[1918-1939] The emergence of a new political doctrine: The first golden age of europeanism

"I think that between peoples constituting geographical groups, like the peoples of Europe, there should be some kind of federal bond. [...] That is the link I wish to forge." Aristide Briand.

The years 1925-30 were a prosperous period for europeanism¹. It was no longer just a poet's idea, as it was at the time of Victor Hugo, but a true political doctrine. And as in all political doctrines, several trends rapidly emerged. We mentioned previously the International Paneuropean Union and the vision of his founder, the count Coundenhove-Kalergi. Undoubtedly, it was the most influential movement in the mid 1920's. But despite this influence, it did not win unanimous support among the europeanists.

Wilhelm Heile (1881-1969).

The German Wilhelm Heile² was one of the main competitors to Coudenhove-Kalergi. Successor of the famous geopolitician Friedrich Naumann³, he founded in 1926 the Federation for the European understanding (Verband für europäische verständigung). Like Coudenhove, Heile did not want neither Great Britain nor Russia within the European union. But unlike him, he wished it to be based on the power of a great Germany which would include Austria⁴. Another difference: for Heile, Germany should first unify central Europe before planning the continental unification. This proposal was frankly pangermanist and, in fact, tinted with imperialism.

In the same years, the Danish Christian Heerfordt⁵ proposed a radically different conception of Europe. In his book A new Europe, published in 1924, he maintained that Europe is not defined by its geography: it is a civilisation without borders and "without shores". The "United States of the European nations" should therefore include Great Britain, his dominions and all the nations linked to the European civilisation (namely the American nations). Contrary to Coudenhove and Heile, Heerfordt wanted the immediate and total realisation of the European union – with its institutions, its foreign policy, its common currency and its common defence. Of course, this project was far too much imprecise and unrealistic, and the "Scandinavian initiative" did not know the success of the Paneuropean Movement, in spite of all the efforts of his instigator⁶.

Émile Borel (1871-1956).

Others projects was more pragmatic and aware of the geopolitical reality of the post-war period. It was for example the case of the French Committee for the European Cooperation (Comité Français pour la Coopération Européenne), created in 1927 and directed by the French mathematician Émile Borel. The latter was as well a radical politician, elected member of Parliament in 1924 and appointed minister under the Left-wing coalition (Cartel des gauches). His Committee did not have as a purpose the establishment of a federal Europe – Borel remained attached to the principle of national sovereignty -, but the diplomatic rapprochement of the European nations. 

The objective of the French-German Committee of Information and Documentation (Comité Franco-Allemand d'Information et de Documentation) founded in 1926 by the Luxembourgish industrialist Émile Mayrisch and his son-in-law Pierre Viénot, was even more limited. It concerned only, as indicated by the name of the organisation, the cooperation between France and Germany. Bringing together intellectuals, scientists and university professors, it published two journals: the Revue d'Allemagne et des pays de langue allemande and the Deutsch-Französische. It also organised meetings and manifestations: the first meeting took place in Berlin under the chairmanship of Albert Einstein. Concretely, the French-German Committee struggled against the nationalisms and the prejudices in order to establish a mutual trust between the two countries.

Other projects existed, notably projects of economic Europe⁶, but our goal is not to give a comprehensive list of all the europeanists movements. Our goal is to show the vitality of the European idea during the second half of the 1920's. Undoubtedly, it knew its hour of glory on 9 September 1929, when Aristide Briand delivered his speech on the "Unity of Europe" at the General Assembly of the League of Nations:

I think that between peoples constituting geographical groups, like the peoples of Europe, there should be some kind of federal bond; it should be possible for them to get into touch at any time, to confer about their interests, to agree on joint resolutions and to establish among themselves a bond of solidarity which will enable them, if need be, to meet any grave emergency that may arise. That is the link I wish to forge.

Aristide Briand (1862-1932).

For the first time, a leading statesman declared solemnly his European ambition. The speech was all the more memorable as his author was one of the most influential politicians of the period: Nobel Peace Prize in 1926, honorary president of the Paneuropean Movement for 1927 and chief of the French government, Aristide Briand was in addition considered as the "apostle of peace" for his action in favour of collective security⁸ . 

In May 1930, Briand presented at the LN his «Memorandum on the Organisation of a Regime of European Federal Union». This proposal was not as ambitious as it appears at first glance: it maintained that the European union should be an organisation of equal States, all members of the LN, which would strive to ensure the stability of the international order and the respect of the peace treaties. In fact, it was rather an intergovernmental program than a federal one inasmuch the nation-States remained fully sovereigns. Nevertheless, Briand envisaged the creation of common institutions and the development of a common market, first steps before a concrete political integration.

Unfortunately, Briand's memorandum was received with coldness and rapidly sunk into oblivion. The nationalists oppositions grew stronger, above all after the beginning of the economic crisis: the Great Depression of the 1930's was going to ended the golden age of europeanism.

---------------------------------------------------------------

To go further, you can watch this documentary, directed by Les Films du Hibou, which recounts the story of Aristide Briand: http://vimeo.com/43400982

1Gilbert Noël (dir.), Penser et construire l'Europe (1919-1992), Jouy-en-Josas, Atlantes, 2008, p. 47.

2See Jean Nurdin, Le rêve européen des penseurs allemands 1700-1950, Villeneuve d'Ascq, Presses Universitaires du Septentrion, 2003, p. 216.

3Friedrich Naumann is the author of Mitteleuropa, a 1915 book in which he supports the idea of a confederation of State in Central Europe dominated by Germany and Austria.

4Heile explicitely spoke of Anschluss. 

5 See Claus Corneliussen, Dr. Heerfordt: A Private Political Entrepreneur and his Federal Plans for Nordic and European Unity in the Interwar Period, Florence, European University Institute, 2006.

6He did not have a network as important as Coudenhove, even though he met Aristide Briand in 1928.

7Personalities as Charles Gide, Yves le Trocquer, Francis Delaisis or Henry Truchy advocated a liberal Europe, based on free trade within the European Customs Union (Union Douanière Européenne). 

8Briand was an icon of pacifism. He believed in the system of the LN and thought that the international law could eradicate war. He was also at the origin of the Locarno Treaties in 1925, which confirmed the French-German rapprochement, and the co-signatory (with the US Secretary of States Frank Kellogg) of the General Treaty for Renunciation of War as an Instrument of National Policy in 1928.