Berkley Center

In the 1930’s and 1940’s, German nationalism mounted to unparalleled heights. Nazi propaganda–in particular, racist notions of Aryan identity, and the supremacy of the German people–not only served as the destructive engine of enormous material atrocities, it monopolized national discourse. German nationalism under Hitler was thus both insidious and all pervasive.

After the downfall of the Third Reich, German society was obliged to face what had been done by and in the name of “Dem Deutschen Volk (the German people).” War crimes were stringently examined in the Nuremberg Trails, while the surviving Jews and political dissidents came out of hiding to rebuild their lives, and in many cases, to bear witness to their experience of Nazi persecution. A colossal burden of shame was shouldered by German society post-World War II, one that would cause Germans great difficulty in engaging in any form of patriotic enthusiasm for decades thereafter.

Why was navigating national pride difficult from 1945 on? Some argue that Nazism had irrevocably tainted the concept of German-ness. However, I find such a theoretical claim difficult to prove and somewhat abstract from everyday German life. My impression is that any discourse on the unique strengths or particular supremacy of really anything German; be it the people, the culture, the industry, the military, or even folk music, too closely echoed Nazi-era propaganda. The nationalist turns of phrase that had become so familiar in the 1930’s and 1940’s turned to ash in the mouths of post-war Germans. I perceive that your average post-World War II German citizen found it out of the question to repeat the same rhetoric that had been used to justify the oppression and murder of millions.

Half a century later, it seems that Germany is in a different state of mind. International sporting events –such as the religiously-followed international soccer tournaments –have provided German society with an opportunity to test-drive their patriotism. To that point, the 2006 FIFA World Cup held in Germany, the 2008 UEFA Euro Cup in Austria and Switzerland, and the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa stand as strong examples. Here we have tournaments that energize the entire country; for a month, Germans devote their free time to socializing through the recognition and celebration of their shared national identity. They tie the German flag around their shoulders, down huge glasses of pilsner and hefeweizen, debate the minutiae of every game, and sing loud sporting ballads known by all. Many cafés, restaurants, and bars rent widescreen TVs or projectors and advertise the availability of their establishment for the viewing of the evening's match. Shoppers are suddenly plagued by sales and special World Cup deals, from auto dealers, clothing boutiques, and, improbably, mattress stores. Even chocolate bars are emblazoned with the faces of Germany's soccer players!