Kultur 9

I've heard about Germany's aversion to patriotism and other forms of nationalistic sentiment before. In mainstream German videogames and movies, often the Swastika will find itself replaced with another graphic. In fact, it is illegal to own a swastika-emblazoned flag in Germany; such a law is not present in the US, where one is allowed to fly any flag he or she might wish, regardless of its past affiliation. Only one monument exists inside Germany dedicated to WWII German soldiers, which happens to be dedicated to Claus von Stauffenberg (the protagonist from the film "Valkyrie"), an anti-Hitler rebel. It certainly makes some sense, given the fates of so many people while that flag flew over German cities. Still, other remnants of Nazi history survive without a fuss (or much of a fuss). Mercedes was a principal provider of vehicles and vehicle parts for the Wehrmacht and the Luftwaffe, and modern neo-Nazi groups exist in Germany, and some of them have a significant following. Why is this such a controversial issue in Germany? In the American South, many states celebrate the history of the Confederacy, despite the fact that many see it as a deplorable institution. Many in Russia are fond of the USSR and it's history, which is perhaps even more stained than the short-lived Third Reich.
Perhaps with time, the skittish attitude towards patriotism will fade. As the article mentions, the German millitary has been seeing some recent action. German NATO troops stationed in Afghanistan were positioned in the Northernmost reaches of the country, in a province called Kunduz, purely to avoid as much conflict as possible, because the rules governing German military units are very harsh when compared to a country such as the US. To the chagrin of German officials, Kunduz turned out to be a hotbed of violence unlike any save for the most violent southern provinces like Kandahar and Helmand. As a result the German Bundeswehr has had a lot more to do than it would have thought likely a decade ago. For now, it's the perogative of the German people to avoid such things whenever possible, and I don't think very many find themselves opposed to it.