Die Dimension Mitteleuropa in der Europäischen Union

In the region between Germany and Russia/the Soviet Union a number of nation states arose in the 20th century which needed to find their own place within Europe. Membership of the European Union enabled them to influence decision processes in the EU. In this book the historical contexts and conceptions of Central Europe are analysed, with an initial emphasis on Germany. The Central European context of domestic and foreign policies in Hungary, Slovenia, Poland, Slovakia and Austria after 1945 is then examined from various perspectives. Two chapters pose specific questions for discussion: the position of the churches in Central Europe under the communist dictatorships, and the position of Austria in Central Europe. The economic effects of the Euro crisis on this region are also considered. The authors, from various European countries, emphasise the significance of Central Europe in the European Union as a bridge to the east. As a counterpoint there is a critical examination of the ‘phantom’ of Central Europe. The concluding essays suggest that, while there may be no precise geographical definition of this region, its potential in the European Union nonetheless remains undervalued.