Esslingen 2004
“I became a German citizen again because I can live in this country and identify with this country. And that is a completely different country in many ways to Germany in the German Empire or in the Weimar Republic. Germany has now become a democracy after all. And in many ways Germany is probably more democratic than the USA today. I was offered German citizenship again - the Nazis took it away from me. But in the Basic Law, Article 116, it says that people who lost their citizenship during the Nazi era for political, religious or racial reasons have the right to get it back. I then applied for it again and applied for it because in many ways I identify with many traditions here in Germany, especially with many in the present, although of course I also see many things that I also see very critically.
I think a good patriot is someone who is also critical of the questionable aspects of his country.
When I think of the 19th century, I think of two people who had some kind of relationship with Germany, one is Heinrich von Treitschke, a chauvinist, a super patriot, etc. and the other is Heinrich Heine. I see Heinrich Heine as the much greater patriot. Heinrich Heine was true somebody - he wrote in the winter fairy tale: “If I think of Germany at night, then I will be deprived of sleep.” So on the one hand he grew up in German culture, on the other hand he also saw the dark side and in many ways was a much … patriot than this jubilant patriot Heinrich Treitschke.
I am American, I am consciously American, I identify with America, but I also see the downsides.”