Reckoning with the GDR past

The post-communist transformations of the property ownership is a topic less attractive than other issues connected with the society and politics reconstruction but it has a fundamental dynamic for the social and political evolution. Although I am very much familiar with the legal and personal aspects involved by the restitution processes in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania, I wasn´t very much aware of the milestones of a similar process in the former GDR.

Alter Adel - Neues Land? by Dr. Ines Langelüddecke is based on the author´s doctoral researches. It covers three specific regions in the county of Brandenburg, through the perspective and changes brought over by the return of former nobel owners.

Brandenburg, formerly part of the GDR, a region with small villages and pristine nature, a beloved place for the Red Army soldiers who used former castles and palaces, as their headquarters or holiday residences, is currently undergoing a return of members of old nobel orders. Their former family properties are integrated into a new social and economic eco-system - like hotels - or used for private residence. Historically, there may be a continuity after the communist césure, but the social structure and human networks, as well as the economic framework is fundamentally different.

The book is based on extensive interviews and sociological and anthropological observations and research, offering not only date, but also an idea of the clash of mentalities - if any - and the new constructions being set.

It was a new topic for me that I hope to be able to deepen, especially as someone tho extensively explored the region of Brandenburg, particularly small villages and the micro-societies they represent. The book is only available in German so far.

Revolution and International Order

I am very late with my academic updates, but hopefully will be able post more in the next days and weeks. With an international order dramatically challenged, and a chaos - at least in terms of micro-historical decisions - taking over the ´order´ it is almost impossible to keep staying immersed in theoretical analysis. Reality - at least those days - is far beyond the imagination, therefore, the need to first observe the changes and make an assessment only if necessary and definitely only taking into account a very limited level of predictability.

 

The Internationalists and Their Plan to Outlaw War by Oona A. Hathaway and Scott J. Shapiro is a very serious, documented account of a dream: ending the war and turning the international conversation into the register of peace negotiations. A rationale approach of a dream shaped by the unjustly ignored 1928 Peace Pact, at a time when the wounds of one war were starting to heal, while another one was looming silently. 

It is a fascinating and very comprehensive overview taking into consideration juridic and historical arguments. The book doesn´t explain though the limited extent such a dream was successful in the international realm, particularly during and after the end of the Cold War. 

The information contained in the book is very vaste and acribic, and it may offer a lot of - pros and cons - arguments for the international law specialists.

The Revolutionists by The Guardian international correspondent Jason Burke may offer a counter-balance to the coldness of international law approaches. Undertitled ´The Story of the Extremists Who Hijacked the 1970s´, it may actually explain part of the non-pacifistic orientation of our times.

The domains of the two books are different, if not opposite, but reading them together I was able to fill some of the gaps and questions left unanswered by The Internationalists. The tormented events of those years are still shaping our international realities, more than the - normal - desire of peace. 

The international order was therefore challenged by non-state terrorist actors and this state of affairs continues until today. Non-state actors reclaiming state attention, attacking state institutions and being answered with state-ordained strength, while reclaiming extra priviledged as theoretically being a minority force in a non-state de jure position. 

Being written by a journalist, it does not spare too much time diving into theories, but the facts are well structured offering a good research basis for anyone interested in stories of political extremism and terrorism in the 1970s.

A Manhattan Cult Story

A memoir

It is fascinating for me to observe the outreach of cults among the educated. Often, the main supporters and audience of cults originates among educated, middle class people. A discussion regarding rational intelligence does not have its place here, as in my opinion, a cult, as a religious awakening, has more to do with the emotional side of intelligence, with the need of belonging, being part of a group offering support and identity.

Manhattan Cult Story is a first person account of Spencer Schneider, a Long Island Jewish attorney who got caught for 23 years into a cult created around the minor actress Sharon Gans. Apparently though, she played the role of her life as a moody, dictatorial cult leader, whose members were awaken from ´sleep´ through lessons inspired by Gurdjieff and Ouspensky. Forbidden to share any information about ´the classes´ with people outside the group, the members were manipulated into sex games, matchmaking and even tax fraud on Gans´ behalf. 

How valuable the knowledge was from the intellectual point of view, it´s doubtful. Gans herself was appropriating Oprah´s quotes. But despite the abuse - verbal and sexual - many, among which the author himself, remained for the sense of belonging.

What I´ve found interesting, was the methods of recruitment into the cult, as sounded so close to any average business connection trick. Something to keep in mind when trying to gain influence, but aware when someone tries to get you into a cult.

The book adds specific information about this cult, but also provides details on the general topic of cults, particularly for researchers looking to gather information about such an actual subject.

Remember Hanau

Six years ago, a German citizen of clear far right orientation killed nine people with migration roots in the city of Hanau. Muffled by the ongoing pandemics and lockdowns, the details of this terrible attack largerly remained confined to the knowledge of survivors and some opinion makers aware of the far right risks in Germany. 

Each year, including yesterday, silent ceremonies were held in the memory of the victims and more social media awareness regarding those tragic events were trending. There are initiatives creates by relatives of the victims and opinion makers aimed to keep talking about Hanau. 

But while listening the audiobook version of the testimony written by one of the survivors, Said Etris Hashemi - whose brother was murdered in the shisha bar the terrorist attacked -, read by Mathias Keller, I just realized that the danger of a similar attack, repeated over and over again doesn´t belong to the past.

From the police officers actively participating to far-right chats to racial profiling and the incoherences of the police proceedings, the leniency towards the father of the terrorist, who keeps threatening inhabitants of Hanau with migration background and the lack of awareness about the weapon purchase, all those details are threatening. 

Sometimes, it is the attitude that may encourage terrorist to keep up with their plans. Hashemi, whose parents arrived to Germany from Afghanistan, outlines that migrants are also part of this country. Which they definitely are, the majority accepts it or not. They are taking care of people in old care homes, they prepare the meals or bring the ready made meals to your door, are cleaning your offices or teaching your children. They deserve the same safety it is granted to the majority, the same right to live and thrive.

This book is a warning but also shows the motivation and determination to stay and do not dispair. The more stories are share, the better, because these stories can provide reasons to be united and keep fighting against evil. Extremism, of all sorts, no matter where it arises, is evil for humanity.

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

A Bit about the Franco-German Collaboration

I haven´t covered in a very long time European-related topics, and I still need more time to update some of my previous information in this field. However, the constant flux of news regarding the current situation in Europe, especially the impact of the war in Ukraine on the everyday life of European citizens - particularly the recent security threats and cybersecurity risks - forced me to speed up a bit the process.

But as I was listening tonight to the very interesting remarks of the participants to the Freedom Tech Forum generously hosted by the Embassy of France in Germany, I realized that although the risks are different compared to let´s say, ten years ago, the stage of the discussion - a stronger French-German European engine, the punctual collaboration in the field of defense, the regrets of the unachieved project of a European Army - is turning in the same circles.

Politically, the cards never been better for the franco-german collaboration: the current German chancellor has strong French afinities, including geographically and president Macron wants a stronger French presence in Europe which cannot achieved without the German support. Since the Toulon Summit this August, a couple of initiatives are ongoing or further supported, particularly in the field of defense and cybersecurity. Germany, whose economy is going through a pronounced decline for a couple of years already, with the car industry being unable to compete with the world economic trends, particularly Made in China, in need of a reorientation that the defense industry can provide generously. Next week, Macron will be in Berlin to participate to a bilateral summit dedicated to the digital sovereignty that may given even more impetus to the bilateral projects.

Indeed, now it is the right moment - last train, some may say - for increasing the collaboration. But what about the day after, when maybe the politicians supporting it will be no more in the forefront? Do we need to wait again for a happy configuration of sorts, like an alignment of stars, to hope for an operational French-German European politics? Caught unprepared for the challenges of a (conflictual) multi-polar world, not of the friendliest type, threatened by aggressive non-democracies who infiltrated its very own members, the political Europe needs more than friendly politicians. It needs on one side long-term visions of a common democratic future and mechanisms of defending democracy, including against its very own demons. Politicians alone cannot succeed, they need the common concert of all democratical actors to inform, react and generate democratic solutions. 

AI and (German) Accents

Willingly - because one cannot stay behind for ever, be it for bending to the God of ´data protection´ - and unwillingly - due to efficiency and cost-relatedissues, AI is getting more and more used in Germany.´More and more´ in local terms means less than 10% of what is achieved in other countries but this is for another time.

Since summer, big doctor´s offices or postal services are intensively using AI for making appointments or answering various organisatorical - not medical - aspects. It may save time from waiting on the line, for long minutes or even close to one hour. It can also allow a swift assignment of tasks either to an online AI-generated service or to the department in charge with your request.

But...but there are some small details that I will definitely love to research into more depth in the following weeks and months. The system, as far as I had the chance to personally test until now, it is operational in German, it is trained to cater to the German-speaking audience, speaking professional - hoch - German by individuals bearing German names.

Today, I´ve tested for several occasions such a system, using various accents and non-German sounding names and every time I failed to achieve the aimed results: the bot couldn´t understand what was the request, could not reproduce the sound of the name correctly etc.

Imagine then the difficulties a non-German, speaking correctly although not free of accent would have while using the system. How disadvantaged this person will be and how frustrated they may be because unable to secure a ´holy´ appointment or to be transferred to the right ´human´ operator.

An issue that definitely deserves more attention and probably extended institutional answers. 

Half-truths in Hillbilly Elegy

I´ve heard about Hillbilly Elegy by the current US VP J.D.Vance few years back, as a reference for understanding roots of local elites in the US few years back and the book - and the movie made after it - returned into my TBR shortly before the US elections. 

I may reckon that I haven´t paid too much attention to both the topic and the author, until I really started paying more attention to the elites configuration within the current Trump administration. I am not a specialist in US history and politics, but obviously this is an area that cannot be ignored, and the structures of elites is as important as the recent more or less unexpected geopolitical moves. My attention for this book, a memoir ´of a familyand culture in crisis´ was generated by an article about JD Vance´s life story, his family struggles and his achivements. I do have a special interest in such life stories, from rags to riches therefore I couldn´t resist to get the book, that I had access to in audiobook format, read by the author.

Hillbilly is usually referred to unsophisticated individuals, mostly used for the inhabitants of therural Appalachian areas. 

Vance is originary from such a family, with grandparents who never graduated, with an absent father and a mother with a serious drug addiction, plus an impressive number of stepfathers. Spiritual and material poorness and hopelessness. 

I am not going too deep into the critics about what Vance actually doesn´t shared about his life, that may explain how someone with such an incredibly sad family story ended up as the US vice-president. 

But there are no bad people in this story. Even his mother who literally was about to kill him and put Pepsi in his bottle when he was only few months old is still part of his story - and she was invited to his sworn-in ceremony, among others. 

Vance, who before graduating Yale Law School enrolled in the military and even fought in Iraq, is one of the 1% of hillbillies who succeed having a normal life. There is not unusual that people from humble background succeed in life, but they usually do so because at a certain point in their life journey, they receive proper support from teachers, society or religious institutions. Individuals that encouraged hard working individuals, no matter the background. 

The memoir is useful for understanding the mentality of the deep American countryside, but for the JD Vance story itself, I will just collect some of the facts, that do not however fill the whole puzzle. I may take a look to biographies of representatives of Trump administration soon, including JD Vance at a later date though as it is always an interesting riddle to understand the educational and personal background of decision makers.

Rating: 3 stars