The Soul of Europe
Secretary General of the Pan-European Movement of Austria and member of the Presidency of the International Pan-European Union Rainhard Kloucek published a review of the book by Stephan Baier "The Soul of Europe – On the Meaning and Mission of the West".
The article was published on 13 February 2019 in the European Letter of the European Society Coudenhove-Kalergi.
Review of Stephan Baier's book by Rainhard Kloucek
This title alone makes clear the point: Europe has a soul. You do not need to give Europe a soul, as a former President of the EU Commission once thought, but rather you need to rediscover the European soul. The title also indicates that it is not the nation states that have souls, but rather Europe itself has a soul. Stephan Baier, Austrian and European correspondent for "Die Tagespost", for many years assistant and press spokesman to Otto von Habsburg and adviser to the European Society Coudenhove-Kalergi, dares to see the European Union as a federal state organized along the principle of subsidiarity. And as such, it is sovereign in its own right and "a self-confident actor on the world stage". He diagnoses the great crisis that Europe finds itself in as a crisis of identity that can only be cured if Europe returns to its roots. These roots are clearly identified in this book as Christian roots. The European continent owes its Christian character to the rule of law, personal freedom and its entire value system.
In his latest book, the author makes a number of historical references to European history, addresses the issues of borders that are to be considered geographically, politically and culturally, and thereby exposes some of the errors that Europe has been subject to over the course of time. By means of a historical analysis of the supranational empires he outlines the imperial vision. And with the downfall of this period he defines the seizure of power by nationalism and subsequently totalitarian ideologies. He sees the ideal of statehood in crisis, though, and perhaps because of the fact that thinking in nation-states is strongly statistically orientated. Europe is clearly more than just the addition of nation states.
He deals with the 2015 wave of migration and its consequences very differently to others. He is guided neither by socially romantic feelings nor by anti-Islamic defense mechanisms. Rather, he addresses the deep inner-Islamic conflict in which extremists push the old authorities aside and forcefully apply their totalitarian interpretation of Islam. He compares the cruel storm of the so-called Islamic State and other such groups with the destructive rage of the Bolsheviks in Russia and their followers in other parts of the world. Europe's task in this inner-Islamic conflict should be to promote and encourage the voices of reason in Islam.
With the question of religion Baier makes a comparison of development in different regions of this world. While Europe turns increasingly away from religion, interpreting secularization as a life without religion and tending to define religion as something backward and old fashioned, and thus defining progress as the renunciation of religion - in other parts of the world the meaning of religion is taking on increasing importance. This development leads to a weakening of Europe, which due to its current way of thinking can no longer correctly interpret developments in other continents, though still considering itself as a benchmark for others. Back to its roots.
Stephan Baier: The soul of Europe, On the Meaning and Mission of the West, FE-Medienverlag, Kißlegg 2017, Germany 193 Pages, ISBN: 978-3-86357-194-8; €8,95.
The ”European Letters“ are published by the Coudenhove-Kalergi Society. They appear on an ad hoc basis with contributions written by dedicated Europeans. Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi, with roots in different European countries, developed the idea of a united Europe as a counterbalance to the totalitarian temptations of fascism, National Socialism and communism soon after World War I. He founded the Paneuropa-Union in 1923 and contributed to the founding of the Council of Europe in 1949. The present European Union was a result of the political and economic realisation of the European peace project. The European Society Coudenhove-Kalergi, established as a Foundation in 1978, is dedicated to ensuring the success of this unique project by means of publications, study projects and granting of awards.