Well, historically the madman in this part of the world has been Germany. Germany doesn't really have a border with Russia to worry about like for example the Baltics have.
Madmen need a fertile soil to grow in, otherwise they don't get any support from the population. That is no longer Germany, but I can think of another country which has a charismatic head of state with ambitions of restoring the country to its previous level of international standing.
Can you clarify what part of this you are disputing? The first half of the 20th century was indisputably dominated by German aggression in Europe and I'd like to see a history book paint that differently.
I'm not sure I agree with GP's broader point but your riposte makes no sense.
It wasn't just the first half of the 20th century, either. The various German states were warmongers for much of the 19th century as well. Bismarck was a monster; people look far too kindly upon his history, he was an outright war criminal that was obsessed with conquering.
