As a result of its newfound economic might, Germany has a unique opportunity to take a leadership role in the international community, former ambassador to Germany Philip Murphy said in the Walter Picard annual lecture on Tuesday.
Murphy described how Germany's economic strength translated into military power, arguing that Germany needed to assume responsibility for Europe's economic and military future.
The view that the fall of the Berlin Wall negatively affected Germany's relationship with the U.S. is a misconception, Murphy said. Because each nation tackles its global agenda while acknowledging the other's international power and support, U.S. and German relations are not weaker, simply different.
The development of Germany's security presence has followed expectations set in the early 1990s, directly before Germany assumed such a strong European role, when Germany participated in its first NATO mission in Kosovo. Recently, the country has played a key part in security operations in Afghanistan.
Its domestic economic arc, however, has played out very differently than planned.
"[Germany] stumbled, reformed and then soared unexpectedly," Murphy said.
Because Europe failed to take aggressive stimulus actions like the U.S. when faced with the 2008 financial crisis, Europe still struggles with unemployment, Murphy said. The more quickly the euro zone develops an economic framework, the stronger America will rebound from its economic woes.
The euro will not survive without Germany's "indispensable role," Murphy said. Germany will only give up its "prodigious balance sheet" on the condition that every nation follows the same rules, he said. Still, Germany has displayed a commitment to the euro's survival.
Although he is optimistic about the euro-zone banking crisis, Murphy said its risks are substantial and will take much longer than desired or expected.
Murphy noted that Greece has a 28 percent unemployment rate, in contrast to Germany's 5 percent. The unemployment rate in the U.S. currently stands over 7 percent.
Germany and China, two of the world's two leading exporters, would play an important role in any effort to make a more equitable global economic system, he said. Murphy advocated that these nations accept their "inherent" responsibility in the interconnected, international system, which would benefit the entire international system.
"The present and future demand that Germany takes up the mantle and leads with vigor there is latitude to act," he said. "The ingredients for bold leadership are in place. This could be Germany's moment. We shall see."
The auditorium was packed with Hanover residents, professors and students.
Cortland Weatherley-White '17 said he was surprised by the lecture's direction.
"I actually was expecting him to talk more about Greece and the euro, but he intentionally kept that to a minimum," he said.
Spencer Furey '17 said he appreciated the ambassador's emphasis on Germany's economic importance to American interests.
Murphy hosted a question and answer session with students and professors in the German department before the lecture.
Murphy regaled the students with tales of his interactions with Chancellor Germany Angela Merkel and his passion for soccer.
When Murphy first met Merkel, she requested to conduct their meeting in German.
"It was fair, though. I was in her court," Murphy said. "It's an away game. You've got to play by the other person's rules. To truly unlock a country, one has to know the language."
He imparted some of the lessons he learned during his time abroad.
"For as big, and muscular, and powerful the United States is, we are only 4.5 percent of the international population," Murphy said. "That means there are 95.5 percent non-Americans. It's a big world. Find a way to exercise your language muscle and inhale the rest of the world!"
The lecture was co-sponsored by the German department and the Dean of Faculty's office. The lecture was titled "The New Shape of Germany Why It Matters to You."
