Reflections of a veteran pessimist : contemplating modern Europe, Russia, and Jewish history / Walter Laqueur.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Laqueur, Walter, 1921-2018, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Europe--History--1945-.

Europe.

History.

Europe--Politics and government.

Politics and government.

Russia (Federation)--Politics and government.

Russia (Federation).

Jews--Europe--History.

Jews.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

xii, 222 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Transaction Publishers, [2017]

Summary:

"Having been exposed early in life to the dangers of extreme nationalism, journalist and historian Walter Laqueur chose to align his thinking with Victor Hugo's ideal of a "European Brotherhood" where the European nations would merge into a "superior unit" overcoming war and strife. However, as time wore on and consolidating national solidarities seemed ever more impossible, Laqueur became more of a pessimist. Today, he still hopes for unity, but doubts that it will ever come to pass. This volume represents the culmination of thought of a most noteworthy, contemporary historian. Reflections of a Veteran Pessimist is divided into four sections: Europe in Decline, Jews in the Twentieth Century, Russia after the Soviet Union, and Observations. Having lived under the Nazi regime, Laqueur is keenly aware of the dangers posed by strident nationalism in Europe and rampant religious zealotry in the Middle East. Reflecting on the lingering financial crisis in Europe, Laqueur observes its serious consequences--populist movements and growing opposition to European integration. He notes the influx of refugees resulting from Middle Eastern instability have sharpened the challenges facing Europe and weakened its unity. Laqueur also examines the growth of authoritarian nationalism in Russia and the de facto renewal of the Cold War with the West."--Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Europe in Decline (But Not Yet Finished) 1

Europe-The Years Ahead 1

Better Fifty Years of Europe than a Cycle of Cathay (Locksley Hall) 3

No Abyss, No Apocalypse 11

Islamic Fascism, Islamophobia, Anti-Semitism: A Postscript 14

Lessons from Oslo 22

The Refugees are Coming 27

Muslims in Europe 37

"An Anxious Continent" Spiegel Interview, July 26, 2013 46

Chapter 2 Jews in the Twentieth Century 53

Degenerate Art and the Jewish Grandmother 53

The Terrible Secret: A Second Look 58

Love in the Shadow of Death 69

The Scholems 76

On Russian Jewry Today 82

Timothy Snyder: The Newton of the Holocaust? 88

The Walter Benjamin Brigade 95

Hitler's Jews: Max von Oppenheim and the Myth of German Jewish Guilt 99

Oppenheim Biographer Lionel Gossman Responds to Walter Laqueur's Review 109

Chapter 3 Russia after the Soviet Union 115

Détente Plus? How Should the West Deal with Russia? 115

The Russian Enigma: Is the Bear Turning East? 121

Anti-Semitism and the New Russian Idea 127

Confabulation? 133

Russian Nationalism: Going Back to the Roots 140

The Russian Party under the Soviets 148

Central Asia-Toward 2050 154

Toward a New Russian Ideology 158

Author's Postscript 164

Chapter 4 Observations 167

Cyber Warfare 167

Nazi Germany: Secret Reports? 178

Who Needs Geography? 186

Luethy and Brecht: Martyrdom in Hollywood 188

Megaloglossa 193

Old Age 198

A Historical Education: A Wanderer between Several Worlds 204.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

Other Format:

Online version: Laqueur, Walter, 1921- author. Reflections of a veteran pessimist.

ISBN:

9781412865111

1412865115

OCLC:

965731947