It had not really occurred to me until a couple of weeks ago, but this World Cup thing also has a perhaps unintended by-product: a heightened sense of nationalism within Germany.
Germany has taken great pains to be a respected World Cup host nation, from not only the seamless organization of the games themselves, but being a “kinder, gentler” host nation. It was evidenced everywhere: from the stance on racism that was part of Germany’s mantra as the host nation, to the softer things things like acceptance of multi-culturism and multiple languages being spoken and accessible during the World Cup. I noticed a difference….
However, the biggest thing I observed was the pride of country by the German people during the event, that is not always evident on a daily basis. Whether it was because Germany served as the host nation and wanted to put “their best foot forward”, or because of the success of the Germany football team, or a combination, I can’t really be sure. Not since living here have I ever seen so many Germany flags hanging from doors and windows of homes or donning cars, nor so many people wearing German t-shirts, caps, jackets, etc.
This might sound a bit odd to Americans. When living in the US, all year long , I fly my Texas and US flag from my home, wear US-themed gear (running shorts, caps, T-shirts), and generally display pride of country. And I am not alone, as many friends and family do the same. I even had a guy from the UK who was standing in line ahead of me at the Dusseldorf airport who remarked in a similar fashion. That is not common in Germany, though.
So , it’s been nice to observe….
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