Historical analogy from 1920s Germany: Konrad Adenauer advocated breaking up Germany into smaller states to prevent militarism, while Hitler pushed for a united empire; the latter’s success enabled Nazism and WWII, while Adenauer is now seen as a hero. 

Parallel to modern Russia: Russia today poses existential threats to itself and the world through imperialism and militarism, making its empire’s collapse inevitable and desirable for global, European, and Russian safety. 

Lesson for dismemberment debates: Those labeled “dismemberers” of Russia (like Adenauer was for Germany) may be proven right over time, while unity advocates risk enabling authoritarianism; stability should not trump long-term peace through structural change.

It is often forgotten that in the 1920s, Germany was divided between those who favored breaking it up into a number of separate states and those who favored a united and indivisible Russia. Konrad Adenauer, the mayor........

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