THE CRISIS(ES) OF THE „NEW EUROPE“

A „European Salon“ in co-operation with Willi Eichler Academy and Bruno Kreisky Forum as part of the series „Transformation of Remembrance - Transformation of Reappraisal“.

Robert Misik in conversation with Philipp Ther
THE CRISIS(ES) OF THE "NEW EUROPE"

The revolutions of 1989 onwards triggered a system transformation in the nations of Central and Eastern Europe. Initially, the fall of the Iron Curtain caused fascination in the West, but this quickly gave way to ignorance. The countries of the East had to be modernised and transformed, but simply gradually become „like us“ - this was a widespread view. Disinterest and arrogance often went hand in hand. In the East, on the other hand, the endeavours on the plain often led to disappointment. Mentalities in the West and East remained separate. However, the transformations in the East also had an effect on the West; a kind of „co-transformation“ took place and is still taking place today, which is far from being truly realised, as routines and conventions of thought obscure our view.
Neoliberalism in the West and shock therapy in the East, privatisation and corruption scandals cannot be understood separately. Conflicts of values, for example with governments in Poland and Hungary, characterise perceptions, and with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Great War returned to Europe, but also made tensions that had been ignored for too long highly visible. Some of the hopes that were harboured remained dreams and led to disappointment and social ill-temper on both sides of the former bloc borders. Today, the security architecture of the post-1989s lies in ruins. So do we need to take a fresh look at the political geography of the „New Europe“?

As part of a „European Salon“, Robert Misik talks to the historian, Eastern Europe expert and Wittgenstein Prize winner Philipp Ther.

Philipp Ther, Historian, University of Vienna
Robert Misik, Author and journalist

In co-operation with