Vienna – Europe may be formally united, yet deep fractures continue to divide not only the continent itself, but also individual nations and even governments. What does it mean for Europeans to confront the return of war to the heart of the continent, as in Ukraine? And what specific role does Italy play within the geopolitical tensions now shaking the foundations of European unity? These questions will be at the centre of a conversation between journalist, essayist and translator Stefano Vastano and Karl Schlögel, one of Germany’s most acclaimed historians, on May 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the Italian Cultural Institute of Vienna. In 2025, Schlögel was awarded the prestigious Friedenspreis des Deutschen Buchhandels for his ability, as stated in the award citation, to combine “empirical historiography with personal experience.” The discussion is expected to offer a wide-ranging reflection on Europe’s political, cultural and historical challenges at a moment of profound transformation. (9colonne)