Germany's relationship with the recent past is not as happy as its present, flag-waving mood would suggest. With the nation's black, red and gold banner being brandished joyfully, but innocently, by countless football fans who are delighted to be hosting the World Cup, Germany gives the impression of a country which has finally laid to rest the ghosts of its past. In fact, real optimists might say that a new, angst-free patriotism is celebrating the achievements of a united, democratic state.
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