1. What is the "German Nation"?

This section explores the historical evolution and definitions of the concept of "nation," emphasizing that the formation of national consciousness is closely tied to the development of the times. Ding Jianhong views the nation as a historical product, while Anthony Smith distinguishes between "nation" and "ethnic group," highlighting elements such as shared historical territory, myths, and public culture. Benedict Anderson describes the nation as an "imagined community." Smith analyzes the subjective and objective factors in Anderson's definition, proposing that the nation is related to the state and ethnicity, belonging to the realm of collective cultural identity. The concept of the German nation originated from the "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation," initially referring to German-speaking populations, with the German language playing a key role in the nation's formation and the development of nationalism. The concept of the German nation has evolved over time and now primarily refers to the people within contemporary Germany.

2. Crises Threatening the Survival of the People

Sociological research indicates that external threats and armed conflicts can strengthen national unity. In the German regions, when faced with existential crises, the people united, and nationalist consciousness emerged and intensified. Historically, the people of the German regions faced four major existential crises: the economic oppression by the church in the late Middle Ages, the crisis of national collapse during the Napoleonic Wars, the post-World War I reparations and economic crisis, and modern energy and immigration issues. These crises prompted the initial formation of the German nation and the rapid development of nationalism. This article will analyze three events—the Reformation, the Napoleonic Wars, and the rise of Nazi Germany—to explore the role of crises in the birth of the German nation and the development of nationalist consciousness. Additionally, interviews with five Germans will provide insights into the meaning of nationalism in contemporary German minds.

3. The Initial Formation of the German Nation and Nationalist Consciousness

This section discusses the initial formation of German national consciousness and its relationship with nationalist consciousness. The German nation originated from a branch of the Germanic peoples. Despite the establishment of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, the region remained fragmented for a long time, with individual states maintaining independent armies, taxation, judicial, and financial systems. In the 14th century, the economic system in the German regions shifted to tenant farming, and a "dual-track system" combining tenant farming and serfdom emerged in the south, depriving peasants of land rights, reducing arable land and crops, and triggering a survival crisis. Simultaneously, the exploitation by the church increased the burden on the people. Otto I's imperial church system granted archbishops the power to levy taxes, and Charles IV's Golden Bull enhanced the political influence of the three major archbishops. The church amassed wealth, imposed economic oppression on the populace, and profited through the sale of indulgences. After Martin Luther posted the Ninety-Five Theses, he was protected by the Duke of Saxony, completed his translation of the Bible, and established Protestantism, emphasizing "justification by faith." The German people quickly embraced Luther's ideas and, under the leadership of Thomas Müntzer, launched the Peasants' War to resist exploitative rule.

Martin Luther's translation of the Bible played a significant role in the formation of German national consciousness. In medieval Europe, the church monopolized knowledge, and the Latin Bible was accessible only to a few. Luther chose the Saxon-Thuringian dialect, which exhibited a trend toward standardization and incorporated basic features of all German-speaking regions. He used vernacular language and emerging specialized vocabulary, leveraging the phonetic nature of German to make the Bible more understandable and widely disseminated. Luther's Bible became widely popular, fostering pride in the mother tongue among the German people and deepening their understanding of Christianity, providing an ideological foundation for the Peasants' War. The "Twelve Articles," the common manifesto of the Peasants' War, emphasized the authority of the Bible, demonstrating that the people, through reading the Bible, developed greater intellectual independence, weakened church control, and advanced new ideas, using their national language to demand the abolition of exploitation by the church and landowners.

Luther's theological ideas profoundly influenced his translation work, such as rendering "justification by faith" as "justification by faith alone." The widespread dissemination of the German Bible facilitated the spread of Reformation ideas. Luther's concept of the "two kingdoms" endowed territorial states and governments with the sacred duty of maintaining social order, promoting internal unity within the German states and strengthening the people's identification with their respective states, laying the groundwork for the formation of the German nation. Luther's Bible elevated German to a sacred written language, fostering the unification of regional German dialects and enhancing the language's influence. Luther's Bible was a milestone in the formation of modern standard German, with the emergence of the nation's prototype linked to the decline of Latin and the rise of a dialectal "print language" (German). During the peasant uprisings and the emergence of Protestant states, the German people united internally, fostering a sense of national pride and the initial germination of nationalist ideology.

4. The Development of German Nationalism

This section examines the development of German nationalism. Although Luther's Bible translation contributed to the standardization of German, historical circumstances prevented the formation of a unified linguistic system in Germany. During the Baroque period, scholars attempted to elevate the status of German by proving it was the "Ur-language," but nationalism remained largely confined to the cultural sphere, lacking political implementation. The Napoleonic Wars inflicted severe damage on the German regions, and the ensuing national crisis spurred the rise of political nationalism, with people beginning to recognize the importance of a unified Germany. In this context, intellectuals such as Fichte emphasized the importance of education, promoting the uniqueness and superiority of the German nation through works like "Addresses to the German Nation." Figures like Humboldt and Jahn also fostered nationalist sentiments through educational reforms and the popularization of sports. As nationalism grew, so did the public's desire for a unified Germany, culminating in the Frankfurt Parliament's proposal of the "Little Germany" solution in 1848. In 1871, Prussia established the German Empire, marking the formal formation of the German nation-state and the peak of nationalist sentiment. Treitschke's speeches praised Luther's role, reflecting the development of nationalist thought after unification.

5. Nazi Extreme Nationalism

After World War I, Germany faced massive reparations and territorial losses, fueling intense nationalist sentiment. During the Weimar Republic, the Nazi Party's influence was limited. The Nazis propagated extreme nationalist ideologies such as national revenge, racism, and the superiority of the Germanic race to divert internal conflicts and incite hatred toward Jews and other nations. Following the global economic crisis, the Nazi Party rapidly rose to power, becoming Germany's largest party in 1933, with Hitler assuming leadership. The economic crisis led to soaring unemployment and deepening economic depression, creating fertile ground for the spread of Nazi extreme nationalism.

6. Contemporary Germans' Nationalist Consciousness

After World War II, Germany was divided and occupied, with U.S. policies profoundly influencing its transition to democracy. Germans developed a self-critical historical perspective. As the world's third-largest economy, Germans generally adopt a critical and rational attitude toward their country. Interviews with five Germans revealed that only one expressed pride in Germany, while others attributed the lack of national pride to critical thinking, independent education, and the association of national pride with past wars. Germans feel awkward about the term "homeland" and would not say, "I love my homeland." Currently, Germany faces challenges such as the energy crisis and immigration issues, leading to a resurgence of national consciousness. The far-right party AfD has gained traction, advocating for protecting national interests, restricting immigration, and reopening nuclear power plants, reflecting a shift toward conservative nationalism among some segments of the population.

7. Conclusion

This section discusses the formation and development of German national consciousness, emphasizing the critical role of crises. The late medieval "dual-track system" and church taxation led to peasant uprisings and the rise of Protestant states, while the widespread adoption of the German Bible promoted the standardization of the language and the formation of the national concept. After the Napoleonic Wars, political nationalism emerged in Germany, with philosophers, theologians, and educators promoting patriotic education and nation-building. Following the global economic crisis, national pride turned extreme, giving rise to Nazi extreme nationalism. Post-war, German nationalist views shifted, and Nazi extreme nationalism was abandoned. Contemporary Germans have a more rational perception of their country, with weakened nationalist consciousness. However, the energy crisis and immigration issues have led to a resurgence of national consciousness among some Germans, increasing the influence of far-right parties. Crises have acted as catalysts for the formation and development of the German nation and national spirit, playing an indispensable role in the emergence of the German nation and the evolution of national consciousness.