PRESS RELEASE
The great majority of young people are “proud to be German”
SPIESSER, the nation’s most popular youth magazine, and the Foundation “Remembrance, Responsibility and Future” are publishing a supplement on the theme “Are you proud to be German?” Their aim is to encourage careful reflection on various aspects of identity and responsibility.
Berlin / Dresden, 14 February 2008. A special supplement entitled “Are you proud to be German?”, which will appear in Germany’s most popular youth magazine SPIESSER in February, aims to encourage young people to take an in-depth look at this question.
The magazine’s young authors are expressing a clear need to have a positive attitude to their country. A representative survey carried out by Forsa on behalf of the Foundation confirms the underlying opinion of the journalists. The study is included in the special supplement that will appear in the next issue of SPIESSER (due out on 18 February 2008). The supplement was produced with support from the Foundation and is intended to encourage young people to critically examine the various aspects of this question. According to the survey, 86 percent of 14 to 18 year olds are “quite proud” or even “very proud” to be German. When asked why they have this positive attitude, 14 percent claimed as their main reason that “Germany was a beautiful/fantastic country” while 13 percent mentioned economic strength, success and wealth as reasons.
Only 12 percent of young people in Germany said they were “not so proud” or “not at all proud” to be German. More than one in four (28 percent) thought that nationality was irrelevant and that all people were equal. 18 percent claimed that National Socialism and World War II were reasons not to be proud. 15 percent of those interviewed who are not at all proud were born abroad and identify more with their countries of origin.
“Young people evidently feel a need to identify positively, and our society needs this if it wants young people to play an active role,” says Dr Martin Salm, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Foundation “Remembrance, Responsibility and Future”. “It is not enough to simply brush aside the question of pride by pointing to the crimes committed under National Socialism. Through our support, we want to encourage people to think carefully about the various aspects involved. The journalists are showing how this can be done. They associate pride with the idea of justice, while rejecting the kind of pride that is founded on denigration and marginalisation.”
“Our work shows that being proud to be German is not solely the prerogative of right-wing extremists. The young people we met treat the term with respect – but nor do they want to feel permanently guilty,” says Tine Heynitz, editor responsible for the special supplement.
The diverse responses by the young people presented in the supplement show that pride must not necessarily be equated with right-wing attitudes. By examining themes such as national identification and symbols, the nature of German culture, the extent of individual rights, or German reunification, young people can find out for themselves what they are proud of and what they are not proud of in Germany.
The young editorial team asked 30 well-known people from the worlds of sport and entertainment about their opinions, but only three had the courage to answer - Sandra Maischberger, Peter Kloeppel und Bushido (for their full statements go to: http://www.spiesser.de/default.aspx?ID=4922&showNews=184924).
Press Release as a PDF file for download.
Contact:
Foundation “Remembrance, Responsibility and Future”
Franka Kuehn
Press and Public Relations
Markgrafenstr. 12 – 14
10969 Berlin
kuehn@stiftung-evz.de
www.stiftung-evz.de
Link to the current edition of SPIESSER:
www.spiesser.de
SPIESSER Press spokesperson
Frank Plümer
plümer)communications
Tel. +49-40-35 70 13 50
Email: fp@pluemercommunications.de
