Germany And America - At A Crossroads!

In 1946 yours truly was born in Germany, in the city of Bayreuth where my dad was part of the occupation forces and my mom flew over more pregnant than was allowed for travel at the time. {Yes, she lied about how pregnant she was). We returned stateside in 47 and went back in 53-57. My wife and I were in Berlin on 9-11. We hosted a foreign exchange student from Germany the following year. Germany and I have a history, one that I'm not willing to sever, now or ever.

German/American or Deutsch/Amerikanisch relations have, since the beginning of World War I have had a rocky relationship. Yet, our two countries are bound by more than just being adversaries, we share more common bonds than most people realize. From the first German settlers in 1683 through out the early and mid 1900's Germans came to this country in droves. My mother's father was born to German immegrants in Kansas and spoke only German until he was about 15 years old. Americans claiming German ancestry number more than 60 million, fully one fifth of our population according to the 2000 census. Our language is peppered with German words from "Cobalt" to "Waltz," from "Frankfurter" to "Sauerkraut." We have been friends, enemies and nodding acquaintences.

Our relationships hit a high note with German support following 9-11 and a sour note over Iraq and now tensions with Iran. According to the LA Times

Three years ago, Gerhard Schroeder whipped up German opposition to a U.S.-led war in Iraq to snatch an unlikely second term. This time, the chancellor is playing up the danger of a U.S. military clash with Iran...

Yesterday, I received an e-mail from Jorge Wolf who, with a couple of other Fulbright Scholars write the Blog Atlantic Review and which I have linked to in the past. The Atlantic Review has highlighted the German-American dance from a German perspective and one has been decidedly lacking in the American side of the question. This post then announces a new Carnival for Bloggers from both sides of the Atlantic to compare notes, exchange ideas and offer you, our beloved readers a chance to catch up on all the current thoughts regarding German/American issues. In addition, the Carnival will be hosted on both sides of the Atlantic simultaneously. On this side, here at GM's Corner and in Germany at the Atlantic Review. Our goal is to foster dialog between Americans and Germans, between Liberals and Conservatives, between hardliners on both sides of the big water and between peacemakers on both sides.

Our initial Carnival will will be on December 11, 2005. That day was one of the darkest in our joint histories, the day in 1941 when Germany declared war on the United States. Jorge Wolf and I picked that day, not to commemorate the war, but to show the world that a new day is here, one that can be as lusterous or as dark as our two peoples are willing to make it. So, check out Atlantic Review regularly and join the conversation. Be tough in your comments there, as they will be here, but be polite and thoughtful too. We all have much to gain, and nothing to lose.

If you correspond with other blogs, please send them an e-mail letting them know of this new endeavor and they will have plenty of time to write an article about German-American Relationships. They can send the link to me at my e-mail address above in the sidebar. Thanks to all.

GM

Welcome Instapundit readers please leave a comment if you like the Carnival idea, or even if you don't.