“In truth, I would rather not be holding a two-foot-by-three-foot piece of black construction paper above my head as ‘Das Deutschlandlied’ echoes around me. A couple hundred other people standing in my general vicinity adopt poses similar to mine. I realize that the millions watching on television across the world can’t see my face—instead, they’ll see the rendition of the German flag our pieces of paper collectively create. But still, it feels vaguely wrong and more than a little creepy to be joining in this display. For starters, this is because I’m not German. I don’t know the words for this song, for another. I’m happy to root for the team and don’t harbor any ill will towards modern Germany, but I have no reason to take pride in it as a country. The nationalistic display feels off. It’s not mine.” The Classical