professor of European Culture and hadn’t starved her first; they’d revived her in confidence; his timorous and silly smile Writer-in-Residence at Bard College and little by little, over the course of a few days. was a way of begging for encouragement. current holder of the Holtzbrinck Berlin So that she’d then be able to sit down calmly “Be so good as to come closer. Bring your Prize at the Academy. From the novel- in front of the food. Be able to choose. To eat chair, bring your chair. Or rather, no, why la The Interrogation in the collection her fill, not from hunger, but from greedi- don’t you sit in one of these two here?” Compulsory Happiness. ness. To stuff herself at leisure, delighted She started in astonishment. The voice … to experience once again the refinements There was nothing ordinary about that voice, Translated by Linda Coverdale. of good living. To bask contentedly in the which certainly didn’t seem to belong to that Translation © 1993 by Farrar, Straus warmth and benevolence of the world. To puffing flunky, done in by the weight of too and Giroux, LLC. Reprinted with permis- become docile. many boxes too heavy for him. sion of the publisher.

The Berlin Journal 61 or forty years Molotch lived surprised him. He watched the light break closed his eyes as he ate, chewing slowly. above the bridge. He occupied a rent- over the bridge, the black water lapping at its Sometimes a bicyclist would shout at him stable apartment, and it was this, he steel girders. to get out of the way. But Molotch paid no F said, that kept him there. Maybe His line of work was harder to describe. attention. “above” is the wrong word. It would be better Officially, he was unemployed. (“Retired,” It was always when he least expected it to say he lived alongside her – lying in his Molotch corrects, with a tone of voice that that Molotch was called to duty. Any vigi- bed on the 18th floor, his gaze was exactly in suggests the Narrator might be a real numb- lance on his part – hurrying to the rescue line with the bridge’s Upper Level. With his skull). In other words, no one ever had hired of this or that person gazing over the guard head cradled in the Hungarian down his sis- him for the job he filled in such a dutiful rail at the water below – usually amounted ter, may her memory be a blessing, had sent manner, waking every day at dawn, eating to nothing; just someone taking in the him via airmail from Budapest sometime a small breakfast of black bread and cheese, view, annoyed by the sudden disturbance between the revolution that was crushed in and setting out for the walkway that ran of Molotch at their elbow, trying to ensnare 1956 and her death, in a peeling apartment the length of the bridge’s Upper Level. In him or her in conversation. Either they house on Dohány utcá in 1974, Molotch his hand he carried a briefcase. On the took him to be a crook or a bum, or both. clasp was a combination lock, and above And sometimes, if it was a Jew Molotch Every morning, he set out for it, embossed in faded gold, a set of initials. happened to interrupt, the person would the bridge with the briefcase The initials did not belong to Molotch. But announce apropos of nothing that he wasn’t this had never troubled him. (“Why doesn’t Jewish, assuming Molotch wanted to work in his hand, even though in all it trouble you?” asks the Narrator, who hap- him into a corner and get him to put on tef- his years of service he’d never pens to be the apple of his eye, i.e. his grand- filin. Some tried to ignore him, but Molotch, daughter, and so can ask such questions. skilled at his job, always found a way to draw had reason to open it. “Why should it trouble me?” asks Molotch, them out. If they were silent, he matched blowing his nose and balling up the tissue.) their silence with silence. But he never left could monitor the traffic through the win- He knew the combination, and that was their sides, not if he thought they were in dow. If he wanted to see the Lower Level, enough. Every morning, he set out for the any danger. Eventually, after enough silence, all he had to do was stand up and cross the bridge with the briefcase in his hand, even anyone will begin to talk. And then comes room in his slippers, but Molotch rarely, if though in all his years of service he’d never the moment of unforeseen complicity that ever, concerned himself with the Lower had reason to open it. sometimes arises between two strangers. Level. Perhaps there was another Molotch, Weeks or months would pass without Sometimes, under the spell of his own long- on the 16th floor, who made the Lower Level event. During such times, Molotch simply ings, Molotch would carry the operation too his business, but this Molotch didn’t know strolled back and forth along the bridge’s far, keeping the person talking long after from the Lower. walkway, listening to the rush of cars and he’d already realized, no, false alarm, it had Forty years, more or less. Probably more, the sound of the bridge’s steel expanding or never even occurred to this peaceful soul but it was possible less. The truth was that contracting in the heat or cold, or shifting to jump, and then inevitably the moment Molotch didn’t know for sure how long. The date, even the year, he’d taken occupancy Molotch was a small man by any standard, even frail, and it of the apartment had dropped from his was only adrenaline and a powerful hope that allowed him to mind like an egg from a hen, and rolled clean away. His wife would have remem- wrestle men twice his size to the ground. bered. Perhaps there was a piece of paper somewhere, an original contract drawn up almost imperceptibly in the wind. One year would be ruined, the person’s expression between landlord and tenant, but if such a pair of falcons arrived and built a precari- would harden again, an excuse would be a thing existed, Molotch was unaware. ous nest in one of the crowns, and since made, and Molotch would be left to watch Every month he pushed the envelope with then Molotch had observed them raise six their backs as they hurried away. What his crumpled rent money through the fledglings. When they took to the air for the made him good at his job was also what slot of the super’s mailbox, and that was first time, they screamed. He watched the made him imperfect. that. Sometimes the thought even crossed red cable car swing back and forth between (Molotch, hovering over the Narrator’s Molotch’s mind that he’d been there always. Manhattan and Roosevelt Island. At noon shoulder, sighs. He takes off his glasses, Molotch’s dreams: rusted tankers, sharp he put the briefcase on the ground fogs each lens with his breath, and goes smoked whitefish, the perfect counterex- between his legs and removed from his about polishing off the smudges in such ample. Often he dreamed he was a dog. breast pocket a hard-boiled egg, peeled off a way that registers his discontent. “What (“Out of habit,” says Molotch pointing at the the shell, and watched the broken pieces now?” asks the Narrator, who only an hour sentence with a stubby finger. “What?” the plummet toward the river, enjoying the ago had been sitting at her desk drinking a Narrator asks. “Change it to ‘Out of habit thrill of vertigo. He took a small silver salt cup of tea, content to watch the rain, when he dreamed that he was a dog,’” Molotch shaker out of his pants pocket and shook it the doorbell rang and there was Molotch, insists, and the Narrator, not wanting to over the egg. By his own calculations, the damp and sheepish, holding in one hand a argue, erases the sentence, begins again.) cumulative number of stray salt grains that collapsible umbrella.) Out of habit he dreamed that he was a dog. fell from Molotch’s shaker and missed the And then, out of the blue, taking him He traveled on all fours through the night. egg had increased the salinity of the East by complete surprise, Molotch would be When he woke, his relative hairlessness River by an “ever-so-miniscule” fraction. He needed for real. Out of the corner of his eye

62 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 he would see someone trying to get a leg chaise that the Narrator bought cheaply at to talk. Only what she said left him speech- up on the guardrail. At this call to action, an antique shop and had reupholstered. At less. A moment of silence passed, not the Molotch would take off, running as fast as this moment, the Narrator notices for the silence of complicity, but something else. his legs would carry him. He would arrive first time how old Molotch has gotten, and Feeling desperate, he plunged around for just in time to tug the person off, landing this fills her with sadness. She has never not an argument. But for the first time in all them both in a squirming pile. Molotch was known Molotch, having lived since a few his years of service, his mind drew a blank. a small man by any standard, even frail, and days after her birth in the same building as When at last she turned to him, he saw with it was only adrenaline and a powerful hope he, until her family moved away, across the a feeling of blackness that her eyes were that allowed him to wrestle men twice his bridge to the suburbs. As a child, she had the same eyes as the boy at the yeshiva in size to the ground. But somehow he man- lived down the hall from him, and, from Munkács. aged. The shocked would-be jumper would her crib first and then her bed, she’d shared But that is a sad story, and this is not stare at Molotch, gasping for air, and that with him the same view of the bridge. It was meant to be a sad story. (“What do you was all the time he needed to launch into his the first thing she saw in the morning when expect,” Molotch says. “Everything you argument. she woke, and the last thing she saw before write is sad. Even the funny things are sad. Maybe try writing something happy for a He knew the would-be jumper was ready to talk for change. Here’s a story for you. Guy owns real when they announced their first complaint about life. a shoe store. He’s been in business thirty- five years and then one day someone comes Then he would offer a counterexample. along and offers him an incredible sum of money for the store. What do you know, they If he arrived a fraction late and the she got lost in her dreams at night. Until want to open up a Starbucks. The guy, let’s person was already poised to leap, it was she was six, she thought it was called the call him Levick, Levick doesn’t even have a different story. One wrong move and… Queensborough because of its crowns. Later, time to sell his remaining stock of shoes. Softly, Molotch would begin to talk. Maybe after she’d finished college and moved back He’s a rich man now. Retired. So he starts only about the weather. At first the person to the city, she took an apartment a block or to give the shoes away. On the street, like would shout like crazy, making all manner two away from the one where she was born, Santa Claus. Who knows, maybe he drives of threats, but Molotch, keeping his cool, with almost the same view. When she met up to Harlem. He gives them all away and would listen and then continue to talk in a the man she would one day marry, he hap- he feels like the king of the world. And then soothing manner, “Look over there, what pened to be living in Queens. On a lucid, before he knows it there’s only one pair is do you know, the cherry trees are starting to sunny day a few weeks after their first date, left. A little red pair for a girl, maybe eight bloom early, that’s a nice suit you’re wearing, they walked hand in hand together across or nine years. Mary Janes, the kind every I once had a suit like that myself, years ago, the bridge, and the Narrator felt she had little girl dreams about. And Levick starts funny how styles come back, should have never been happier. And Molotch, full of going crazy trying to find the kid who will fit kept it I guess, they’re beautiful those trees, tact, had pretended to be a casual walker, an into the shoes, the little girl whose life he’ll the blossoms on that one are pure white,” observer of falcons, a perfect stranger, even and so on. though inside he was doing a little dance She refused to look at him, Molotch knew the would-be jumper was for joy, because the man was just the sort he but he convinced her to ready to talk for real when they announced had hoped she would find, with a gentle face their first complaint about life. He listened and glasses as smudged as his. talk. Only what she said left with compassion. The way he nodded – you “What?” Molotch says with a shrug, bury- him speechless. A moment could tell he understood. Then, with the ing his nose in another tissue while his wet delicacy of a surgeon and the control of a socks steam on the radiator. “Nothing,” says of silence passed, not the lion tamer, Molotch would offer a counter- the Narrator, turning back to the computer silence of complicity, but example. In this department, his skill was screen.) unmatched. No matter how serious the Only once had Molotch lost someone. something else. complaint, he was always able to find some- (Molotch wishes to say for the record that thing of worth that, even if it didn’t quite this sentence shouldn’t be taken in a literal change as he could never change his own. cancel the difficult or sad thing, at least less- way: he has lost many people, his parents, to Only nobody seems to be able to make them ened its blow. Maybe it was all those years of begin with, and two brothers, a sister, three fit. And if anyone knows a right fit from a yeshiva in Munkács which he’d written off uncles, five aunts, cousins, friends, and wrong, it’s Lev – ” “That’s a terrible story,” as useless, years during which he sat oppo- then his wife, the Narrator’s grandmother, the Narrator says. “Suit yourself,” Molotch site a brilliant boy whose glasses magnified who was hit by a car on a rainy autumn day says with a shrug, removing a hardboiled small eyes so full of sadness that Molotch in 1985. But, for the sake of the story, he egg from his pocket, and the Narrator, for- knew in his heart that they were arguing has agreed to let it go.) Nothing could have getting for a moment how old they both are about something even more important than prepared him for it. It was a woman. He now, half-expects him to make it disappear the Talmud, and so he argued as if his life thought he had gotten to her in time. She up his sleeve only to produce it again from depended on it. And now, all these years wore a red shirt. He took it for a sign of hope, behind her ear. later, he was still arguing. because that was what Molotch was trained And that’s how it goes with Molotch and (For once Molotch says nothing, only to do, sniff out hope among the rubble. She the Narrator. Later, when it gets dark out, bites his nails, leaving half-moons on the refused to look at him, but he convinced her they’ll go and prepare some dinner ﬁ

The Berlin Journal 63 together, listening to the radio. The Narrator fact that it was a rainy autumn day in 1985 – She fiddled with the latch. The combination will start on the fish, and Molotch will chop she had been left alone with the babysitter. was easy: 059. The briefcase sprung open, the vegetables, except the onion, which Something uncertain was unfolding around spilling out a bloom of white. Late that night, makes him cry. They’ll sit down to eat, and her, just beyond her reach, evidence being when her parents finally came for her, they Molotch will close his eyes as he chews, that in the confusion she had been left in found her asleep in the silk folds of a giant savoring each bite, and the Narrator will Molotch’s apartment rather than her own. parachute. So many difficult things hap- keep hers open, maybe because she’s never When the telephone rang and the babysit- pened after that, her grandmother was in a known what it means not to have enough to ter answered it, closing the swinging door coma for months before she died, and then eat. And when Molotch opens one eye and to the kitchen, the Narrator had wandered suddenly she was all grown up, and there away into Molotch’s bedroom. Outside, the had never been a chance – Outside, the bridge’s lights bridge’s lights were already lit in the dusk. Molotch will burp softly. The Narrator were already lit in the dusk. She had never managed to catch the exact will get up and get him a glass of water. moment the switch was flipped on, and After a dessert of oranges they’ll wash the The Narrator had never this oversight bothered her. She watched dishes, and with one last exhaustive blow managed to catch the exact the cue of glowing taillights making their of his nose, Molotch will get up to go, pull- way toward Long Island. Someone had ing on his old coat and hat, and before the moment the switch was used the word hemorrhage, and the Narrator Narrator even has a chance to say goodbye, flipped on, and this over- could not decide if it was beautiful or ugly. Molotch will be gone, leaving no sign of Turning away from the window, her eye his existence aside from a trail of balled- sight bothered her. caught something familiar standing near up tissues, because Molotch doesn’t like the wall. It was Molotch’s briefcase. She goodbyes.) µ sees the Narrator leaning back in her chair, gave it a little nudge with her toe. It teetered. he’ll say, “Eat, eat. A bird eats more than She bent down and ran her hands across Nicole Krauss will visit the Academy you,” even though she has eaten enough for the worn leather. With her index finger she in October to read from her new novel at least a hundred birds, and in her head an rubbed the gold letters. Molotch had never The History of Love. image will appear of those hundred birds kept any secrets from her. Anything she shifting direction in the sky. asked he told her, that was how it was with Once, when the Narrator was a child them, if there was something he hadn’t said – eleven to be exact, since she knows for a it was because she hadn’t thought to ask.

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64 Number Eleven | Fall 2005 Donations to the American Academy in Berlin September 2004 – September 2005

The American Academy in Tom Cruise Rafael J. Roth Diethart Breipohl Berlin depends on the generos- DaimlerChrysler Fonds im Shearman & Sterling Tom Brokaw ity of a widening circle of friends Stifterverband für die Tengelmann Group John J. Calaman on both sides of the Atlantic. We Deutsche Wissenschaft Leah Zell Wanger Gerhard Casper extend our heartfelt thanks to Deutsche Bank AG Volker Christians those who support us. Deutsche Börse AG Patrons Cicero – Magazin für politische Dürr AG $2,500 and above Kultur Founders’ Circle EADS Alba AG Charles E. Cobb $1 million and above Flughafen Berlin-Schönefeld American Chamber of Commerce Georg Crezelius Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen GmbH in Germany David W. Detjen Foundation and the descendants Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Anonymous Detlef Diederichs of Hans and Ludmilla Arnhold Werner Gegenbauer Robert Bosch GmbH Günther and Gloria Drechsler General Motors Europe AG Günter and Waltraud Braun Norma Drimmer Fellowships established Goldman, Sachs & Co. Deutsche Bundesbank Barnet and Jean Fain in perpetuity Gruner + Jahr AG Susanna Dulkinys & Jutta von Falkenhausen DaimlerChrysler Berlin Prize Haniel Stiftung Erik Spiekermann, Thomas L. Farmer Ellen Maria Gorrissen Berlin Prize Hewlett-Packard GmbH United Designers Network Caroline and John Flüh ERP Fund (Transatlantic Program) Karl M. von der Heyden Hans-Michael and Almut Giesen The J. Paul Getty Trust of the Federal Ministry of Richard C. Holbrooke The Goldman Sachs Foundation Helga Haftendorn Economics and Labor Jenny Holzer Carl H. Hahn Charles Hale Richard C. Holbrooke KPMG Klaus and Lily Heiliger Bernhard Dominik Baron Hauser Distinguished Visitor Marsh & McLennan Holdings Henkel KGaA Düsseldorf Ulrich and Christine von Heinz Holtzbrinck Berlin Prize GmbH Roger and Susan Hertog Roe Jasen Anna-Maria Kellen Berlin Prize MSD Sharp & Dohme GmbH James Johnson August J. P. von Joest Stephen M. Kellen Philip Morris International Lorie Karnath and Marion Knauf Distinguished Visitor Porsche AG Robert Roethenmund Renate Küchler Guna S. Mundheim Berlin Prize Procter & Gamble Holding GmbH Anne M. Maitland and Otto Graf Lambsdorff in the Visual Arts Stephen Rattner and John D. Decker Bruce S. Lane Maureen White Erich Marx Peter Leibinger Trustees’ Circle Schering AG Motorola GmbH Cecile Lowenthal-Hensel $100,000 and above Siemens AG Jens and Jutta Odewald Herbert L. Lucas, Jr. Arnhold and S. Bleichroeder ThyssenKrupp AG Alan Patricof MACCS GmbH Holdings Inc. Time Warner Inc. Frank Pearl Charles Maier Robert Bosch Stiftung T-Mobile International AG Robert C. Pozen Noxxon Pharma AG The Coca-Cola Company United Nations Foundation Heinrich and Annette von Rantzau Rosemarie Pauli and William Sadlack DaimlerChrysler AG Kurt and Felicitas Viermetz Ringier AG Marjorie Perloff J.P. Morgan AG Volkswagen AG Dieter and Si Rosenkranz Albert J. Rädler The John W. Kluge Foundation Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP Dr. Schmidt AG & Co. Gerald and Eden Rafshoon Deutsche Lufthansa AG Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale Joan and Sandy Weill Hermann Freiherr von Richthofen Robert H. Mundheim and Dorr LLP WestLB AG Hergard Rohwedder Axel Springer AG Hanns H. Winkhaus Jeff Rosenberg The Starr Foundation Benefactors Harald Schmid $10,000 and above All other contributions Friedemann Scriba President’s Circle W. Michael Blumenthal Samuel Adler Helga Severin $25,000 and above Gahl Hodges Burt Wilhelm Ahrens The John and Kathryn Silber Fund Allianz AG Julie Finley Robert Z. Aliber Immo Stabreit Altria Group Inc. Marie Louise Gericke Barbara Balaj Fritz Stern American Express Company The Halle Foundation Heinrich Joh. Barth Maren Strüngmann Anonymous William A. Haseltine Hansjoachim Bauch David Talman BASF Aktiengesellschaft Henry A. Kissinger Verlag C. H. Beck OHG W. Dieter Zander BMW Group Körber AG Heinz Berggruen Boeing International Corporation Morgan Stanley Ronald Binks THE Citigroup Global Markets Joseph Neubauer Cole Blasier AMERICAN Commerzbank-Stiftung Dr. August Oetker KG David and Kathrine Brittain Bradley ACADEMY IN BERLIN Continental Airlines Peter Peterson Leopold Bill von Bredow Hans Arnhold Center Anz_CCTheOrigCorp_210x280_BJ 24.08.2005 9:56 Uhr Seite 1 koffeinhaltig; Coca-Cola, die und Konturflasche die sind dynamische Welle eingetragene Schutzmarken der The Coca-Cola Company.

Number Eleven | Fall 2005