During the Q & A portion of Jennifer Yoder’s lecture, one student suggested that some Germans might see Merkel as an undesirable leader because her actions do not “take pride” in her nation, instead focusing on apology and reconciliation. Indeed, Merkel’s emphasis on the importance of responsibility for Germany’s past actions connotes an atmosphere of “shame,” to use a word from one of Merkel’s own speeches. Merkel approaches the past and present of Germany in a fairly head-on manner, so she constantly acknowledges the modern frame of German history, mentioning or discussing the German past in 67% of her recorded speeches. But this student’s question brings up two questions of my own. Firstly, is patriotism really a necessary or good quality in a leader? And secondly, do Merkel’s actions and speeches really make her “unpatriotic”? Continue reading “Pride in the Future: Merkel’s Memory Politics”