German National Pride

Every time I take the train back home to Germany, I notice a very distinct feeling as soon as I cross the Dutch-German border, but especially the Bavarian one, the state I grew up in. All of a sudden the landscape is much more beautiful; the air is clearer and there is this warm feeling in my stomach. Coming home just feels nice. It reminds me of how much I value where I grew up and that there is no place like that. But when expressing these sentiments with my German friends I noticed another feeling creeping up on me. Shame. Although nobody judged me for what I said, it is intrinsically ingrained in me: Germans should not talk too fondly of their country. Is this feeling appropriate?

When we look at other countries it is hard to imagine that people living there experience the same feeling. Most Americans do not have a problem displaying an American flag in their garden and someone who is an open nationalist does not have trouble becoming president (Politico, 2018). And although the USA is a rather extreme example, even Germany’s neighbouring countries, Austria or France, show their pride far more openly. This is shown in a study on national pride across Western countries, where Germany finds itself on the lower end of this list, something that hasn’t changed across a span of 20 years (Smith & Kim, 2006). Why is that?

Taking a look at the past might answer this question. It is no secret that a regime that focused on national identity in Germany was not only responsible for starting one of the biggest wars in history, but also for one of the most prominent genocides there ever was. Growing up in Germany collective guilt among Germans for the atrocities of this regime, which they belonged to, was always present. Either in history class, because of memorials and through the media, at some point people are confronted and come to terms with their countries’ past. Collective guilt consists of four main components: self categorising as the perpetrator group, acceptance of responsibility, group members perceive the actions as immoral, and admitting guilt does not come at too high costs (Wohl, Branscope & Klar, 2010). After WWII, the German public tried to remain silent and ignore the past. When asking my grandparents, who were young children when the war ended, about the Nazi regime and what role our family took part in it they do not know much. They did not dare to ask questions back then and their ancestors would not share them. It was through the reinforcement of the Allies and through important key figures in German politics that Germany began to account for its past. With the policy of Denazification, including the Nuremberg trials, the law tried to hold high-ranking Nazis accountable for their actions. With the agreement of Luxembourg in 1952 (Lavy, 2014), where Germany took financial responsibility for their past, and the genuflection of Warsaw in 1970 (Krzeminski, 2001), where German chancellor Willy Brandt kneeled down in front of a memorial of the Jewish Ghetto in Warsaw, the German government publicly acknowledged their guilt. This transferred from politics to the general population more or less. Over fifty years after WWII, the Stockholm declaration was agreed upon by 46 governments, including Germany, where they pledged to promote education, remembrance and prevention of the Holocaust and Antisemitism (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance).

When Germans establish a rule, they are the best at following it – or so says the stereotype. Ever since the Stockholm declaration, a prominent culture of remembrance has risen like nowhere else in the world. This includes a detailed education about Hitler’s rise to power, his reign and downfall and sometimes visits to concentration camps. Germans should never forget what nationalism and an over exaggerated belongingness to their country led to. This is especially important in the 21st century, where right wing parties and antisemitic actions creep back in Germany, especially in Eastern Germany where this culture of remembrance was not fostered this much. Culture of remembrance has to be cultivated; it is never given.

While Germans are still very wary with regards to their own nationalism, with some groups criticising national pride and flag-waving during the World Cup (Global Times, 2014), other countries have a different perspective. The qualitative Germany in the Eyes of the World Study from 2018 showed that Germany is seen as a country with a strong and stable economy, is respected for its treatment of refugees and deemed important as the mediator role it has taken on in international conflicts. In terms of its political organisation, party system and the welfare system, it is seen as a role model to numerous countries. Doesn’t that sound like something to be proud of? I personally encountered this positive attitude towards Germany while travelling: Whenever I mentioned my nationality, taxi drivers, for example, would enthusiastically talk to me about soccer (mainly Bayern Munich), Angela Merkel, the Oktoberfest and how much they loved Germany when they visited. 

There will always be reasons why we should not be proud of the country we are coming from. No country should put themselves on a pedestal. No one is perfect. I value in Germany that it does not over exaggerate its success and hopefully always reminds its citizens that pride needs to be earned and always comes with a certain vice which should never be forgotten. Everyone deserves their national identity without being personally ashamed but, in a sense, I am proud of Germans for not being proud of their country. <<