Germany during the Football World Championship is in a state like I have never known before. My home country has grown up, in all the aspects of the meaning. It it no longer a child which needs care or paternalism like after World War 2. Furthermore, it is no longer in puberty with volatile up- and downswings in its mood, including self-depreciating inferiority complexes. Also no adolecent, trying to be cool, but in its inner core still with a portion of unsecurity like in the last years of our previous sickening government.
Today, it feels like it has matured, accepted its becoming in age, and the transformations that come along with a grown-up body. These transformations especially become obvious that I feel we have a sort of “Neues Deutschland” (=New Germany) in front of us. This expression would certainly be appropriate if it hadn’t been spoiled by the title of Eastern Germany’s leading communist newspaper. Yet, devoid of that stain, this country has re-invented itself for the better. The transformation of its obvious physical appearance extend particularly to the kind of people who gather behind the German flag. I felt over-delighted to see people from Asia, Africa, South America etc. finding some sort of identity and taking pride in it, together e.g. celebrating Germany’s victory on Friday on Munich’s Leopoldstraße. A pride which is inclusive, which takes into account the responsibility that a grown-up carries for her deeds and which cannot by definition be exclusive to the belonging to a broader community, both in its domestic homeplay and its international role. Needless to mention that such a reponsibility can only relate to a tangible day-to-day concept if there is a clear “Leitkultur” with a robust stance to defend what is worth defending. Constantly succumbing to the “dictatorship of relativism” is not an option.
See these two charming ladies, Conny and Jutta from Audible where I was gladly allowed to lie in front before the match Germany vs. Argentina on Friday. They both explained something like: “Well, in the beginning of the tournament we were a bit hesitant to put on the German fan gear, but now where this countrywide enthusiasm has developed, we want to contribute to it and it’s great.” No political statement, rather a declaration pro community.
If you are an American, an Indian or a Swede, you might have your flag on a pole in your garden and it’s totally normal. Till now in Germany, it was not normal, it was an issue. Irrespective how the German football team eventually scores, my biggest wish after that tournament: Don’t regress to childhood. And keep the flags waving.
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