This acclaimed book examines Germany's external relations with four former enemies--France, Israel, Poland, and the Czech Republic--as it achieved international rehabilitation after the Holocaust. Blending and balancing moral imperatives with pragmatic interests, Germany emerges as a model for how the bitterest of enemies can reconcile.
This volume explores identity formation and the stages of reconciliation, emphasizing that reconciliation is an enduring process rather than a temporary solution. It addresses challenges from domestic and international systems, the actors involved, and the influence of history, memory, and remembrance as either catalysts or obstacles to reconciliation. The essays, written in 2015, are influenced by the crisis following the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea and the conflict in Eastern Ukraine. Reconciliation is often poorly defined; in this context, it encompasses three forms: a minimal state of peaceful coexistence, an intermediate state of rapprochement, and a fuller state characterized by active friendship and trust. The volume tackles ten key themes, questioning whether reconciliation is a process or a final state and examining the requirements for transitioning from conflict to reconciliation, along with the obstacles that hinder this process. It also delves into the emotional and political dimensions of reconciliation. The insights presented aim to contribute significantly to the growing literature on reconciliation, highlighting the necessity of diverse disciplinary and theoretical perspectives to effectively address conflict and foster reconciliation.