Angela Merkel Embraces German Nationalism With a Twist

There are certain points in history when it makes sense for a leader to define what it means to belong to a country and a culture. In 2017, quite a few countries appear to need a reminder. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has just attempted, with equal measures of levity and earnestness, to define what it means to be German.

Her definition, published in the tabloid Bild on Thursday, takes the form of an alphabetical glossary of things and notions she considers quintessentially German, from A to Z. Some of the entries are deadly serious, such as "Germany's eternal responsibility for the Holocaust" or "Article 1, paragraph 1 of the Constitution" (which proclaims the inviolability of human dignity). Others are quirky: carnival jesters' traditional greetings "Helau" and "Alaaf" are included. Some are in line with what the world associates with Germans and their traditions: "punctuality," "precision work," "bratwurst," "order," "Octoberfest," "Wagner in Bayreuth." Some denote traditions that are less well-known: "collective bargaining," "choral singing," and the "church tax." Then there's a category that's all about national pride: "the fourth star" for Germany's fourth soccer World Cup, and "world champion in exports."