When the western allies - France, England, and America - merged their three occupational territories into the Federal Republic of Germany and granted political independence to it, the flag consisting of three vertical stripes became the official national symbol of West Germany. The Soviet occupational zone, known as the German Democratic Republic or East Germany, had a similar flag: the same black, red, and gold stripes, with a communist symbol in the center. Germany was leaving the wartime past behind, and taking its place among the modern nations of the world; but its citizens were still uncomfortable with the idea of the flag.
The flag had taken on the connotation of overbearing nationalism during the years between 1933 and 1945. Even though the modern German flag looks nothing like the old nationalist flag, the idea of any flag seemed dangerous to many Germans. Thus it was that the German flag was rarely seen in Germany.
In many nations, it is common to see the flag flying in front of schools, post offices, and offices. It is a sticker on cars, and a cloth patch sewn onto clothing. But in Germany the flag was nearly invisible.
A new time was emerging, however, as years went by, and the vast majority of citizens were born after 1945. This new generation was less susceptible to the psychological guilt complex which had plagued the older generation. Yet this newer generation was still wary of patriotic symbols.
At this point, it becomes helpful to clarify the distinction between 'healthy patriotism' and 'unhealthy nationalism.' Healthy patriotism is an attitude which expresses an affection for one's country, the attribution of value to the history and culture of one's nation, and a willingness to celebrate these. A healthy patriotism, however, allows one to have affection for other nations, and to appreciate and even celebrate the culture and history of other countries.
By contrast, an unhealthy nationalism imputes absolute value to one's own nation-state, claiming its priority and superiority over other nations, and in fact over any competing value like family, friendship, or religious faith. Unhealthy nationalism is, therefore, dangerous, the cause of wars and other forms of misery.
The German people, eager to avoid unhealthy nationalism and the dangers it brings with itself, went further than necessary, and abandoned a sense of healthy patriotism. As they old saying goes, they threw the baby out with the bath-water. Every occasion which might have been an opportunity to express healthy patriotism - the reunification of East and West Germany, the winning of an international soccer match, industrial and scientific achievements - was carefully celebrated in a manner devoid of national symbols.
The 2006 FIFA World Cup would change that. Germany was the host nation, and soccer teams representing nations from around the globe came to play at stadiums in Köln, Berlin, Stuttgart, München, Leipzig, and other major German cities. Fans and teams from other nations cheerfully waved and wore their respective flags.
By 2006, most German soccer fans were solidly of the post-war generation. The time had come, and the social tabu against the flag fell. For the first time in many years, German fans waved their flags at soccer games, and painted their faces black, red, and gold. Clothing, and nearly any other conceivable item, was made with stripes in those colors: wallets, coffee cups, and icing on cakes, all bore the three stripes of the German flag.
In the joyful cheering of soccer fans, a big piece of national guilt and shame was finally buried. The sins and crimes of previous generation had inflicted pain on those born many years later, on those who had nothing to do with the mistakes of the past. From this point forward, the power of a previous century's evil to haunt the lives of later generations would be reduced.
