In 1999 Geert Mak began his journey through the ‘old continent’, a trip that resulted in the bestseller In Europe. Ten years on, he is weighing up the balance in Berlin: “Europe is stagnating because Brussels is doing precisely what it shouldn‘t be doing”.

He goes regularly to the German capital. Berlin attracts the writer like a magnet. “Whoever is interested in history always keeps coming back to Berlin,” says Geert Mak. “It’s a guilty, distressed yet fascinating city.”

In the lobby of the Savoy hotel, the writer, journalist and historian goes through the newspapers together with his partner Mietsie, to whom he dedicated In Europe.

Definitive inspection
Ten years after his started his journey, Geert Mak looks back on a decade in which Europe went through radical change. East European countries joined the European Union, which grew from 15 to 27 member states. That’s without doubt a historical milestone, says Mr Mak. But the dream of a Europe that can inspire 500 million old and new Europeans has sadly not come to pass:
 

“What we’ve got is a Europe of weak compromises reached in deals conducted in back rooms. The small amount of transparency that there was has disappeared, to the detriment of democracy.”

Berlin
Because of the bitter, freezing cold we remain in the stately hotel lobby in the heart of the German capital where Mr Mak is staying for a reading. Here he also finds the peace and quiet to think about a new book, “but what that will lead to is still a surprise, even for me.”

He’s happy to stay in Berlin where he has discovered that the people are concerned like no others at the way things have gone in the recent past.

“History flutters here at every corner of the street. Berliners are therefore discreet with each other, also more discreet with their utterances and opinions about minorities.”

Geert Wilders
At the same time, Geert Mak fully understands the growing intolerance in the Europe of today, including the Netherlands. He’s not surprised that the anti-Islam party of Geert Wilders is doing well in, for example, Volendam – a Dutch town with a high proportion of immigrants.

“What’s dominating is a feeling of insecurity, and that’s projected onto the foreigner. But the real concern is globalisation, for the ‘Europe without borders’ project, for the loss of the umbrella of a nation state in which everyone speaks the same language and has the same customs.”

Politicians should take this concern seriously, but shouldn’t speak to the citizens with ‘populist talk about the blessings of provincialism’, says Geert Mak:

“Globalisation is a fact. The Netherlands is connected with the entire world. As a citizen you must adapt and find your way, and that can be painful.”

To banish the feelings of insecurity and homelessness, Geert Mak believes the European Union should have profiled itself as a beacon.

“But instead of that the EU has developed into an undemocratic project that’s stagnating – a bicycle that wobbles.”

Grey mouse
As an example, he likens the recently named first President of Europe, Herman van Rompuy, to a non-descript leader, a “grey mouse” with which not a single European wishes to be identified.

“As a citizen you want to express your anger at Europe’s leaders. Histrionics go hand in hand with democracy. But that’s completely lacking in the European Union”.

According to Geert Mak, Brussels is doing precisely what it shouldn’t be doing:

“It hands out laws that should be passed by the national governments, such as the correct way to make cheese or the required length for a window cleaner’s ladder. What should really be regulated centrally by the EU, such as climate, energy and possibly also defence, is hopelessly under-developed”.

Europe, East and West
In 1999, at the start of his book In Europe, Geert Mak hadn’t dared to dream that the reconciliation of Eastern and Western Europe would proceed at such a fast pace.

“A triumphalist mentality dominates. “That’s what we’ll do.” But some countries seem to be completely unready for membership. With the accession in 2007 of Romania and Bulgaria, both corrupt countries, the process was derailed.”

Mr Mak pleads for more caution over further expansion:

“At the moment the EU can’t take any more.”

Ten years after his travels across Europe, Geert Mak’s respect for the East Europeans has grown.

“Under communism they had to agree to despicable compromises, and they’ve had to find their own moral boundaries.”

Nevertheless, Mr Mak says Europeans have a lot to be proud of:

“On issues such as healthcare or infrastructure we’re a lot further on than America. Since 1989 we’ve had to cope with the collapse of an empire – the Soviet empire. Such a thing is normally accompanied by a lot of bloodshed. That didn’t happen. Thanks to the soft power of the EU, to which everyone belongs. In that sense, the Union is a stabiliser.”

In Europe product details:
· Hardcover: 896 pages
· Publisher: Harvill Secker (1 Mar 2007)
· Language English
· ISBN-10: 1843432269
· ISBN-13: 978-1843432265