Europa Meisterschaft

The Union of European Football Associations European Football Championships, which Germans just call EM (for Europa Meisterschaft), officially began last week in Switzerland and Austria. With the best European teams competing, it might as well be seen as a little World Cup that is going on, with extreme pride streaming from each nation.

In Germany, there is no exception. Last weekend, as they were playing Poland (a team I assume they would easily beat). Even before the game, lots of cars had flags sticking out of their windows, people's houses were proudly flying flags, and people were really gearing up for the gameAs we were watching in a smaller Biergarten outside of Berlin in Wannsee, the fans were crazier than I expected. During a game that is only a small part of whether Germany continues, the place was packed with cheering fans decked out in black, red, and gold, with crazy hats, flags, beads, leis, etc, all showing their support for Germany. After Germany won 2-0, and I was on my way home, cars raced down the streets with their little flags flapping in the wind, beeping their horns to let everyone know about the victory. Mind you, this is the first isn't even the lose and you can't go any further round.

I was completely amazed at how serious the Germans were about their soccer even at this stage, and how excited they were to cheer for their team and show their colors. After sharing my amazement with the rugby girls I was with, they said that it was a tradition that had really only started after the World Cup was held in Germany in 2006. Before then, I guess there was still an uncertainty about how far to take national pride, and when it turns into nationalism.

As I have learned over and over now, Vergangenheitsbewaltigung (a long word that means coming to terms with the past) is no new topic for Germany and can't be explored enough by Germans and scholars of Germany and German culture. After the World Cup, and the realization that they could have more national pride, maybe they are coming to terms with the past a little better. Even if it is not that deep, now the Germans have no problem flying their flag and being proud of their soccer team.