Few people outside Germany are familiar with the caricature of themselves that many Germans hold in their minds. Far from the aggressive bully of 20th century war propaganda, the perfectionist engineer of Madison Avenue car advertisements, or the rule-following know-it-all of the silver screen, the German many picture today is a sleepy-headed character clad in nightgown and cap. Sometimes clutching a candle, this German cuts a naive, forlorn figure, bewildered by the surrounding world.
This figure is not new. On the contrary, referred to as "Der deutsche Michel" or "the German Michel," it was popularized in the 19th century as a character whose limited perspective causes him to shun great ideas, eschew change and aspire only to a decent, quiet and comfortable life.
But Michel has now made a comeback. And who can blame him? Germany now boasts a booming economy, near full employment, rising wages and content unions. The financial crisis is long forgotten, public budgets are under control and the 2015 influx of migrants has been relatively well-managed.