DEGREES OF COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES In English, as in Russian, ...
Alexander Glebovich Rar(German: Alexander Rahr; March 2, 1959, Taipei, Taiwan) is a German international journalist.
Alexander Glebovich Rar
Occupation - journalist; political scientist; publicist
Date of birth: March 2, 1959
Place of birth: Taipei
Citizenship: Germany
Alexander Rar born March 2, 1959 in Taiwan. 1977-1985 Alexander Rar- project manager in a research project on Soviet leaders under Federal Institute Eastern European and International Studies in Cologne.
1980-1988 Alexander Rar- studies at the University of Munich (history of Eastern Europe, modern history, political science).
1982-1994 - researcher at the Radio Liberty Research Institute (Munich).
1986-1994 Alexander Rar- Consultant, RAND Corporation (Santa Monica).
1990 - Research work in the Council of People's Deputies of the USSR in the Interregional Group.
1990-1991 - Research work at the East-West Institute (New York).
1994-1995 Alexander Rar- Research Fellow, Research Institute of the German Foreign Policy Council DGAP.
1995-2012 Alexander Rar- Director of the Center for Russia and Eurasia at the German Council for foreign policy funded by the Eastern Committee of the German Economy and Deutsche Bank. Since 2010, the center has been renamed the Center. Bertolt Beyts.
2003 - Awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his contribution to the development of German-Russian relations.
2004 Alexander Rar- Honorary Professor of MGIMO.
2004 Alexander Rar- Member of the Board of Directors of YES (Yalta European Strategy), member of the Valdai Club.
From June 2012 Alexander Rar- Senior Consultant at Wintershall (Wintershall) and Senior Advisor to the President of the German-Russian Chamber of Commerce
Alexander Rar- Author of the biography of M. S. Gorbachev (1986), V. V. Putin ("A German in the Kremlin", 2000). Author of the book "Russia presses on the gas" and "Putin after Putin. Capitalist Russia on the threshold of a new world order” (2008).
Alexander Rahr family
Parents Alexandra Rara: father - a well-known figure in emigration Gleb Alexandrovich Rar, brother of a figure in emigration Lev Alexandrovich Rara, mother - Sofia Vasilievna Rar, daughter of the famous emigration figure Vasily Vasilyevich Orekhov.
Wife of Alexander Rahr- Anna, son - Mikhail, daughter - Alevtina.
Works by Alexander Rahr Alexander Rahr
"Gorbatschow - der neue Man n" ("Gorbachev is a new man") (German). Universitas-Verlag. Munich 1986. ISBN 3-8004-1107-5.
Vladimir Putin. Der Deutsche im Kreml” (“Vladimir Putin. A German in the Kremlin”) (German). Universitas-Verlag. Munich 2000. ISBN 3-8004-1408-2 ISBN 978-3-8004-1408-6.
Vladimir Putin. Präsident Rußlands - Partner Deutschlands ”(“ Vladimir Putin. The President of Russia is a partner of Germany ”) (German). Universitas-Verlag. Munich 2000. ISBN 3-8004-1408-2.
"Russland gibt Gas" ("Russia presses on the gas") (German). Hanser-Wirtschaft, 2008. ISBN 3-446-41395-2, ISBN 978-3-446-41395-5.
"Putin nach Putin" ("Putin after Putin") (German). Univeritas-Verlag, 2009. ISBN 3-8004-1481-3, ISBN 978-3-8004-1481-9.
Today, Germany has to become the defender of the European continent from US President Trump. This was stated on January 24, 2017 by Alexander Rahr, a political scientist (Germany). His biography allows him to be a fairly authoritative specialist in matters of politics and the development of the most influential European state.
Achievements of the political scientist
Alexander Rahr has awards from the German government for making a concrete contribution to the mechanism for the development of Russian-German relations, in particular, the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. He was also awarded the Grand Federal Cross, of which he is a holder. The Russian side also noted his merits. He is an honorary professor at MGIMO.
When Alexander Rahr was fifty years old, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov presented him with the Order of Honor.
Alexander Rahr, political scientist (Germany): biography
The birthplace of this German international journalist is Taiwanese Taipei. Date of birth - 03/02/1959
From 1977 to 1985, Alexander Rahr directed research projects on Soviet leaders at the Cologne-based Federal Institute for East European and International Studies. From 1980 to 1988 he studied at the University of Munich, where he studied Eastern European history, recent history and political science. Between 1982 and 1994 there was researcher at the Radio Liberty Research Institute in Munich.
Since 1990, Alexander Rahr, whose biography is closely connected with various kinds of research, has been working within the framework of the interregional group of the Council of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union, as well as at the East-West Institute in New York. Since 1994, he has been a research fellow at the Research Institute of the German Foreign Policy Council for a year.
From 1995 to 2012, Alexander Rahr was director of the Center for Eurasia and Russia, which was a structural member of the German Foreign Policy Council. The latter was financed through the Eastern Committee of the German Economy and Deutsche Bank. In 2010, the Center, run by a political scientist, was named after Bertolt Beitz.
In 2004, Alexander Rahr received membership in the Valdai Club and the Board of Directors of the international annual conference "Yalta European Strategy". In June 2012, he was appointed Senior Consultant to Wintershall and Senior Advisor to the President at the German-Russian Chamber of Commerce.
From family history
The father of the political scientist, Rar Gleb Aleksandrovich, was a rather influential figure among Russian emigrants in Germany. During World War II, he had to visit five death camps, American soldiers freed him from the Dachau camp. AT post-war years Gleb Alexandrovich got a job at the Entees "Posev", then left for Taiwan, where the Russian-language radio station "Liberation" was his place of work. Stay in Taiwan was marked by the birth of the eldest son Alexander.
Later in the life of Gleb Aleksandrovich there was work in the Tokyo editorial office of broadcasting, then again cooperation with "Posev", the magazine "Grani" (Frankfurt am Main) and the Munich radio "Freedom". Gleb Alexandrovich Rar had six children (four sons and two daughters), whose upbringing was entirely the responsibility of his wife Sofya Vasilievna.
An earlier generation
The grandfather of Alexander Glebovich Rar on the paternal side, whose name was Alexander Fedorovich, also had a difficult share. Before the revolution of 1917, he was the owner of a solid insurance company "Russia". After the advent of Soviet power, the Bolsheviks expropriated the building of the company belonging to him and placed the Cheka-NKVD in it. Alexander Fedorovich and his family had to emigrate to Europe, where he wandered around different countries until he settled in Germany.
Maternal grandfather Vasily Vasilyevich Orekhov, a Russian officer, also had a hard time. He was a participant in two wars and adjutant of General Wrangel. In exile, he began to publish the magazine "Sentry", very popular in the White Guard emigration circles. At first he was engaged in publishing work in Paris, and then moved to Brussels.
About beloved women
In one of the interviews, Alexander Rahr (political scientist, Germany), answering a question about his beloved women, said that his wife Anna and mother Sofya Vasilievna are those for him.
From his mother, he inherited the ability to be friends, as well as forgive. In his large family, where six children were brought up, much attention was paid to instilling high civic values. In conversations with children, Russian culture, the Orthodox faith and modern life in the historical homeland of their grandfathers were constantly discussed.
His wife Anna works as a political scientist-lawyer. Devoting a lot of time to raising her son Mikhail, she is the soul of the house, giving him special warmth and hospitality.
The European media called the recent meeting of G7 finance ministers a meeting in the "six plus one" format, because its participants unanimously accused the White House of misbehaving towards partners.
Alexander Rar: Previously, it was impossible to speak openly about obvious things in Europe. If you hinted that the Americans control everyone, discipline everyone and shamelessly interfere in the affairs of their allies, listen to them, etc., many accused the people who said this of conspiracy theories.
But look what's happening now. The American ambassador to Germany, who recently took over, is a friend and adviser to Trump, openly declared that America should support conservative circles throughout Europe. In fact, he hinted, albeit indirectly, that "orange" revolutions could also be carried out in the European Union so that conservative forces would come to power.
This place in the text of the article caused questions and discussions of our readers in facebook already answered by myself
This devastating statement in a political context caused an uproar in the German elite. The Germans were outraged that the American ambassador had publicly interfered in Germany's internal affairs. But at the same time, the FRG forgot that the American ambassador only used the rhetoric that Western diplomats are actively using on post-Soviet space and in Eastern Europe when they teach their leaders about democracy.
Politicians in Germany and France still console themselves with the hope that US President Donald Trump is not for long, and when he leaves the political scene, the American people will grow wiser by choosing a more accommodating leader - a "second Obama". And everyone will embrace again, and the West will continue to live as before. I think this is a bitter misconception.
We see that America is no longer willing to build, together with other Western countries - its partners - a globalized world based on mutually beneficial, free trade. On the contrary, Washington does everything in its own way. He suggests that Europeans actually become vassals of America, and be happy from this fact.
Now the Old World faces a serious, historical question. Its leaders will have to decide whether they can come to terms with the secondary role of America's junior partners in order to continue to use the American nuclear umbrella and follow in the wake of American policy. The danger is that in this case Europe will be involved in some kind of war in the Middle East or Asia. Such a scheme of relations with the United States, for example, is what the Baltic states and the Poles want.
In general, some European countries are ready to meekly submit to Washington. But there is also an alternative European way - to build our own army, to form European institutions, to establish the important post of Minister of Finance and President of the European Union.
If such a scenario is realized, the EU leadership will consider America, first of all, as a competitor, including a geopolitical one. But it seems to me that the current elites in Europe, who have been brought up in the transatlantic spirit, have gone through American schools, American universities, are part of transatlantic communities such as the "Atlantic Bridge", are not able to defend European autonomy. They will not come out from under the wing of America, although they will gnash their teeth in displeasure about this.
As ministers in the closest circle of German Chancellor Angela Merkel argue: yes, we do not like the actions of the United States, but there is no other way out but to obey. The logic of most European leaders is as follows: Europe cannot fight America, nor can it compete in the economic sphere. America is many times stronger than the European Union in security matters, which is not surprising: Europe has voluntarily transferred its security issues to the White House over the past decades.
Therefore, the Europeans will inevitably have to get used to a situation in which they are not in a position to oppose anything to the plans of the United States. Europe is at a historical crossroads. She will have to decide how to live in a 21st century world apart from the United States. Or the European Union will cease its development and become part of the global Transatlantic bloc, where absolutely all decisions will be made in Washington.
But parliamentary elections in Italy have shown that traditional political elites that have staked on the United States can be swept away by voters. Non-systemic parties came to power in the Apennines, whose leaders do not gravitate so strongly to Washington.
Alexander Rar: In Europe, there is again a division into Western and Eastern parts. In Eastern Europe, countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, etc. do not identify strongly with Western liberal values. They have other traditions, and in the first place they again put national interests. By the way, they do the same thing in the USA. But in France and Germany, on the contrary, they cling to the idea of common liberal values as a common European "religion." The gap in worldview between the West and the East of Europe has become obvious.
In Eastern Europe, reforms are being carried out (primarily related to the expulsion of migrants), which, from the point of view of Germany and France, limit democracy. But the Poles and Hungarians do not care what they think of them in Paris and Berlin - they protect national interests.
In the south of Europe, the so-called right-wing populists are coming to power. These are nationalist forces who, like US President Donald Trump, say: our country is "number one" and we must follow its interests. Having gained a foothold in the southern regions of the EU, thanks to support "from below", Eurosceptics are helping to change the party landscape throughout Europe. The only country where the old establishment still survives is Germany. But here, too, changes are evident: one of the oldest parties in the FRG, the Social Democratic, is gradually fading away. So the process has reached Germany, in which the old, traditional parties are losing their former influence.
I will ask directly - who will win? For the old elite inclined to make concessions to the United States, or for the new forces acting from nationalist positions?
Alexander Rar: I repeat that Europe faces a fateful choice. I do not rule out that America will be so strong and so capable of influencing European elites that it will retain control over Europe. Europe was the trophy of the Americans in the First and Second World Wars.
The American authorities are not going to leave or give Europe away. They allow the situation that in economic matters the Germans and the French are independently engaged in reforming Europe, trying to somehow save Italy, Greece, Spain from default. But on security issues, the Americans will continue to do everything to preserve the transatlantic bloc. England will support the USA. Moreover, Washington still has numerous allies in the countries of the Old World, who are striving for Europe to continue to follow Washington's policy, and not French or German policy.
Because Germany's leadership in Europe for many countries, although they do not openly talk about it, is a big problem in historical terms. But America's leadership is sacred.
European leaders have been increasingly proposing to reform the European Union "from above" so as not to wait until these processes begin "from below". What are the proposed reforms?
Alexander Rar: All this reminds me of the 80s of the last century, when everyone shouted that the Soviet Union needed perestroika, glasnost, radical reforms, new thinking. Then a lot of concepts of necessary reforms arose. But none of them was eventually implemented, and everything went towards chaos.
In the European Union, different concepts are also opposed. However, ideas about how to restore a stronger European influence are actually only coming from the lips of the French and Germans. To other countries, even if they put forward such proposals, simply no one would listen.
The French concept expresses the interests of the south of Europe. This is the creation of a common financial system for all of Europe, with the help of which rich European countries together help European countries with financial problems. Including those who, perhaps, in recent decades have lived beyond their means, such as Greece or Italy.
However, the Germans are critical of the initiatives put forward by Paris. Chancellor Merkel understands that if the French proposals are accepted, Germany will become the main sponsor of poor southern Europe. And the head of the German government will have to explain to voters why the FRG, whose population is working hard and whose economic situation improved thanks to the reforms that the country carried out 10 years ago, today must fork out. After all, the poor countries of the European Union, unlike Germany, simply refused to carry out internal reforms, and now they are reaping the fruits of their inaction.
Therefore, Merkel is very reserved about the plans of French President Emmanuel Macron to create a single financial boiler. But he is determined. He believes that, having satisfied the needs of the south of Europe, he will be able to overcome the populism flourishing there and bring centrist forces to power in the states of this part of the EU.
Northern Europe, the Benelux countries, like Germany, do not want to help the European south with finances. They will rather cling to the German model with limited consolidation, without equalization. These two concepts - French and German - will inevitably clash. But time runs, and politicians still need to act somehow to keep Europe united. The danger that the train can be missed and the European Union, without receiving reformist support, will disintegrate, theoretically exists.
The current leaders of the EU are accustomed to the relative comfort and stability in European relations and thought that this would continue forever. However, new challenges have emerged, and now they have to make historic decisions quickly.
- Why is Europe so afraid of the collapse of the European Union and the return of peoples to "national apartments"?
Alexander Rar: I see no alternative to the European Union. It's just that it's hard for me to imagine what will happen if the European Union collapses.
This will cause not only economic problems, a national army will appear in every European country, plus each country will have national interests and, God forbid, territorial claims against each other. And then we will return to the situation that existed before the Second World War, and it will be terrible.
Germany survived all this, and in the minds of the Germans at the genetic level there is the idea that the collapse of the European Union should not be allowed. But at the same time, in other EU countries, maybe people think differently. More and more right-wing conservatives, populists are coming to power. Following the example of Trump, European states will increasingly appeal to their national interests. How such a Europe will look like, whether its existence in an updated form is beneficial for Russia, it is difficult to say.
US President Donald Trump has returned America to a policy of selfish, selfish national interest with the support of the entire American elite and I think American society. By this, he set an example of how to act in many European countries where similar processes will take place. But Germany so far absolutely does not understand and does not accept this path. I hope that forces will be found in Germany who will be able to correctly understand what is happening now in Europe. And draw proper conclusions from this. The EU cannot be in conflict with America and Russia at the same time. This position will greatly weaken him.
Nevertheless, you will agree that the territorial claims of European countries to each other have not disappeared even after the creation of the European Union, as well as mutual, including historical, claims. It is possible to flood the fire that is flaring up in Europe with money - according to the French scenario - but such an approach is unlikely to be durable.
Alexander Rar: After the First World War, when monarchies and empires collapsed, the bourgeois leaders who came to power were unable to feed the people. There was catastrophic unemployment, there was a terrible world economic crisis of 1929, which then ruined Europe and brought to power such terrible politicians as Hitler in Germany.
In other countries, so to speak, non-democratic characters also appeared. Still, in the European Union today there are countries that are very firmly on their feet, like Germany. This means that the Europeans, in principle, have the opportunity, through the injection of money into infrastructure, into social structures and so on to stop the collapse of Europe, to meet the needs of the people. A united Europe still has a margin of safety - it is wrong to say that the EU is already on the verge of some kind of collapse. But a destructive whirlwind is forming within Europe.
In some countries, catastrophic economic problems have indeed arisen. And this means that people will protest en masse on the streets, because they will not be able to feed their families, riots will begin. Then, of course, it will be too late to act. Europeans have now woken up and began to realize that the comfortable world in which they lived before no longer exists.
The time is passing when Europe did not have to spend significant money on its security, when it was possible to lazily rely on America, put Russia in its place, be guided by the policy of "moral values", teach democracy to everyone. Now, it seems to me, many understand that Mr. Trump is no longer a friend or ally of the Europeans, that he is waging trade wars with the European Union and is striving to weaken Europe.
Trump is brazenly demanding that all Europeans fork out for common defense but actually pay for Pax Americana in the future. So the European Union will not only have to pay for its poor members in the south of Europe, but also, at the request of the American master, to give more and more more money per own security, or rather, in the interests of the American world system.
Europe, if it wants to pursue a rational geopolitics based on its own interests and traditions, must make peace with Russia. But for this, the Europeans should understand and accept that Russia also has interests in Europe, which Europe must recognize.
It seems to me that Russia recognizes the interests of the European Union, including geopolitical ones. There is still an opportunity for Moscow and Brussels to agree, but for this many politicians need to jump over their own shadow. But since the leaders of Europe in the 21st century are very self-confident and convinced that they are right, we still have a very long dialogue of rapprochement ahead of us.
Is the remark of many European media that Trump, with his anti-European actions, pushing the EU towards friendship with Russia, is true? Or is such a conclusion more of an illusion, a figure of speech?
Alexander Rar: While I can not say that this is so. It only seems from the outside. Russia, with its traditional values and more conservative thinking, is in principle attractive only to the European right. Therefore, the Italians, the Austrians, as well as a part of the German conservative society, are ready to take a closer look at the Russian model, I would say, the Russian vision of Europe.
But in most cases, so far, the attraction to Russia, which is noticeable among certain political parties, including the left, is caused by anti-Americanism. What to do with Russia, the Europeans do not yet understand. Those people who are ready to negotiate something with Russia today will turn to America again tomorrow if Trump is suddenly removed and something starts to change in the United States. Therefore, within Europe there is no such drastic reorientation towards rapprochement with Moscow.
But at the same time, I do not rule out that several years will pass, and when some constructive replacement for the current, European, purely liberal logic is found, the processes in favor of rapprochement with Russia will certainly begin. And, of course, much depends on how long the process of alienation from the European allies will go on in America itself.
Again, I repeat, I think that the Americans have a lot of leverage to keep the Europeans in the wake of their own policy, because Europe, the Europeans cannot yet come up with any alternative.
Being together with Russia, China against America on the issue of the Iranian nuclear program for the current ruling elites in Europe is a very uncomfortable, very dangerous, surreal situation that they themselves have created. Therefore, European leaders strive, in spite of everything, to agree with America on all problems.
The migration crisis has not only changed the demographic composition of Europe, it is changing its elites, because it is not clear who yesterday's refugees will vote for in elections when they receive such a right. Will they support the old parties, populists, or will they create their own political forces, for example, on religious grounds?
Alexander Rar: The migration crisis in the west of Europe, in Germany, occurred because Mrs. Merkel launched a flow of refugees into Germany in 2015 in the hope that other European countries would take half of them for themselves. But no one took it.
Eastern Europe fences itself off from refugees, closes its borders. Eastern Europeans say: our shirt is closer to us than all these all-European agreements. Nevertheless, in Germany so far, as in some Western countries, the ideas that were nurtured in the liberal ideology, in the understanding of the liberal democratic model, that refugees can be re-educated into liberal Europeans, are still very strong.
And over time, they will be able to become part of the liberal community. They can be shown how to live comfortably under Western humanism, abandoning medieval religious beliefs. But it seems to me that in the European Union they are still beginning to understand the danger of the arrival in the Old World of the orders that "newcomers" bring.
Now we are not talking about the Syrians, who will gradually return to their country. The largest influx of migrants is expected from Africa, and it cannot be stopped. The problem is that many politicians in Europe sincerely believe that if a person arrives on the territory of the EU, frees himself from oppression in his homeland, all doors should be open to him here.
I see that dangerous divisions have arisen within the European community. Some argue that the unification of all peoples on the basis of liberal values is good. Others are afraid of the prospect of the Islamization of Europe and the invasion of foreigners.
FROM Alexander Rahr talked Evgeny Shestakov
Alexander Glebovich Rar(English Alexander Rahr) is a German journalist.
Biography
He was born on March 2, 1959 in Taipei, Taiwan. From 1977 to 1985 he was project manager for a research project on Soviet leaders at the Federal Institute for East European and International Studies in Cologne. From 1980 to 1988 he studied at the University of Munich, where he studied the history of Eastern Europe, modern history and political science. From 1982 to 1994 he was a Research Fellow at the Radio Liberty Research Institute in Munich. From 1986 to 1994 he served as a consultant in Santa Monica. In 1990, he carried out research work in the Council of People's Deputies of the USSR in an interregional group. In 1990, he conducted research work in the Parliament of the USSR. From 1990 to 1991 he did research work in New York. From 1992 to 1995 he was an unofficial adviser to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. From 1994 to 1995 he was a research fellow at the Research Institute of the German Foreign Policy Council. From 1995 to 2012, he served as director of the Center for Russia and Eurasia at the German Council for Foreign Policy, funded by the Eastern Committee of the German Economy and Deutsche Bank. Since 2010, the center has been renamed the Center. Bertolt Beyts.
Awards
In 2003 he was awarded the Order of Merit to the FRG for his contribution to the development of German-Russian relations. In 2004, he was awarded the title of honorary professor at MGIMO and at the same time he became a member of the board of directors of YES and the Valdai Club. In 2011 he received the title of honorary professor at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow. From 2012 to 2015, he served as a senior consultant at Wintershall and a senior adviser to the President of the German-Russian Chamber of Commerce. In 2012, he was Scientific Director of the German-Russian Forum in Berlin, and a year later he became Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Russian Economy in Germany. In 2015, he was an adviser to Gazprom on European issues. In 2003 he was awarded the Federal Cross.
Creation
In 1986 he published a biography of Gorbachev, in 2000 - Putin's "German in the Kremlin". In 2008, he wrote the book "Russia is stepping on the gas" and "Putin against Putin." His parents are well-known emigration figures Gleb Aleksandrovich Rar and Sofia Vasilievna Rar. Married, has a son and a daughter. Now he is the director of the Russia-Eurasia Center.
His father, Gleb Rar, was a military judge during the First World War, and his great-grandfather was the largest entrepreneur and owner of the building on Lubyanka, today's FSB. For which the family was expelled from Russia. At first they lived in Sweden, but because they spoke German, they received a residence permit in Germany. Rahr has 5 sisters and brothers, in 1974 they moved with the whole family to Munich, where their father worked for Radio Liberty. On his mother's side, Rar has descendants of Tatar princes, and one of his godparents was Dmitry Donskoy. His brother Michael is a priest, and his other brother Vladimir is the head of the brotherhood of St. Vladimir. He was acquainted with Yeltsin, Burbulis, Yavlinsky, Shakhrai and Sobchak. Speaks Russian and German. In an interview, he called Putin the father of the nation. In 1995 he published the CIS barometer. Published 6 books in total. German, most of them have been translated into Russian and other languages. Alexander Rahr is one of the coordinators of the working group "Workshop of the Future" of the "Petersburg Dialogue", an open discussion forum that contributes to strengthening mutual understanding between civil societies in Russia and Germany. Currently working on a book about description modern Russia until the 20s of the 21st century. As a child, I dreamed of working in a zoo. His reference book is the History of the Russian Revolution by Slava Nikonov. His role models are Alexander Solzhenitsyn and Alexander Nevsky. Has a dog. Mikhail Khodorkovsky is a close friend of Alexander. In the Valdai Committee, he was engaged in improving the image of Russia. He is a regular participant in political programs that affect relations between Russia and Germany. In 2014, he was the only foreign journalist who was able to ask Vladimir Putin a question at his annual conference.
Alexander Glebovich Rahr is one of the most well-known Western experts on issues related to Russia. He directs the work of the Berthold Beitz Center at the German Foreign Policy Council, funded by Deutsche Bank. The life story of Alexander Rahr is rather unusual: the famous expert and international journalist was born in Taiwan, has Russian roots and German citizenship. The leaders of states are interested in his opinion, since it objectively reflects the situation. For his contribution to the development of Russian-German relations, Rahr received the highest award of the Federal Republic of Germany and was awarded the title of honorary professor at MGIMO.
Emigration to the Baltics
Alexander Rahr was born into a family of first-wave emigrants who left their country after the revolution and civil war. His grandfather came from the merchant class. For this reason, the communist authorities recognized the Rarov family as hostile to the new order and expelled her from the country. Alexander Rar's father's name was Gleb Alexandrovich. He was born in Moscow, but left with his parents for the Baltic States, where he spent his childhood. In Latvia, Gleb Rar graduated from the gymnasium.
Emigration to Germany
After the arrival of the Red Army in the Baltic States, the Rars faced a difficult choice. From the side of the Soviet authorities, repressions inevitably awaited them. The Rahrs were eligible to emigrate to Germany due to their German roots, but had no sympathy for the Nazi regime. Ultimately, the decision was made. They moved to Germany, but refused to receive German citizenship. Gleb Rar studied to be an architect and actively participated in the activities of the Orthodox community of Russian emigrants. Two years before the end of World War II, he was arrested for anti-Hitler propaganda. Gleb Rar was imprisoned in several concentration camps. He was liberated by American troops.
Jobs in Taiwan
In 1957, Gleb Rar married Sofya Orekhova, the daughter of a White Guard officer, widely known among Russian emigrants. Together, the couple went to Taiwan. Gleb Rar received an offer to work there at a radio station that broadcast to the territory Soviet Union. The main purpose of her activities was to conduct anti-communist propaganda. In 1959, the couple had a son, Alexander Glebovich Rahr. The biography of the family largely predetermined his fate.
Education
In 1980, Alexander Rahr entered the University of Munich, where he studied the history of Eastern Europe and political science. He managed to feel the approach of an era of change in the Soviet Union earlier than others. In 1986, the first book written by Alexander Rahr was published. The biography of Mikhail Gorbachev saw the light when the Soviet empire still seemed indestructible. Rahr in his book called the last General Secretary of the CPSU "a new man." Education at the University of Munich continued until 1988. Then Alexander Rar was invited to work at Radio Liberty as an expert on the Soviet Union.
Contacts with Russia
The first visit to the historical homeland took place in 1990. Rahr's visit to the USSR was organized by a group of people's deputies. He got the opportunity to meet and interact with some of the important political figures of the time. In particular, Rahr had a personal meeting with Boris Yeltsin. Since then, the closeness of the Western expert and journalist to Russian power circles has become one of the reasons for his popularity.
Career
In the early 90s, as a political scientist, Alexander Rahr was engaged in research work at the Institute of East and West in the USA. After returning to Germany, he became director of the center for Russia and Eurasia. Cooperation with this expert and analytical organization founded by the German Foreign Policy Council continued until 2012. Leaving work in research center, Rahr took up the position of consultant to the largest German energy company Wintershall. In addition, he directs the activities of several organizations that aim to develop Russian-German relations. In 2015, Alexander Rahr became an adviser to PJSC Gazprom on European issues.
Valdai Club
In 2004, an international organization was created to ensure an open dialogue between Western experts and the Russian political elite. The discussion platform got its name after the first conference held in Veliky Novgorod near Lake Valdai. Rahr has been a member of this international club since its inception. As part of this discussion platform, he personally met with President Vladimir Putin.
Books
Over the past two decades, Rahr has been the author of several analytical works on the topic of relations between Russia and the West. The main idea, which he repeatedly emphasized in his writings, is the need for constructive cooperation. According to the political scientist, Russia is an integral part of European civilization.
