Basel

On Thursday evening in Basel the Germans beat the Portuguese and made it to the semi-finals of the European cup. And they won their game with the help of three Polish players! Podolski was born in the now Polish city of Gleiwitz!

On Wednesday they play Turkey in the semi-final, again in Basel.

It was a wonderful spectacle to see two European countries vie for superiority on the playing pitch. It was all done in good fun.

Sixty five years earlier they were killing one another. The Germans had been routed from Stalingrad and the tank battle at Kursk sent them on their final run back home.

Many historians will argue that it was the downfall of the Weimar Republic that allowed Hitler come to power. The Nazis used all the tricks to fool people: fear, national identity, job loss and of course they created their scapegoats. The Nazis did all their work in the dark and in secret - the result was slaughter and ultimate defeat, fortunately, at Stalingrad.

All paid for with the blood of ordinary people.

The European Union has offered us a way out of the cycle of war and slaughter.

Much better to cheer and roar on the park in Basel than scream and die on the Volga.

Europe has experienced an extended period of peace since the end of that dreadful war.

Hopefully the politicians can continue to bring the citizens of Europe closer and make the continent a safer and better place.