On a broader note, I participated in this subthread in the mindset of uncovering subconscious assumptions and beliefs correlated with nationalisms (in my sense, as imagined communities). But, of course, (1) all of these myths are internalised by different subsets of adherents of one nation, and to different extent, (2) to some extent, all of these myths have counterparts in other nationalisms. To extend the latter, I'd say there are several myths that are central to one nationalism that are almost universal among nationalisms, but not recognised as such. Say, "united we are great, disunity aways led to our fall", and the connected "we are a very divided people". *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
German romanticism breaks with the classic view, also expressed by Shakespeare in A Midsummer Night's Dream, that the forest is a ex-urbe place of condamnation and chaos.
The German working class movement sees the forest as a place of gaining social strength through personal interaction and sports (in corpore sano...) as shown in the film "Kuhle Wampe".
The Nazis mystify the nordic wood and interprete the free standing rows of orderly assembled trees as a symbol of military marching columns of soldiers.
A lot of things could be said about the forest scene of Siegfried in the Nibelungen, or more recently some Greens activists chaining themselves to trees to stop the construction of new runways at Frankfurt airport (see: tree huggers).
So, DoDO pretty much nails it when he says:
But, of course, (1) all of these myths are internalised by different subsets of adherents of one nation, and to different extent, (2) to some extent, all of these myths have counterparts in other nationalisms.
"The USA appears destined by fate to plague America with misery in the name of liberty." Simon Bolivar, Caracas, 1819
