Although the principles of democracy are—in abstract—stable concepts, every generation must consider anew how best to apply them in society. What do the principles of freedom, equality, and solidarity mean to today's Germans, French, and Poles? Twelve authors and interview partners from Germany, France, and Poland provide moving responses to important questions about a common European future.

The idea for this book emerged from the depths of a crisis that posed unprecedented challenges to the European Union, leaving many in Europe with serious doubts about the union and its future. These essays and conversations address the guiding principles of modern Europe freedom, equality, and solidarity from French, Polish, and German viewpoints. In so doing, they represent a reflective moment in which each author reconsiders his or her country, in the midst of Europe, with a critical eye to the past and recalibrated expectations for the future.