Still on the subject of “football” (soccer), I thought I’d translate part of an article by Gerd Appenzeller, “Wow! Is that us?”, that appeared on the front page of the Berlin newspaper, Der Tagesspiegel, yesterday.

“It’s a strange feeling. The Football World Cup began a week ago today…

“We look at ourselves as in a mirror, eyes filled with astonishment, and are beginning to grasp what we’re seeing. Either this World Cup is changing us or we’re a lot different than we thought we were: all of us that live in this country - whether we were born here or immigrated, whether our parents carried a German passport or one from another country. And that, naturally, has a lot to do with a team that twice has taken their fans on an emotional roller-coaster. But we’re all immensely proud of them.

“That is because they personify a couple of virtues that our fathers and grandfathers told us were the foundation of the respect given to German football: stay on the offensive until you drop… play hard, but fair. And then there’s this coach, Jürgen Klinsmann. His years in America clearly broadened his heart [he lives in the U.S. and is married to an American]… For instance, he took out two players on defense [at the end of the game against Croatia, which Germany won literally in the last minute 1:0], when ten years ago a German coach would have figured that maybe a 0:0 tie might be enough. Go for everything! Show everyone: We want to win! Let’s be honest: this is the kind of football that excites people!

“… International visitors are astonished about a Germany that is completely different than what many of them expected. But here’s something unusual and just a little crazy: not only our guests, but we ourselves are experiencing us completely different than we usually are - or at least we thought we were. This is a Germany that does not come across as hesitant or glum, but is a happy nation – excited and exciting…

“And the citizens: more than 20% of us have a so-called “immigrant” background; that stretches even into our team… Maybe this can help open our eyes that this country is much broader than we thought. We just mustn’t forget that when the World Cup is over.”