I for one am glad to see the Germans unified on such a front. This country of 83 million suffers from a general malaise when it comes to self-perception. If winning a football game and advancing unites them and gives them a bit of national pride, I'm all for it. It's been more than sixty years since the Second World War and many Germans, including those of my generation, continue to carry the burden of the Holocaust and two world wars. The German born in 1985 has no responsibility for the events of the 30's and 40's and therefore shouldn't be forced to carry this cross. Naturally, I support continued education on the subject and a sense of awareness but its time that Germany recognizes its role as the center of politics and more on the European stage.
With that being said, I'm rooting for Germany. Wednesday is the next game against Turkey. I have my Germany t-shirt out and will be wearing it on Wednesday. This however poses so many cultural problems for this country. In Germany, some 7 million immigrants of Turkish descent live and work in The Fatherland, many of which were born in German hospitals, attended German schools and universities and speak the language fluently. This question of cultural identity perplexes many who feel at home in Germany but also embrace their cultural heritage. I've seen many cars with both German and Turkish flags, however, I suppose one will be forced to make a decision on Wednesday. I'm hoping that Germany will avoid clashes after the game. Its unclear why (and I don't understand) but European soccer stir such strong emotions that fans often fight with other fans in the streets. Riots, beatings and more are not uncommon scenarios in cities around the country after a game. In Vienna after the Turkey-Croatia game, one person was killed and several injured after a fight broke out. I hope this doesn't happen here.
Its quite apparent in Aachen how many immigrant communities exist in Germany. After each game, I hear cars in the streets honking their horns or people shouting their national songs. This was most certainly the case when Russia beat The Netherlands in overtime last night and after the Turkey-Croatia game (won in double overtime). And Spain just won an amazing 11 meter shoot-out 4-2 over Italy. The Italian team (2006 World Cup Champions-and a team I despise) should have been out long ago they've played horribly during the entire event.
To prove Germany's love for the sport, I present to you some raw video footage I captured after Germany beat Portugal in an impressive display last Thursday. I only got two short clips (this is the better of the two). I felt like a journalist during a riot taking the footage. My video card was almost full which is why it is such a short video.
Some pictures from the streets:
Silly Germans celebrating in the streets blocking traffic. Gotta love it.
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