Column by Ewald König

Back then, when your hordes of murderous horsemen had advanced to within just 240 kilometers of Berlin, they were anything but welcome. You and your machines of death were feared. Berlin was still a small town back then, just beginning to take shape. No defensive capabilities had yet been established. No one was prepared for your attackers, who struck around the clock for years on end. No one had enough strength to put up a fight. No one was prepared for the fact that this Mongol onslaught simply would not stop.

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The Battle of Liegnitz (in present-day Poland, not far from present-day Saxony) in 1241 represented the ultimate threat. By then, you had ravaged countries, burned down cities and princely seats, and killed hundreds of thousands of people. The young city of Berlin was spared. It likely would not have stood a chance.

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Your troops were equipped with modern weapons, light armor, helmets that allowed for a clear field of vision, as well as new tactics and strategies. The cavalrymen rode particularly agile horses, were masters of the bow and arrow, and could even fire a hail of arrows at their pursuers from a great distance while facing backward. This equipment and these tactics were far superior to European defenses.

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While this certainly deserves respect, today—under the principle of universal jurisdiction—your massacres would lead to charges even in your absence. States could now respond to crimes that pose a threat to the international community and that would otherwise go unpunished. Presumably, this would not have impressed you at all. You would have simply steamrolled over everything, including the International Criminal Court.

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But you also achieved incredible successes in what was arguably the greatest empire the world has ever seen in the history of humankind. At first, you were a brutal conqueror; then you established a functioning state, introduced a reliable legal system, commissioned the development of a Mongolian alphabet, founded cities, and introduced paper money—which allowed trade to flourish worldwide and also transformed Europe.

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Starting today, you have the Museum Island firmly in your grasp; your life can be traced in the exhibition at the James Simon Gallery through April 18, 2027—with many exhibits leaving Mongolia for the first time and leaving the Genghis Khan National Museum in Ulaanbaatar looking rather empty for half a year.

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No one needs to be afraid of you. Quite the contrary. The official events marking the opening of the exhibition were characterized by a warmth that went far beyond the usual exchange of ceremonial courtesies. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier seems to be a great admirer of yours. During his state visit to Mongolia two years ago, he signed the agreement for the exhibition, and now he is genuinely pleased that he was able to open the exhibition about you—together with his counterpart, Ukhnaa Khurelsukh—while still in office.

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The exhibition gives us food for thought. What does all this have to do with us? What would Europe look like if you had continued? What can we learn from you?

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This time, dear Mr. Genghis Khan, you are not feared, but welcomed.

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diplo.news published articles about this exhibition very early on, along with an interview with Matthias Wemhoff, director of the Museum of Prehistory and Early History at the State Museums in Berlin: Genghis Khan and a Sense of World History