The World Cup has changed Germany. Apart from boosting the economy like lowering the unemployment rate, Football has influenced even the behaviors of the Germans. Especially the recent success of the German football team, which has qualified to the semi-final, has really united the nation. Everyone is doing something to prove their patriotism. People are putting flags in cars, wearing German team jerseys, painting faces and hairs with German flag tricolor; even painting pets or the whole house for that matter. Where only decades ago one was deemed as a extreme right wing if displayed a flag openly. Germany simply did not have the tradition to display flags or honking.
Yesterday, after the win over Argentina, the celebrations in Berlin were just very elaborate. After the end of the match many people flocked to Kurfurstendamm in their cars gazing forward from the sunroofs with jubilation with flags in their hand. Most interesting thing is that everyone was honking! Even cyclists were carrying flags. They were shouting Deutschland, Deutschland. I have not seen Berlin like this before. The fan mile at Brandenburger Gate was crowded with hundreds of thousands of fans (see photo). Probably some had partied all night long.
Now the question is will Germany still be outspoken with this sense of unity and patriotism after the world cup? Will their display of patriotism remain prominent? Only time will tell. But I think they have no chance to recede to past as they still have their football team that succeeds over and over.
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