Understood

Submitted by Kepha Hor (United States), Nov 8, 2010 at 19:12

Myth: Back in 1989-91, when the Berlin Wall came tumbling down, I recalled so many Americans of my parents' generations, and even my elder sibs' generation worrying about how dangerous the world would become with a re-united Germany. Of course, given the history of two world wars, I could understand their fears (I had uncles who served in WWII in Europe, after all; and old-country relatives who suffered under Hitler, too). However, I am not sure that the post-Kohl unification of Germany has proven my elders' 1989-vintage fears justified; while there is much evidence to suggest that today's German patriotism (perhaps a better term than nationalism) necessarily wants to boil re-claim Alsace-Lorraine, northern Schleswig-Holstein, or the lands east of the Oder.

Hence, I remain cautiously optimistic that we're still dealing with the Germany of Althusius, rule of law, poets and thinkers, and the responsible Federal Germany rather than "Alle Deutschen Heisse Freund; Alle Franzmann Heisset Feind" (forbid my faulty memory and grammar) and Drang nach Osten German nationalism of yesteryear.

Further, a German Party that wishes to contain radical Islamicism strikes me as one that has sadly and belatedly awakened to the probably limits of multiculturalism--a little like a lot of people on my side of the Atlantic since 09/11/01; or the Netherlanders who support Geert Wilders (perhaps the killing of Theo van Gogh and similar behaviors have had something to do with this?).

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