If you talk to German literature students about a chap called “Hermann”, you’ll realise that Germany has a problem with heroes.

Whenever Great Britain gets into trouble, for example, there’s a sleeping King Arthur hiding out somewhere in Cornwall who will come to the rescue; and when he doesn’t show up, Churchill will fill in for a few years.
Or when America isn’t doing so well, everyone remembers how George Washington beat impossible odds – and the British – to found the world’s leading democracy. And when more is needed, they elect Barack Obama.
And France, despite the concerns of its neighbours, is still quite happy to honour Napoleon and charge visitors a few Euros to see his final resting place in les Invalides.