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4
WinstonChurchill’sSpeechatZurichUniversity
Zurich,19September1946
(fragmenty)
IwishtospeaktoyoutodayaboutthetragedyofEurope.Thisnoblecontinent,
comprisingonthewholethefairestandthemostcultivatedregionsoftheearth,
enjoyingatemperateandequableclimate,isthehomeofallthegreatparentracesof
theWesternworld.ItisthefoundationofChristianfaithandChristianethics.Itis
theoriginofmostoftheculture,art,philosophyandscience,bothofancientand
moderntimes.IfEuropewereonceunitedinthesharingofitscommoninheritance
therewouldbenolimittothehappiness,theprosperityandtheglorywhichitsthree
orfourhundredmillionpeoplewouldenjoy.YetitisfromEuropethathassprung
thatseriesoffrightfulandnationalisticmorals,originatedbytheTeutonicnationsin
theirrisetopower,whichwehaveseeninthistwentiethcenturyandwhichhavefor
alongtime,wreckedthepeaceandmarredtheprospectsofallmankind.
AndwhatistheplighttowhichEuropehasbeenreduced?Someofthesmaller
stateshaveindeedmadeagoodrecovery,butoverwideareasavastquiveringmass
oftormented,hungry,care-wornandbewilderedhumanbeingsgazeontheruinsof
theircitiesandscanthedarkhorizonfortheapproachofsomenewperil,tyrannyor
terror.
[...]
Theprocessissimple.Allthatisneededistheresolveofhundredsofmillionsof
menandwomentodorightinsteadofwrong,andtogainastheirrewardblessing
insteadofcursing.Muchworkhasbeendoneuponthistaskbytheexertionsofthe
plannedEuropeanUnionwhichowessomuchtoCountCoudenhove-Kalergiand
whichdemandedtheservicesofthefamousFrenchpatronandstatesman,Aristide
Briand.
[...]
ThereisnoreasonwhyaregionalorganizationofEuropeshouldinanyway
conflictwiththeworldorganizationoftheUnitedNations.
Onthecontrary,Ibelievethatthelargersynthesiswillonlysurviveifitis
foundeduponbroadnaturalgroupingsintheWesternHemisphere.WeBritishhave
ourowncommonwealthofnations.Thesedonotweaken-onthecontrarythey
strengthen-theworldorganization.Theyare,infact,itsmainsupport.Andwhy
shouldtherenotbeaEuropeangroupingwhichcangiveasenseofnational
patriotismandcommoncitizenshiptothedistractedpeoplesofthisturbulentand
mightyContinent,andwhyshoulditnottakeitsproper,rightfulplacewithother
greatgroupingsandhelptoshapethedestiniesofman?
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