Nice No More: The End of the German Fairytale

[unhappycamper]

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/world-cup-scandal-shows-up-seamier-side-of-germany-a-1058607.html



The shine has come off Franz Beckenbauer's halo

Nice No More: The End of the German Fairytale
A Commentary By Markus Feldenkirchen
October 20, 2015 – 07:35 PM

The World Cup in the summer of 2006 was a turning point in German history. The country that brought the world the Holocaust had already taken many successful steps toward full rehabilitation -- it had matured into a stabile democracy and achieved peaceful reunification. Then, even more remarkably, Germany became something that might have been unimaginable to many: likeable. It organized a perfect football tournament and showed a warm and cosmopolitan side the world had never seen before. The German national team under then-coach Jürgen Klinsmann were even gracious in defeat to the Italians, who took the trophy home. The World Cup appeared to cement Germany's status as the kind of friendly country that people can identify with.

In Germany, people described the 2006 World Cup as the "fairytale summer." What followed was almost even more magical. Germany's image in the world continued to improve (with the exception, of course, of the Greek crisis). It wasn't just the Americans who found themselves inspired by the "German model" either -- it felt like the whole world had suddenly become enamored with Germany's way of doing things. With its economic power and its people, Germany joined the club of countries viewed as being good for the world.

Indeed, the country responsible for the worse crime committed in human history appeared to have accomplished a complete turnaround, showing that, in the future, it would be on the right side of history morally, a rare example of decency and uprightness in a world that had gone to pot. Germany was no longer waging wars and, at least for a time, it became the staunchest proponent of climate protection. More recently, it even opened its arms to hundreds of thousands of refugees. On top of all that, the German people are provided with a proper national healthcare system.

With its social market economy, Germany also appeared to have defied the law of capitalism that requires one to be a little coarse and unscrupulous in order to prevail. Success and decency no longer seemed to be mutually incompatible terms. It almost felt like sainthood was about to be declared for Germany.