The question of central Europe
Europe-in-between?
pp. 177-193
in: , Europe as an idea and an identity, Berlin, Springer, 1998Abstract
One of the subjects attracting considerable debate in the past few decades has, in addition to the right place for drawing the border between Eastern and Western Europe, been the question of Central Europe (Mitteleuropa) between East and West. The discourse has also raised the concept of an "in-between Europe" (Zwischeneuropa), especially when the term Mitteleuropa is felt to have too many political implications. There has also been talk of a "third Europe" — to indicate not that Europe falls into only three areas but that Central Europe represents a third alternative to East and West. The views on Central Europe, its precise location and character, have in particular tied in with the role of Russia as the eastern border of Europe. The second factor governing the debate on Central Europe has been the role and position of Germany in drawing the western border.