The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Set during the Salem witch trials, the play dramatizes how accusations and personal testimonies can override objective evidence. Judges in the play struggle to distinguish truth from hysteria, weighing conflicting testimonies and scant evidence. The play critiques and exemplifies the American tradition of judicial inquiry, showing both its strengths and its dangers when subjective testimony overwhelms objective fact.
Patience of an Angel
That Germans avoid rushing into action is imbedded in many of their figures of speech. They communicate the advantages of being patient, and the disadvantages of hastiness and pseudo-solutions to problems.
“Geduld bringt Rosen” – patience brings roses. “Gut Ding will Weile haben” – good things need time. Patience in the German language is often seen as a superhuman trait.
Chancellor Angela Merkel. 2019. Press conference. European Union Summit in Brussels postponed. 0:38 Gut Ding will Weile haben.
Germans speak of Engelsgeduld – the patience of an angel. “Geduld ist eine Tugend” – patience is a virtue.
Even when Germans have to move fast, when they know that they need to “hurry up”, they say “Eile mit Weile!” Eile is speed, rush, hastiness. Weile is stay, linger, dwell. Meaning something like “Hurry up, but take your time doing it.
More Rules of Moderation
The Germans believe that moderation can succeed only if it makes clear to all parties involved that there will be no naming a winner and a loser.
Naming one side the loser is a guaranty that the conflict resolution will not hold, that the „losing party“ will seek to roll back, revise, reject the resolution. True acceptance, real stability, can be achieved only if both parties come away accepting a compromise.
Akzeptieren. Latin acceptare, to accept, take on, allow, approve, recognize; to come to agreement with someone; to accept an apology, a recommendation, an idea.
Rules of Mediation
The first rule is that the conflict resolution process is not the equivalent of a court case. The goal is not to judge either of the conflict parties, but to jointly find a solution to the problem.
Goodwill. It is expected of all parties involved that they act in good faith and are willing to compromise. The mediator should do no more than guide the discussion and help the conflict parties to recognize common ground. The conflict parties are asked to find a solution together. Only when that cannot be achieved, is the moderator expected to make concrete suggestions.
The mediator. Germans expect the moderator to be neutral, to listen patiently to both sides of the conflict, and to support the resolution process in a way which does not damage either party. Neither blame nor guilt should be attributed to either of the conflict parties. Instead, the mediator focuses on reconstructing events and describing the problem.
Heiner Geissler, a former high-ranking member of the Christian Democratic Party, is the most prominent of German mediator. Geißler has been brought in numerous times since 1997 to help resolve conflicts between companies and unions. He was in the national spotlight over the last few years in his attempt to help resolve a major political conflict in the state of Baden-Württemberg concerning a the reconstruction of the Stuttgart main train station.
Judge Judy
Judge Judy (and other courtroom reality shows). Real-life small claims cases are presented before Judge Judy Sheindlin, who listens to both parties, examines evidence, and cross-examines witnesses before issuing a binding verdict. Judge Judy’s approach epitomizes the American manager-as-judge logic: she considers both objective facts (documents, receipts, contracts) and subjective testimony (personal accounts, explanations) before making a decision.
Hasty
Überstürzen. To act impatiently; in haste, without thinking it through; to decide, act, react too quickly; a situation develops too quickly to react to; rapid developments.
Hastig. Hasty, due to impatience; lack of grounding, emotionally excited; in a hurried manner steps, breathing, movements, thoughts.
Holzweg. Literally wooden path. Middle High German holzwec, path in the forest where cut wood is transported; wrong path, path in the wrong direction; to misunderstand a situation, to think wrongly, to err in thinking.
Vertagen. To postpone; to push off to another day; to extend a decision, an event.
Vertuschen. To hide, cover up; to mask something unfortunate, embarrassing or incriminating.
Symptome. Latin symptoma, Greek sýmptōma, temporary characteristic, coincidental event; in medicine an indication of an illness; an observable trait or sign of something negative.
Nachhaltig. Sustained, sustainable, an effect which is lasting, of duration, of influence and importance; to make a sustained impression; to exert influence in a sustained way.
Etwas über das Knie brechen. Literally to break something over the knee. To do something out of haste, without reflection, to force something.
Gut Ding will Weile haben. Literally good things demand patience.
Deutschland 83 86 89
Deutschland 83 / Deutschland 86 / Deutschland 89: This acclaimed spy thriller trilogy follows a young East German border guard who is sent to West Germany as an undercover spy during the Cold War. The series meticulously reconstructs the political, social, and personal factors driving East-West tensions. Characters constantly seek evidence—through espionage, surveillance, and analysis—to understand motivations and prevent escalation. The narrative emphasizes cause-and-effect and the critical role of information in resolving or escalating conflict.
Vergangenheitsbewältigung
Postwar Trials and Vergangenheitsbewältigung (Coming to Terms with the Past). After World War II, Germany’s approach to dealing with Nazi crimes was grounded in the collection and presentation of objective evidence—such as documents, photographs, and testimonies—during the Nuremberg Trials and subsequent legal proceedings. This process set a precedent for addressing historical wrongdoing through meticulous reconstruction of facts and causes.
Schlichten
vermitteln. To reach agreement among enemies; intervene in a conflict, argument; enable communication between opposing parties; to bring about, to make happen; to bring those in disagreement together; to facilitate; to make a match, marriage, friendship; to help someone achieve a goal.
Diktat. Latin dictatum, from dictare. Dictation; to dictate, determine; a written command, order; to force something on another person, from the outside; dictator.
schlichten. Old High German slihten, to even out, smoothen; as a neutral party help resolve a problem, end a fight; to make a wooden or metal surface smooth, shiny; to make leather soft, pliable.
Holzhammermethode. Literally wooden hammer method; to try to accomplish something with force. Using a wooden hammer is a metaphor in Germany for taking an unsophisticated, rough, impatient approach to a sensitive matter.
Mediation Process
On the website of the German National Association of Mediation one reads:
“The mediator directs the mediation process in angemessener (appropriate, reasonable, adequate) way and considering the unique aspects of the case, including an imbalance of power between the conflict parties, the rule of law, as well as any particular needs and wishes of the two parties, including the need to resolve the conflict in a timely manner.”
The conflict parties may modify the mediation process in line with current rules or otherwise, in agreement with the moderator. The mediator may conduct separate hearings with the conflict parties if she or he deems this to be helpful.”