The article highlights how key elements of Helmut Kohl’s European policy concept can already be identified in the early years of his chancellorship. Kohl was aware of the difficulties involved in moving towards a political union and was already considering a multi-speed Europe as well as closer integration between France and Germany. At the same time, it becomes clear how closely his ideas on European policy were connected to his understanding of Europe’s strategic importance and transatlantic relations. The conversations with Fred Luchsinger thus offer an early insight into the political convictions that would shape Kohl’s European policy in the years that followed.
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schlie on Fred Luchsinger's Personal Conversations with Helmut Kohl Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schlie on Fred Luchsinger’s Personal Conversations with Helmut Kohl
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schlie writes about two personal conversations that Fred Luchsinger, the long-standing editor-in-chief of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, held with Helmut Kohl in 1983 and 1984. The notes provide insights into Kohl’s early political thinking and, in particular, his ideas on European policy.
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schlie über die persönlichen Gespräche von Fred Luchsinger mit Helmut Kohl
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Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schlie is Director of the Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS)