jana.scheurer

Europe is not a continent. It is an idea.

Only 70 years after the beginning of World War I, Europe has arised as a peaceful continent with several states living peacefully next to each other. Europe was smashed, once in WW1, then, even worse, in WWII. In large parts in ruins it experienced several decades of insecurity with the imminent threat of the Cold War. And there we are now in the year 2014. Where are we now? The situation in the several countries is diverse. Some struggling with huge numbers of unemployment, the country at the bottom, in danger of existence. Others thriving, developping faster and faster with some of their populations being behind. Others, and in the year 2014 you can’t handle it other but have to mention the Ukraine, are zerrissen, ist future insecure. There are people killed, there are people living in prosperity. There are people suffering from overweight while others are struggling to nourish their families. There are dictatorships and democracies. What a diverse picture. And still we talk of Europe. How do you define Europe? It’s not easy to put it in a definition because ist borders are both blurred and strictly defended at the same time. I get the feeling there is no book, no wikipedia entry, no smart professor who can give me the answer. But there is the people. Me, you, they. The Europeans. They are out there and they make up the picture of Europe. I’ve decided to go out and talk to them. I want to find out what Europe means to them.