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Interview with Walter Schwimmer, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, on the occasion of the presentation of his book “The Dream of Europe” at the Frankfurt Book Fair

Interview (10.10.2003)

Question: There have been a lot of books about the united Europe recently. What moved you to write another book on this subject, and in what ways does your book differ from others?

Walter Schwimmer: It has been a concern of mine for quite some time to write about long-term historical developments and trends in Europe, and especially the wider Europe. My position at the head of the Council of Europe for four years has naturally made this wish even stronger. I think that my personal experience as Secretary General of this, the oldest and, with 45 member states, the largest international organisation involved in the European integration process can help to give the reader a better understanding of certain developments in our continent.

Question: In your book you write about your path to Europe, to the Council of Europe, and your work as Secretary General. Did your perspective on your European career, and in particular your period at the Council of Europe, change during the writing of the book?

Walter Schwimmer: Perspectives obviously change once you have a much clearer idea of what others should be doing. Then you know what you can do yourself. But the crucial element, my dream of a peaceful, democratic Europe in which people have freedom of decision, are aware of their rights, and can be sure of their rights, has remained the same. Thankfully, we have already gone a long way towards achieving that goal, but work remains to be done, and playing a part in that process is still a fascinating opportunity.

Question: The book is also about the Schwimmer family’s European history. What message would you like to give European citizens, the Europe of today?

Walter Schwimmer: Whatever we are and have been, we are all Europeans. We have our own specific identities, of which we can be proud, as I am happy today to be a citizen of Vienna and Austria, although my ancestors came from Alsace in France, from Slovakia and from the Czech Republic. But the awareness of my European origins gives me close emotional ties not only with Hochstatt near Mulhouse and Moravski Sveti Jan, but with all Europeans. The lesson from all the sad events in family history, which is something common to all Europeans, must be love and attachment for one’s home country, but not nationalism or chauvinism.

Question: What parts of the book do you recommend that readers begin with?

Walter Schwimmer: That is really a question of personal preference. Those who share my love of history will start with Chapter 1. Those who are impatient to know about the latest developments in European integration will start with the last chapter. Those who are more interested in ideas should perhaps start with the waking dreams of statesmen, or go even further back to Baroness Bertha von Suttner’s dream of eternal peace or Count Coudenhove-Calergi’s dream of Pan-Europe. My children will perhaps start with the family history and my own career. The book has something for everyone!

Question: The Russian version of the book was presented at the Moscow Book Fair at the beginning of September, and now we have the German version, published by Springer. Will there be more language versions?

Walter Schwimmer: Naturally I wrote in German, my mother tongue. Then the Olma Press publishing house in Moscow offered to produce a Russian version, which I readily accepted. This was not only because Russia is the Council of Europe’s largest member state, but also because in my previous position as a member of the Parliamentary Assembly I devoted a great deal of attention to Russian issues. Russia is the guest country at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair, so the circle is complete! Other language versions are being prepared and I soon hope to be able to present English and French versions, English and French being the Council of Europe’s two official languages. But versions could be produced in other languages too. It is important to preserve and cultivate Europe’s remarkable linguistic diversity.