One Europe Magazine

One Europe Magazine is a European students' magazine, written by AEGEE members, that acts an international forum for discussions about the variety of different opinions on political, historical and cultural themes within Europe. Its goal is to establish a platform for ideas, visions, different models of European integration and to encourage discussion about general topics relevant to Europe's future. The OneEurope Magazine also covers issues that are very relevant within the main fields of action of AEGEE, active citizenship in particular.

History

(Slightly modified article from 1995 published within the 10-years-anniversary book of AEGEE)

The early Beginnings: In some way, the East-West Quarterly, the former internal publication of the East-West Working Group of AEGEE, is the predecessor of the OneEurope Magazine. At the end of 1992, however, the EWWG suffered from a lack of tasks and ideas: the building-up of antennae in the East was more or less completed, the consolidation period had begun, consequently the EWWG was losing its attraction for new motivated people and endured a high fluctuation of its members.

The problems mentioned and the existing communication problems induced Sebastian Hübner, the publisher of the East-West Quarterly, to look for co-editors. He asked Lorenz Spillner and Michael Waibel, both from AEGEE-Aachen, to put up a new, more professional magazine the thematical horizon of which was to go far beyond single AEGEE matters. The first editorial meeting was held at the AEGEE Presidents Meeting in Aachen. At the European School in Berlin, which took place in February/March 1993. There, the idea was presented to the public and first requests for articles were launched.

Our ideas and aims

The idea was to create a real European students' magazine, an international forum for discussions about the variety of different opinions on political, historical and cultural themes within Europe. With this project we intended to establish a platform for ideas, visions, different models of European integration and about general topics which are important for us, today and in future. Last but not least, the Magazine was meant to intensify the communication and thematic discussions all across the continent. This could be achieved by gathering people in the region of Aachen, Bonn and Köln that would do the administrative work, and - most important - to induce people from all across Europe to give the input. The network of AEGEE secured a Europe-wide distribution, however, one problem still had to be solved...

The Name

In our opinion the division between East and West was too strongly linked in our heads. At that time, three years after the fall of the Iron Curtain, this division seemed to be out of fashion. 'Integration' one of the magic words at our first meetings, was to happen first in our heads - and consequently also economically and politically. Briefly: it came to Michael Waibel one lonely night during the European School in Berlin: OneEurope - and the name was born. The name 'OneEurope', 'One' and 'Europe' intentionally linked together, seemed to summarize our ‘'idealistic' wish for a common house of OneEurope: a new, united and peacefully integrated Europe with mutual respect and understanding.

The first year: gaining experience

The first issue of the OneEurope Magazine was distributed at the Agora in Prague in April 1993. The six weeks before, a wave of article requests was sent within the network, mostly via Fax.

For the editorial & layout session we could recruit a new member of AEGEE-Aachen, Philipp von Klitzing. He turned out to be the master of computer-business and nearly went crazy doing the proof reading. Finally more than 56 hours on end were spent doing the layout. Thereby, the apartment of some other victim was occupied, Clemens von Willich. Originally, it was promised to him to make use his fine computer for one afternoon only. After all, the editorial team was still pretty much inexperienced... As for the contents, it was focussed on Hungary in the Periscope section. The most interesting articles have been 'Who wants to study in the West', describing the odyssey of a Russian student trying to organize his studies abroad as well as 'Freedom of the Press in Eastern Europe' a survey of the conditions and state of media in the former communist states.

Xenophobia

In July 1993, the second issue was published. Still shocked by the horrible violent racist attacks in Germany the editorial team chose Xenophobia as main topic. Highlights of this issue have undoubtedly been the interview with Ignatz Bubis, at that time the President of the Central board of Jews in Germany as well as Ingmar Arnold's careful and thorough report on the AEGEE-Köln conference 'Europe and the Islamic culture'. Meanwhile, the editorial team got enriched by Markus Buck from Cologne. He worked out a professional layout together with Albena Mihaylova. Thanks to Philipp von Klitzing, the OneEurope Magazine entered as one of the first students' publications worldwide the Internet.

St. Petersburg

Wintertime, OEM-time; in December 1993, the editorial team put the spot on 'St. Petersburg - City on the Move'. David von Lingen's analysis of the development of reforms and society in Russia as well as Rainer Emschermann's brilliant article on the Case Study Trip to Albania are to be mentioned, in particular. Looking back at the first year, the editorial team had to face tremendous financial problems. To establish a new magazine within the media - landscape, to make yourself a name outside and inside AEGEE - and most important - to raise money by selling advertisements turned to be the most difficult challenge.

The second year: consolidation

Balkans

The April-Issue 1994 became the masterpiece of our layouter Markus Buck. For the first time, we had raised enough money to finance a coloured cover and a more professional layout. As for the contents the balkan conflicts were our focal point. The first issue of 1994 was a great step forward in our efforts to accomplish an interesting and readable European students' magazine. Cyberspace

In the autumn issue we focussed on 'Cyperspace - Computer and their use in communication', probably the most thoroughly researched Periscope section we have printed so far.

Highlights besides, were the interviews with Otto von der Gablentz, at that time German ambassador in Russia and Kiro Gligorov, President of the 'FYROM'.

Europe and the Rest of World

Being aware that the Europeans practise too much inward-looking we draw our attention beyond the borders of (fortress?) Europe and examined how the rest of the world regards us. 'America - Land of Confusion', a profound analysis of the United States and their relations towards Europe', and the highly controversial article on 'the Borders of Europe', an appeal to enlarge our network beyond the geographical borders caused fiercy reactions. In our second year, we were able to master our financial problems. Due to our increased efforts and gained experience as for getting advertisements and due to a considerable subvention by the German BMBW we were able to improve the layout and raise the circulation from 2.500 to 5.000 copies. The amount of our readers increased furthermore: Since August 1994 the OneEurope Magazine has also been available via World Wide Web. Thousands of online readers from every part of the globe have accessed the OneEurope WWW pages, so far. Besides, we had to realize that the human capital within the network was not to enough for further progress. Consequently we started to recruit new editors and layouters from the outside.

The third year: the way to professionalism

A new year, a new step forward: The recruitment efforts at the local arts college and at the universities of Aachen, Bonn and Maastricht turned out to be successful.

For the first time the editorial team was able to work with semi-professionals: design students, photographers and people with journalistic experience. For the core of the OneEurope WG, Philipp von Klitzing, Lorenz Spillner and Michael Waibel, who had neglected their studies to great extent in the past two years, this development meant a new challenge: To get new people acquainted with our view of a European magazine and to get them fascinated about the ideas of the leading European students' association.

After all, the editorial team had developed a great love for their ‘baby’ and the least they could to do was to look for new people to continue the job.

The power of symbols''

The use and influence of symbols in today's time was the focal point in the first issue of 1995. Within a perfect layout, the editorial team published articles on ‘how Symbols create Identity’, on ‘Commercial Brands & their significance’ and the ‘symbolic use of names’.

Thanks to a further improved fundraising, subventions from the European Youth Foundation and the German BMBW the editorial team was able to raise the circulation up to 7.000 copies

Conclusions

After more than two years of publishing the OneEurope Magazine: Has the editorial team reached its initial goal of editing a real European magazine: a platform for discussion and inter-cultural communication all across the continent? Did it contribute to remove the division East and West within the heads of the European youth? For sure, a bit was contributed to this ambitious goals. However, to reach the European public you better need 7,000,000 instead of 7,000 copies.

Last not least the editorial team would like to express their sincere thanks to all the people who supported us during the last years: authors, sponsors, subscribers, former OneEurope WG members, AEGEE-Aachen, AEGEE-Europe and all those whom may have been forgotten.

OneEurope Magazine: ISSN 1023-6953, Today's Web-Site see below

Authors:
Michael Waibel, studies economics and economical geography, 25.10.69
Lorenz Spillner, studies national economy, 17.7.1970
Sebastian Hübner, studies computer linguistics, 8.9.1968

External links

• Official One Europe Magazine Website