After the interlude of the Cold War, during which Germany served as the center of discord between East and West, reunification permitted the reassertion of German power within the context of the European Union and, most notably, the eurozone. Today, however, the question is whether Germany is ready and willing to provide leadership in the conduct of the EU’s affairs – and, if so, to what end.
俾斯麦的这一遗产正在卷土重来。在冷战的插曲后——此间德国一直是东西方对峙的中心——重新统一让德国的实力在欧盟的环境中（以及更加令人瞩目地在欧元区的环境中）重新崛起。但是，如今，问题变成德国是否做好准备也愿意在欧盟事务上起到领导作用，以及，如果答案是肯定的，它会走得多远。