“History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their fears and openly confront dictators such as in East Germany and Eastern Europe about 22 years ago... The yearning for freedom cannot be contained by walls for long. It was this yearning that brought down the Iron Curtain that divided Germany and Europe, and indeed the world, into two blocs.” PeopleWorldYearsLongTwoForceWallEuropeYears AgoOvercomingMovedEastGermanyIronDividedYearningDictatorEasternCurtainsUnleashedEastern EuropeEast GermanyIron Curtain Author:Angela Merkel
“I think Scandinavian Paganism, to us here, is more interesting than any other. It is, for one thing, the latest; it continued in these regions of Europe till the eleventh century; 800 years ago the Norwegians were still worshipers of Odin. It is interesting also as the creed of our fathers; the men whose blood still runs in our veins, whom doubtless we still resemble in so many ways.” ThinkingMenWayYearsStillsRunningFatherInterestingOne ThingBloodCenturyHe ManEuropeYears AgoRegionsCreedsVeinsOur FatherPaganismNorwegiansOdinScandinaviansWiccan Author:Thomas Carlyle
“Europe's financial system is fragmented, although the gap in funding costs for banks within the euro area is no longer as wide as it was two years ago. But in lending the differences are still very large, and in some countries the credit flow is disrupted.” YearsStillsTwoCountryDifferencesCostEuropeAreasYears AgoFlowFinancialCreditWideTwo YearsGapsFundingEuroLendingFragmentedFinancial SystemTwo Years Ago Author:Mario Draghi
“I travel to the Middle East, I travel to China, I travel to Europe. It's all very rewarding - the only problem is the travel is getting more and more difficult for me now. Ten years ago I would have enjoyed it a lot more.” YearsProblemDifficultMiddleTenEuropeYears AgoChinaEastEnjoyedMiddle East Author:I. M. Pei
“I am chilled by the realization of how similar circumstances in Europe in 2013 are to those of 100 years ago.” YearsCircumstancesEuropeYears AgoRealizationChilled Author:Jean-Claude Juncker
“Every time I come to Europe, I'm just as excited as I was my very first time, which was many, many years ago. I love that part of the world, and I especially love the fans.” WorldYearsFirstsFansFirst TimeEuropeYears AgoExcited Author:Dolly Parton
“There are definitely recurring themes in humanity's relationship with our environment. The biggest is probably adaptation, because humans are incredibly good at adapting to new environments in relatively short periods of time. The ancestors of Homo sapiens started leaving Africa over one million years ago, moving from warm, tropical climates into the freezing wilderness of Europe and the desert ecosystems of the Middle East.” YearsHumansMovingHumanityMillionsEnvironmentMiddlePeriodsEuropeYears AgoClimateLeavingWarmEastDesertThemeWildernessAncestorMiddle EastAdaptationOur EnvironmentHomo SapiensEcosystemsAdaptingFreezingTropicalRecurringNew EnvironmentRecurring Themes Author:Annalee Newitz
“It is very difficult to enter a single currency zone having fairly weak economic parameters and maintain a favourable state of the economy, not to mention positive growth rates. We have witnessed it not only in Europe, but for example in Argentina (nearly 10 years ago or more), when they tied the national currency to the dollar and later they did not know what to do about it.” KnowsYearsStatesDifficultGrowthEconomyEconomicExampleEuropeYears AgoWeakDollarsRateZoneTiedCurrencyArgentinaParameters Author:Vladimir Putin
“Turkey's path toward Europe started back in 1959, almost 50 years ago. But we have been pushed to the side ever since. Despite all the hurdles we will not deviate from our course towards Europe - even by one step.” YearsHas BeensCoursesSidesStepsPathEuropeYears AgoDespiteTurkeysHurdleDeviate Author:Recep Tayyip Erdogan
“In fact, we haven't ever really recalibrated our foreign policy commitments since the end of the Cold War. We still have alliances throughout Asia and across Europe that were devised to tame the Soviet Union, which, last time I checked, ceased to exist more than 20 years ago. Today, of course, we have a commitment to go to nuclear war with Russia in case Russia invades Latvia. To me, that's complete and utter nonsense. There ought to be a reconsideration of our posture in every region of the world.” WorldYearsStillsWarEndsFactsTodayLastsCoursesCasesHavensPolicyColdOughtCommitmentEuropeYears AgoUnionsNuclearRussiaNonsenseRegionsSovietForeign PolicyLast TimeCold WarAsiaSoviet UnionAlliancesPostureNuclear WarReconsiderationLatvia Author:Kevin Gutzman
“I think that most people don't think in terms of an American revolution, they think in terms of a Russian revolution, or even a Ukrainian revolution. But the idea of an American revolution does not occur to most people. And when I came down to the movement milieu seventy-five years ago, the black movement was just starting, and the war in Europe had brought into being the "Double V for Victory" [campaign]: the idea was that we ought to win democracy abroad with democracy at home. And that was the beginning of an American revolution, and most people don't recognize that.” PeopleThinkingYearsDoeIdeasWarHomeWinningBlackTermDemocracyFiveMovementRevolutionOughtVictoryEuropeYears AgoStartingCampaignsFive YearsSeventiesAmerican RevolutionUkrainianMilieuRussian Revolution Author:Grace Lee Boggs
“Measured in time of transport and communication, the whole round globe is now smaller than a small European country was a hundred years ago.” YearsCountryWholeCommunicationHundredEuropeYears AgoRoundsGlobesTransportEuropean Countries Author:John Boyd Orr
“Bulgaria is a true friend of Israel, that stood up to save the Jewish people 70 years ago in Europe, and who stood by throughout the terror attack that took place in Burgas last July.” PeopleYearsLastsEuropeYears AgoTerrorIsraelTrue FriendJulyStood UpBulgariaTerror Attacks Author:Shimon Peres