There is this picture from 2014: Bastian Schweinsteiger, wrapped in a large German flag, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. He is holding the World Cup in his hands, he is holding it up to the tens of thousands of fans, they too: wrapped in German flags. With German colors on their cheeks, small flags in their hands, black, red and gold T-shirts over their bellies.
The origin of this flag-waving, most observers agree, is the so-called summer fairytale of 2006. The HE DOES called the home World Cup a “Love Parade of black, red and gold”. In the years that followed, the pattern was repeated. People hung German flags from their windows or balconies. They stuck German flags in their flower pots or on the wing mirrors of their cars. Supermarket chains advertised with color-coordinated products, black, red and gold baby rompers became top sellers, trams were painted in German colors.
