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News and views from the German-language region of Europe

April 17, 2012

You didn't see that 40 years ago

Filed under Life in Europe

In contrast to America – and Switzerland – Germans did not tend to "fly the flag" when I first came to Germany 41 years ago.

Maybe they did not identify (or want to identify) with their country, which at time was still divided German flag as a result of World War II. Of course, you saw the German flag on government buildings, but I don’t recall having seen a German flag being flown by a private citizen at his home when I first came to Germany in the summer of 1971. Americans fly the flag, and so do the Swiss, which really stood out to me when I worked in Switzerland from 1975-1977. But things are changing in Germany. In the last year a new house was built about 100 meters down the street from my apartment. The single family dwelling is now finished, and there is no doubt about the nationality of the people living in the house. Flying the flag is still not commonplace in Germany, but from time to time you do see the flag at a private residence. Since the 2006 World Cup football (soccer) tournament in Germany, though, the flag does become quite visible during international tournaments the flag does become quite visible when the German team advances to the next round of competition.

Paul Kieffer's blog with personal insights and news from the German-language region in Europe.

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