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Cosmopolitanism and Patriotism blend during the World Cup (June 19, 2006)

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One could say: everything is splendid, let’s enjoy this party. But there’s a “but.” In Germany there’s still always a large “but” when the issue is Germany.

Isn’t this already too much black-red-gold in city squares and on TV screens? Is it permissible to sing the German national anthem fervently? Didn’t the hooligans who went on a rampage in Dortmund launch their charge with the battle cry “Hooray, hooray, the Germans are here,” thus confirming some Germans’ distrust of Germanness?

The Labor Union for Educational and Scientific Professions [Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft] already wants to distribute brochures warning against the singing of the national anthem. Supposedly, it’s laden with National Socialist sentiment and ideas about the preeminence of German culture. Already the country is embroiled, once again, in one of its popular debates about identity.

Behind all this looms the question of whether this World Cup and the delirium of joy will change Germany in a lasting way, whether the Germans are fueling up on self-confidence and will show it. Another question is whether they will be able to preserve the newly-won unity in happiness.

The search for answers begins at the place where one finds the people whose primary responsibility actually is changing the country – in the Berlin government quarter.

It’s Wednesday afternoon, eight men and two women sit underneath light brown wooden paneling; the word “Federal Press Conference” is emblazoned above them. They are the ministry spokespersons. Thomas Steg, the deputy press secretary of the Federal Government, sits in the middle.

Nineteen journalists have come; there’s room for 300. It’s the forum in which journalists inquire about the work of the government, reveal its weaknesses, bore into things. Normally.

“So, ladies and gentlemen, this morning the cabinet met according to schedule and there are some decisions to report on,” said Steg. He listed the topics: parental benefit payments [Elterngeld], migration report, Renewable Energy Law, and, “the last topic of the cabinet meeting,” the continuation of the United Nations Organization Mission UNMEE in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Germany will participate with two unarmed observers, Steg said. It would appear as though governing is taking place as usual, as though nothing could impair the working of the machine.

“So,” Steg asks, “are there any questions?”

There are a couple questions, one about copyright law, one about the value-added-tax, another about protection for non-smokers. They’re all answered quickly. It’s warm in the meeting hall; it won’t be long before the kickoff of Spain versus Ukraine, Germany plays in the evening. No one is talking about soccer, but the World Cup is making its presence felt. No one is interested in asking more questions; it’s time to bring the press conference to an end.

For the Grand Coalition the World Cup is a stroke of good fortune. It is descending on the country at a moment when the government is revealing its weakness by blocking itself and being at its wit’s end on the large issues – for example, health care policy – or by passing laws like the ones last Friday: the value-added-tax was raised, the commuter allowance was cut, and the homeowner’s tax deduction was abolished. These are laws that would cause quite a stir in normal times. But hardly anyone is aware of them. Presumably the federal government could double the value-added tax and hardly anyone would care.

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