Deutschland, der Westen und der europäische Parlamentarismus

Since its inception in the winter semester of 2006/7 the public lecture series “European Conversations” organised by the Institute of History at the University of Hildesheim Foundation has become an established part of academic and intellectual life in Hildesheim. Diplomats, politicians, practitioners and academics from a range of disciplines have used their lectures to contribute to a better understanding of Europe and of integration and to give a tangible sense of the project of European union. This volume, the first in an ongoing series, focuses on: - Germany’s internal and external responsibility in the past and the future. - Memories of a Commission President and the view of a future-oriented contemporary historian. - The historical experience of European parliamentarism. The contributions cover the period from the decline and fall of parliamentary democracy in Germany to its re-establishment and institutionalisation on a European level. The essays and interviews form the historical building blocks for a better understanding of contemporary actors, observers, critics and other figures on the stage of European historical development.