Norman Birnbaum

Norman Birnbaum is professor emeritus at the Georgetown University Law Center. He was on the founding editorial board of New Left Review and is a member of the editorial board of The Nation. His memoir, From The Bronx to Oxford and Not Quite Back, was published in January 2018.

Marcus Raskin

Marcus Raskin: Farewell to a Prodigiously Beating Heart Marcus Raskin: Farewell to a Prodigiously Beating Heart

Above all, he gave us hope.

Dec 29, 2017 / Lived History / Norman Birnbaum

Norman Podhoretz

What ‘The New York Times’ Missed in Its Piece about Norman Podhoretz What ‘The New York Times’ Missed in Its Piece about Norman Podhoretz

The profile failed to mention the larger historical context in which the former Commentary editor and his contemporaries operated.

Mar 27, 2017 / Norman Birnbaum

Genscher

Remembering Hans-Dietrich Genscher Remembering Hans-Dietrich Genscher

Genscher was hardly a tribune of the people. Yet his fellow Germans—in both halves of the divided nation—trusted him to act for termination of the incessant threat of war.

Apr 12, 2016 / Norman Birnbaum

German Chancellor Angela Merkel

How Germany’s Surveillance Scandals Echo Our Own How Germany’s Surveillance Scandals Echo Our Own

We treat the Germans the same way we treat ourselves—like dogs.

Aug 14, 2015 / Norman Birnbaum

Auf Wiedersehen Günter Grass

Auf Wiedersehen Günter Grass Auf Wiedersehen Günter Grass

Günter Grass not only taught us about German history, but also ourselves.

Apr 27, 2015 / Lived History / Norman Birnbaum

We Don’t Need Heidegger’s Notebooks to Know That He Was a Despicable Anti-Semite

We Don’t Need Heidegger’s Notebooks to Know That He Was a Despicable Anti-Semite We Don’t Need Heidegger’s Notebooks to Know That He Was a Despicable Anti-Semite

Their recent publication tells us nothing we didn’t already know, or could easily have inferred, from his biography.

Apr 1, 2014 / Norman Birnbaum

Remembering Tony Benn

Remembering Tony Benn Remembering Tony Benn

Tony Benn died at age 88 last week—and was immediately and fulsomely praised by many well able to restrain their enthusiasm for him in his lifetime.

Mar 18, 2014 / Lived History / Norman Birnbaum

Celebrating Willy Brandt’s 100th Birthday

Celebrating Willy Brandt’s 100th Birthday Celebrating Willy Brandt’s 100th Birthday

He risked his life in the underground against the Nazis, helped rebuild German social democracy after the war and laid the groundwork for reconciliation of East and West. Lebe wohl...

Dec 19, 2013 / Lived History / Norman Birnbaum

Fateful Decision for Germany’s Social Democrats

Fateful Decision for Germany’s Social Democrats Fateful Decision for Germany’s Social Democrats

Can they survive another grand coalition with Angela Merkel’s CDU—and is it too late to rejuvenate the party that once subordinated capitalism to the public good?

Dec 10, 2013 / Norman Birnbaum

Remembering Doris Lessing

Remembering Doris Lessing Remembering Doris Lessing

Doris Lessing responded to the contradictions of our time by facing them with unmatched courage.

Nov 25, 2013 / Lived History / Norman Birnbaum

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