In no other European country is the debate about national cultural identity as difficult to conduct as in Germany. Against the backdrop of the narrative of multiculturalism, Johannes Heinrichs attempts a sober, thoughtful examination of what constitutes a German primary or host culture, countering party politics, political factionalism, and general hysteria. He presents theses for which he provides a thorough justification: a multicultural society, in the sense of complete parity among different cultures at the expense of language areas, is neither realistically possible nor a desirable form of human coexistence. Multiculture without the distinction between host culture and guest culture would soon become a non-culture. A deepened, enlightened awareness of cultural identity.