ABSTRACT
German-American relations have deep roots in American history. For Germans in the 18th and 19th centuries, the US existed mainly as a country of immigration and seemingly unlimited opportunities for those who could not find any at home. The US has played a dominant role for all of Western Europe, yet no other European country has been influenced as much by the United States as has Germany. The US-German dialogue alone cannot supply the answers, but in shaping future Alliance policy both sides will have great influence. The discussion of work ethics in the US and the ostensibly diminishing willingness to work in Germany are good examples. Any effort to define policy implications of present US-German relations should keep this singularity of the relationship in mind. There is, however, a special German interest — apart from general considerations of peace and security — to reduce and eventually overcome the antagonisms that make up East-West confrontation in Europe.
