“Ever since the end of World War II the Germans have been wary of regaining patriotism for their country. For many years the national anthem has been sung with a lackluster attitude or even completely shunned. This is not out of lack of love for their country but because Germans are afraid of the negative connotations their patriotism could mean” (University of Michigan).
The article proceeds in the same fashion to explain further the plight of the German patriotic spirit. The last time Germany in its entirety was intensely saturated in patriotism was during the reign of Hitler. The country has dealt with the anxiety of attempting to conceal their pride for decades to avoid sparking anger and misunderstanding from other countries, especially the European countries of Hungary and France.
Horst Koehler, the president of Germany in 2006, stated:
“This is something beautiful, a sign that the country is increasingly returning to normal, that one can show uninhibited pride in your national flag and drape yourself in it” (University of Michigan).
With the previous quote from a German leader, it is easy to see that the German psyche is recovering with time, though it has taken many years to climb to the position they are currently in. The hope is lying with the newer generations to overcome their history, without forgetting it, and put the past behind them.
