The Idea of Europe [antikvár]

I When Thomas Mann left Europe in 1938 to settle in the United States, he made the remark, in all seriousness, at a press conference upon his arrival in New York: 'Wo ich bin, ist die deutsche Kultur.' For many people, this statement was proof, yet again, of the world-famous author's arrogance. His brother Heinrich Mann, however, knew better. In his memoirs, Ein Zeitalter wird besichtigt, he begins the chapter 'Mein Bruder' with the aforementioned anecdote, and then adds: 'Now we know what Goethe's Faust meant when he said: "Was du ererbt von deinen Vätern hast/ Erwirb es um es zu besitzen.'" Thomas Mann's words, according to his older brother, were not an expression of arrogance, but of a deep sense of responsibility. If there is anyone who, in Thomas Mann's footsteps, has earned the right to say: 'Wherever I am, there is European culture,' it is George Steiner. And if he were to make this statement, it would be, once again, not an expression of arrogance, but of a sense of responsibility. The tenth Nexus Lecture is the prelude to a series of gatherings organized by the Nexus Institute, on the eve of the Intellectual Summit during the Dutch Presidency eu 2004, which will focus on the question of whether or not Europe is stiU such a good idea, and what the significance and political relevance of the European ideal of civilization actually is. The fact that George Steiner, more than anyone else, is at home in European culture—which spans centuries, and is essentially cosmopolitan—was reason enough to invite him to give this lecture. But there is another reason, one which is closely intertwined with the history of the Nexus Institute itself. The publication of the tenth Nexus Lecture would seem the perfect opportunity to teU the reader more about it. 7