On his way to the Bundestag, Germany's Parliament, Hans-Christian Str�bele usually rides his bicycle, but what he sees these days in Berlin's streets is not his cup of tea. Thousands of German soccer fans are waving German flags every night on the so-called "fan mile," which stretches west from the Brandenburg Gate.
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As the president of the Bundestag, Norbert Lammert, put it this week when asked about the new patriotism, "It is the reconstruction of normalcy."

we will never forget but the generations born since the war are not responsible for the crimes committed by earlier generations

it disgusts me that English football fans try to offend ordinary Germans by doing Nazi salutes and goose stepping -- they only reveal their own ignorance

there is much to be proud in the new Germany

seeing thousands of Germans waving the gold, red and black flag is an odd sensation but "'a reconstruction of normalcy'" is a good thing or there is no hope of ever moving forward

German pride that surprises - Editorials & Commentary - International Herald Tribune