“Russia is the enemy, and it started the war – this is the true reality for Germany”
prof. Karl Schlögel
prominent German historian, expert in east European history
Karl Schlögel, a prominent historian specializing in Eastern Europe. He was awarded the Gerda Henkel Prize in Düsseldorf. Schlögel called for a fundamental overhaul of Germany’s Russia policy. He warns against being naive about President Vladimir Putin’s future ambitions. “Russia is the enemy,” Schlögel stated to the German press agency, as reported by Die Welt. “Russia is a state that has started a war in Europe, and Germans must prepare for this reality. This means being ready to defend and resist.”
Karl Schlögl (76 y.o) is one of the most renowned German historians and a specialist in Eastern European countries. For decades, his primary academic focus has been the Soviet Union and Russia. He is the author of books such as The Soviet Century and The Scent of Empires: Chanel No. 5 and Red Moscow.
Germany Must Face the Reality of War
According to Schlögel, “We are already in a war situation. A war doesn’t start overnight; there are precursors.” He pointed out that Russia aims to dismantle the European Union and trigger mass migrations. “Eight million Ukrainians have been displaced by Russian aggression,” he noted, highlighting ongoing efforts by Moscow to interfere, sabotage, and manipulate political parties like the AfD and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance. “Russia is testing how far it can go,” Schlögel warned.
He also emphasized that the issue of “war and peace” would dominate Germany’s next parliamentary election campaign. However, he criticized the public for failing to grasp the seriousness of the current Zeitenwende (turning point). “People still believe they can somehow avoid this conflict, ideally by Ukraine surrendering, leaving us alone, and making peace. This would amount to abandoning Ukraine, which is currently defending more than just itself.”
Criticism of Scholz’s Approach
Schlögel was critical of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s recent phone call with Putin, calling it a mistake. He claimed Scholz engaged with Putin “for electoral reasons, to portray himself as a peace-oriented chancellor.” However, Schlögel argued this emboldened the Kremlin, evidenced by Russia’s massive missile attack on Ukrainian cities just two days later.
Ukraine’s Struggle: A Fight Against Total Destruction
Despite the ongoing challenges after over 1,000 days of Russian aggression, Schlögel remains optimistic about Ukraine’s prospects. He stressed the importance of protecting Ukraine from total destruction. “Every day and night, bombs rain down on Ukrainian cities, destroying livelihoods and pushing them towards capitulation. This is outrageous,” he declared. Schlögel argued for the urgency of supplying long-range weapons to target the origins of these aggressions, which he deemed long overdue.
Schlögel criticized Scholz’s reluctance to provide Germany’s Taurus cruise missiles, arguing such measures are critical to counter Russian aggression effectively.
Putin’s Boundless Ambitions
While negotiations will eventually occur, Schlögel stressed that their terms are crucial. “The question is whether these negotiations will result in a dictated peace or in conditions ensuring Ukraine’s survival and security.”
He also warned of potential Russian aggression against other nations, describing Putin as a “masterful choreographer and analyst of his opponent’s weaknesses.” Schlögel does not believe Putin follows a fixed plan but notes the Kremlin’s repeated assertion that the “Russian world” has no definitive borders.
Russia’s Cycle of Stagnation
Schlögel expressed skepticism about Russia’s potential transformation into a freer, reform-oriented state after Putin. He argued that the nation’s civil society and elites have been repeatedly decimated by revolution, famine, Stalinist terror, and two world wars. “It feels as though this cycle of stagnation continues to repeat itself,” he remarked.
The Contaminated Legacy of Russian Culture
Even Russia’s widely admired cultural heritage must now be reexamined, according to Schlögel. “You cannot observe a war and simultaneously celebrate the greatness of Russian culture,” he asserted, noting how Russian artists have been co-opted by the aggressor state. “It will take an extraordinarily long time for Russian culture to recover from the contamination and instrumentalization of this war – if it ever does.”
