[Tarsul]

If you were using the same arguments about the French instead of the Germans, I'd agree. However, for (us) Germans I wouldn't say it's so much proudness as it is about having a huge market by itself (like GP said) and also its industries are very strong, meaning Germany doesn't have to rely on being a tax haven or its financial services as much as other countries. I do agree that Germans have a certain proudness but arguably since WW2 we are also more humbled than we probably were before and it still shows (also because of how much we are being humbled by our education and also by our media culture. Not as much as the Japanese, though :)).