You are truly right here! In Germany we deal with that problem in a more serious way. What Nationalism was in it's origin wasn't the nazis and the 3rd reich, but was a political movement of students and academics that came up after the french revolution, napoleonean wars and the "Deutsche Bund" and lead to the march revolution in 1848. This political movement first used our black red gold banner, but not in an intention of separation and backwardness, but as to unite the german-speaking people as one Nation as an opposite idea to those manys kingdoms and principalities that constituted the "deutschen bund" but still were pretty much independent and doing their own thing within their own borders. So what the german idea from 1848 was, was pretty much the same idea of those who want a united Europe today. One exception: Language, culture and tradition could have been the basis of the german nation in 1848 if this revolution would not have failed. Europe instead has to much of different languages, traditions and it is even becoming multicultural. So there is a lack of understanding as a basis of a united european nation, which is not seen or is neglected by those who see themselves as "European people" instead of whatever nationality they are.

P.S.: When my pupils at school listen to the political songs from the time of 1848 they often tell me those must be Nazi-Songs. I think they are told so somewhere, that is very sad. You will excuse me if I post some here: