ABSTRACT
The story of increased cross-border contact can be written and interpreted as a generational history, as involvement in intercultural contact and in encounter differs widely between the various generations. The experiences of strangeness of the older generations in Germany are characterized by war and the upsurge of nationalistic movements; only after World War II did the relationship with other nations change from confrontation to cooperation. Integration in the Western hemisphere and initiation of the political project of European integration were milestones in this development. During the early stage this development was dominated by political elites and their will to establish a peaceful order. The effect on wider society only took place with the expansion of transnational experiences in mass tourism, labor migration, exchange programs, city partnerships, etc. Additional boosts to social transnationalism came with the new offers from lowcost airlines, diverse and increasingly cheaper communication technologies, and the social normality accorded border-crossing and staying abroad today.
