Germany's past and present (New historicism)

As I've learned about Germany in Social Studies this year, I've been struck by the profound impact that the memory of Nazi rule has had on the country. The Holocaust and World War II still cast a shadow over many aspects of German politics and culture, with effects ranging from an aversion to flag-waving and other displays of patriotism, to a reluctance to pursue a more assertive role in Europe.The Germans' views of Nazism have been unfavorable throughout their history, but over time these views and Germany's current situation have influenced each other in different ways.
The overwhelming German attitudes toward Nazism seem to have been shame and the determination never to let such atrocities occur again. This accounts for the nation's reluctance to engage in flag-waving or any other expression of national pride - these kinds of patriotic imagery have been tainted by association with Hitler. The second article I linked to above also argues that it can account for some of Germany's behavior during the Eurozone crisis. Germany's history has fostered apprehension both domestically and throughout Europe at the prospect of a stronger Germany taking the lead, with the result that Germany has been hesitant to do so.
The reason this is so interesting is that, very recently, some of these attitudes seem to have started to shift. As Europe's largest and most fiscally sound economy, Germany has had some degree of leadership thrust upon it, regardless of whether it wants to assume that role or not. Meanwhile, articles like this one suggest that patriotism and symbols of national pride are also becoming acceptable. These changes are probably linked, with Germany's increased international prominence providing an additional rationale for patriotism. While I mentioned above that this isn't really a fundamental change in how a historical event is viewed - Germans have consistently agreed about the evil of Nazism - it shows that more subtle shifts are also possible. Changing circumstances have prompted Germans to revise their understanding of the meaning of their nation's past and its implications for the present.