Is it really any surprise that as early as 1942, in his Ventotene manifesto, the Italian resistance fighter Altierio Spinelli – later one of the founding fathers of the European Communities – set against the experience of war and totalitarianism, the vision of a democratic United States of Europe, one that would even include – remarkably for 1942! – a democratic, de-Nazified Germany?
Kas on siis midagi imestada, et Itaalia vastupanuvõitleja Altierio Spinelli – hiljem üks Euroopa Ühendusele aluse panijatest – seadis juba 1942. aastal oma Ventotene manifestis vastukaaluks tookordsele sõja- ja totalitarismikogemusele visiooni demokraatlikest Euroopa Ühendriikidest, mis pidid – 1942. aasta kohta märkimisväärne! – hõlmama ka demokraatliku, denatsifitseeritud Saksamaa?