“Ein Staatsmann mit Geschichte”: Joschka Fischer's German Past
in German Politics and SocietyAll currencies in US Dollar
Joschka Fischer (b. 1948), Germany’s foreign minister and for several
years one of the country’s most popular politicians, is a man of
the moment, of consequence both domestically and beyond his
country’s borders. Nationally prominent as leader of the “realo” faction
of the Greens, he was instrumental in turning a protest movement
into the partner in power of the Social Democratic Party
(SPD). During the Kosovo crisis, he was a key figure in securing
German participation in the NATO intervention. He has played an
influential role in the unfolding debate about institutional reform
within the European Union. During the latest round of Israeli-Palestinian
violence, he has actively tried to bring the parties to the table.