The German Mindset

One of my best friends here is a German guy, who I've known since NJ and is now here. One of the things I've really enjoyed is getting to know the German mindset from him - he's in his 40s, so he was born right after the German "Wirtschaftswunder" (economic miracle) postwar and has lived a varied and interesting life. I've found a lot to admire in the German mindset, which gives me a little pride, as I've got a Germanic last name anyway. Just a few bullet points that you might find interesting:

• It is impossible to overestimate the level of national shame the Germans as a people feel about the Holocaust and the Nazi regime's crimes. In fact, it was only until the World Cup in 2006 that public displays of the German flag and other sorts of nationalism that are common everywhere else became widely accepted. I occasionally see the German tricolor on display in (gasp) Switzerland, even. Anyway, the guilt and shame still are raw to many, even though they had nothing to do with it (because they were born after it happened). I'm paraphrasing a quote here, but a guy said it "felt like being the son of a criminal". I find this tragic.
• It's not just Germany, it's also Austria. I met an Austrian girl and asked her what they did for their National Day - she said maybe sing the national anthem before class, and that was it. No fireworks, no nothing. In Switzerland, it sounds like a freakin war zone. But the Swiss didn't produce Hitler and engage in genocide, so it's ok for them.
• Germans are a very conservative people, in the sense that they are very calculated risk takers. They tend to manage their money very well, which is probably why the Deutsche mark was so strong before they were forced to convert to the Euro. They have insurance for everything.
• Children are EXTREMELY important in German culture - I mean, they imported kindergarten to the US. Just as an example: in Berlin, if you jaywalk or cross against a "Don't Walk" light, you will get chastised, even if there is no traffic. Why? Because a child might see you and follow your example.
• I find Germans and German speakers to have a better sense of personal responsibility than Americans, which is sad given our founding principles. I've had people here tell me that they hear about ridiculous lawsuits in America all the time, that it seems that people can sue you for anything...I can only nod in agreement. Here it's not the case - they figure if you are a stupid jackass, then you suffer the consequences for it. For that reason, fun semi-dangerous stuff doesn't abruptly end due to some idiot.
• Germans like Barack Obama, just like all Europeans. But I think it's only because they despised Bush. I don't think they have much respect for Obama, but are afraid they will seem racist if they say so - plus, they don't want to offend any Americans.

Anyway, just a few things. I think a lot of our mindset is shaped by our language, so I'm sure the German language has something to do with how they think. I wonder if someone has done that kind of research...