Since the end of World War II, Germany has been a reluctant player on the international stage: an economic giant, but a political dwarf. But in recent weeks, the country has taken a leap to the frontline of efforts to contain the Ukrainian crisis, partly thanks to Russian-speaking Chancellor Angela Merkel's phone conversations with Vladimir Putin. However, 25 years after the fall of the Berlin wall, many ordinary Germans remain reluctant to endorse their country's new role.
