No doubt by people calling themselves patriots.
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But they do. They think it is. The difference is that you were born on one side of an imaginary line and they on another. Patriotism comes from the word Patria (fatherland) and is directly related to the nation, but nation states are artifical constructs and borders can change over time. Where should Noo Noo’s loyalties lie? With Wales? With the UK? To which country should I feel patriotism? My father’s land? The land where I grew up? The land in which I have spent over half my life?
There may be a sweet spot where one’s love of one’s own homeland doesn’t come into conflict with other’s love of theirs, but in the vast majority of cases that doesn’t happen. Patriotism may be, for some, a lofty ideal, but it has been so abused and misused that it has become an excuse for division.
I’m not against people celebrating their culture, but that culture doesn’t need to be constrained by national boundaries.
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Personally, I feel like a Kölner, maybe Rheinländer, first, European second, German third. I mean, it doesn’t literally work like that, but I think you get my point.
Probably too old, but I wouldn’t feel less strongly about defending a free Europe than just ze ‘fatherland’.
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Here in Germany, the far-right peoples do perverte patriotism to discriminate immigrants, the left-wing peoples and the far-left peoples do reject any forms of patriotism. And the centre of the German society? The middle class doesn’t dare to be patriotic (that do write with “DeepL”).
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There was this lovely episode involving Chrupalla (let’s not get into where than name comes from), one of the heads of the AfD, who was going around talking about how there should be more German songs and poems and thinkers being taught in schools and then was asked by a kids reporter what his favourite German poem was. He couldn’t think of one.
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Would have been funny if the only one that came to mind was “Habe ich geschwiegen” by Martin Niemöller.
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I find it odd that people from the left are ok with Right-Wing Nationalists having ownership of a term, that not at all means what they claim it means. And I will continue to challenge that but I will also refuse being lumped in with Nationalists and racists.
National-ism is a different -ism no matter what Nationalists claims. Patriotism is diverse and open to far more intepretation, not at all the exclusive hirearchical ideology which is ethnic Nationalism, and certainly not imperialism. Distinct isms.
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Yeah, I don’t know anyone that thinks like that myself, so I will make an assumption that it is likely not true for everyone in Germany either. But if most Germans are motivated more for a sense of duty and loyalty to the European Union (or the continent?), then I suppose that is good. But I am not sure that EU-bond is so strong and intimate for everyone else ?
Then again, I am Norwegian, and I suppose we are more unified and have more social cohesion and feel more like a (squabbling) “family” than you Germans do. Note, we view our squabbling family as part of the entity Europe too, even though we are not strictly part of the union. But there is little sense of loyalty to that institution, other than to common culture and ideals.
Personally, I would like to see a culturally diverse European Super-Family (because drum-roll, drum-roll; I am not a Nationalist!). But the EU is no such thing, at current anyway.
Wrote a long ass response, but ended up boring myself with it. Maybe another time, when I get it shorter. You know, the whole German efficiency thing.
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Sorry about that.
It doesn’t matter 
Have a good evening!
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https://x.com/SzabadonMagyar/status/2045017820816171358
I can say that there are now somewhat fewer bots among the comments.
Edit
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I don’t know how it is in Norway, but for my part, if I can use a word like patriotism, it’s for the parts of the country I know and love: where I was born and raised, and then where I used to live. In that sense, I feel patriotic about Zurich (my birthplace), about Basel and Geneva, the places where my grandparents used to live and where I often went as a child and later grew up, about Berlin where I lived as a young man, about the place where I live now. It’s about the people, the landscapes, the accents, the food etc. I’d define patriotism as a profound love for these things of which I am a part of.
Do I feel patriotic about Switzerland? Only marginally, maybe about the country as a peculiar idea of a form of democracy (then again, I’m well placed enough to see all its flaws, so I’d say it’s not patriotism, just the recognition of an interesting system which needs to be worked on further in order for it to reach its true potential). But it’s only a very diffuse sentiment. The regions and cities I know are far more important than any abstract idea about the country.
Nationalism? I hate it. It’s what ultimately leads to wars. Fuck it. In that sense, the EU is an interesting idea to counter that, about getting countries to work and live together instead of letting them go to war against each other.
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I am of Sri Lankan Tamil origin, but i was born and grew up in Germany and i do identify with Germany. Thats my home. If i would do emigrate to the Netherlands, Germany will stay my homenation. Too, i would consider as a German. I have both Sri Lankan and German citizenship, but i do possesses only a German identitiy card, not Sri Lankan documents. Additionaly, i do speak only German as native language, Tamil can i do not read (only littile bit speak).
I believe, i am do be a exception into the peoples with a immigration background. Lot of other peoples with a background from immigrated families identify only with he country of origin instead Germany, some peoples both country of origin AND Germany. Partially too due racism, partially he are proud to his country of origin.
How are in Norway?
Do identifies the Norwegian-born peoples with a foreign background with Norway?
I do listen (also) “Deutsch-Rap” like Marteria and Casper and little bit CRO. Do you know “Kraftklub”?
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I know Kraftclub, though I prefer Kraftwerk.
Any dreams of a Germany of ‘Bio-Deutsche’ only that some far-right idiots might have are complete cuckoo land stuff anyway - about half of the under 18s living here have a ‘migration background’, in Cologne e.g. it’s more like 2/3. That’s defined as either they themselves or at least one of their parents was an immigrant/didn’t originally have a German passport.Let’s not even go back further generations or in history. Germany would collapse within days. Of course the smarter ones of the right-wingers kinda know that.
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I don’t think there is anything wrong with people identifying and celebrating the culture of their ancestry. It’s only an issue if they are directly in conflict with their country of residence. I do wonder whether racism is the main divider as I am an immigrant in Germany but, for the most part, I could pass as German to look at.
Thinking of the UK, people seem to have more issues with British-Asian (think of the abuse aimed at London born Sadiq Khan) compared to, for example Scots-Italians (Peter Capaldi for instance).
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If you have the accent of where you come from, how can anyone say you are not from that place?
What you are describing is what I learnt here in the Vaucluse is often considered Chauvin. I would not say in other areas I’m Chauvin but here in certain circles I would.
It’s considered a love of the region and what it stands for, cultural and environmental etc, anyway another twist.
I find it hard to feel for a large area with different cultures and environments in different parts of it.
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People often thought I was from either South Africa or New Zealand because of my accent. I’ve never been to either country but I was surrounded by people from both countries for a few years while first working overseas and then when back in the UK while house sharing and somehow picked up some of their speaking patterns/ inflections by accident.
I had a bit of that when in Australia 30yrs ago. I’d phone home and I’d be told I had picked up an aussie accent,but nobody there ever confused me for an Australian as it was only a bit of an accent. It didn’t take long in going when I got back to Dublin either.
If you have the full accent, you are either there long enough or you’re born or raised there and therefore should be considered from that place.