Austria's Kneissl Sorrowful That Today’s Europe Has ‘Lost Its Soul’

Former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, who is today director of the St. Petersburg State University Geopolitical Observatory for Russia’s Key Issues (G.O.R.K.I.) Center, addressed the Russian Historical Society yesterday. She invoked proto-Nazi philosopher Oswald Spengler’s book The Decline of the West to argue that Europe has been degenerating for 20 years. She’s quoted in Sputnik, as saying: “Unfortunately, Europe today is a Europe of war. This is the current European agenda…. I cannot conceal my sadness…. I have always dreamed about a Europe of pluralism, a Europe of freedom, constitution, art.” She added that Europe has “lost its soul, it is dead.”