Jens Nordalm, a historian and speechwriter for Chancellor Friedrich Merz, argues that Germans should be less pessimistic about their country and more confident in its democratic institutions. His new book, “Germany: The Underrated Country,” presents renewed appreciation of Germany’s cultural and intellectual history as a way to build greater perspective and calm in public life.
Nordalm’s argument ranges from medieval scholar Hildegard of Bingen to writers including Theodor Fontane, Heinrich Heine and Thomas Mann. He also highlights the German-Baltic writer Eduard von Keyserling, whose work, he says, encourages readers to look at others with greater generosity. Nordalm sees such openness as relevant to political debate, where he believes disagreement and clearly expressed alternatives are important to democracy.
The book’s central proposal is not a political realignment but a different view of Germany itself. Nordalm writes that greater enthusiasm for the country’s achievements could provide more orientation and composure. He argues that Germans underestimate both their democracy and their own capacity to sustain it.
Nordalm does not ignore the reasons many people no longer see Germany as a settled success story. He cites disputes over the euro crisis, energy policy, migration and Russia, as well as the rise of the AfD and concerns that the Christian Democratic Union has adopted some of its right-wing narratives. He believes these developments have reinforced what he calls an old German tendency toward self-antipathy.
His call for a broad debate includes topics such as immigration, climate policy and international law. Nordalm argues that different positions can be legitimate without necessarily putting democracy at risk, and advocates for political discussion that allows sharper disagreements while ultimately reaching decisions.
The article notes that Nordalm has written speeches for several former German leaders, including Joachim Gauck, Wolfgang Schäuble and Angela Merkel, as well as for Merz. Despite the limited impact of such appeals so far, he remains convinced that Germany’s cultural inheritance can offer a shared source of reassurance.
Sources: Handelsblatt.