ABSTRACT
In German history, unity was the exception rather than the rule, and regional identities historically have been at least as strong as national identity. The decline of national and nationalist reasoning and the attainment of the desire that all Germans should live in freedom, relinquished any pressing reasons for unification—other than the aspiration that all Germans should live equally well. The territorial division of Germany after World War II unintentionally had supported the creation of a more homogeneous society in the West, which in turn assisted the achievement and maintenance of democratic institutions and values. Unification not only changed the face of Germany but also that of Europe. The economic, social, and political implications of unification have created among some Germans a certain nostalgia for the past. Germany is in the middle of redefining its role in Europe and in global affairs. The unprecedented influx of asylum seekers into Germany has created considerable additional domestic tension within Germany.
