Proud to Be a Kraut
July 3, 2006 — -- World Cup fever and the brilliant performance of the German national team have gripped the entire nation, especially Germany's youth.
It is as if the World Cup is changing the country -- or the mood of the country -- bringing lightheartedness and passion out in the open, making Germans appear less German.
Wherever you go these days, it's simply impossible to turn your head without seeing the black, red and gold flag in all sizes, flying out of windows, shops and cars.
It was something unheard of until a couple of weeks ago in a country known for its pathological fear of patriotism.
Sixty years after World War II, national pride is still looked at suspiciously in Germany and flying the flag is still pretty much a faux pas.
Has the World Cup changed all of that? Are the Germans ready to stop worrying and are they going to love the flag, the national symbol? Is there a new nationalism to worry about?
Mandy Kulartz, 28, dressed in a black, red and gold T-shirt, said, "This is no longer the old Germany that everybody is suspicious of because of the Nazi past. If the Americans, the British and the Italians fly their flags and show their colors, why shouldn't we Germans do the same thing?"
"It's time we show the world that we're no longer the bad guys, indeed, that we have nothing to do with the Nazi past. We're all aware of the Holocaust and the horrendous German past, but not even my parents were born then, and I think we should be allowed to show how much we like our country. What's better to do that than showing the flag?" Kulartz said.
Her 30-year-old boyfriend, Sebastian, joined in, "There's absolutely nothing wrong with us showing a healthy patriotism. Besides, this is party time! We're young, and we want to have some fun. This is what it's all about."
"There's no reason that we should not identify with our country, and we should show the world that we like our country. In fact, it's about time to overcome the taboo to openly say, 'I love Germany. Yeah, I love my country,'" he said.
