Waving the German Flag

Germans have, understandably, had a complicated relationship with their flag and other symbols of nationalism since the Second World War.  When I first started coming to Germany in the early 1990s, I was struck by how seldom one saw a flag in contrast to the States.  But things have been changing since then.  When we were here during the 2006 World Cup, I saw for the first time folks hanging flags on their houses and their cars, publicly proclaiming their pride in Germany.

If 2006 was the start, the European Cup this year marks a new phase for German pride in their flag.  I have never seen so many German flags--they even reach post 9/11 levels of flag display in the U.S.  THE ECONOMIST this week has a great report on why this is a healthy thing and how current German patriotism is of the unaggressive, even brotherly, variety.