I’ll start this by doing a brief summary of what I’ve already theorized on the topic before adding my recent addition to it.

Prussia and Fritz’s flute playing, along with the motif of
marching forward and national consolidation in a military context, also bears
extreme significance when you connect it to some of the underlying themes
running through Germany and Prussia’s current relationship.

The flute is symbolically important in that it’s often
depicted as an instrument used by the Gods. It’s used to channel their voices.
For instance, Ancient Egyptians believed that it channeled the voice of Isis,
the Goddess of life and magic. She was also known for her healing spells, those
of which cured the sick and brought the dead back to life.

In Greek mythology the flute is associated with Pan, God of
the wild. He is also associated with the shepherd, whose primary duty is to
tend to their flock of sheep by bringing them together.

Now, the flute was first used by Fritz in a marching song
intended to instill a sense of consolidation and strength among his troops.
Taken symbolically, Fritz, as the shepherd, used the flute to bring his flock of
troops together.

I’ve also theorized before that Prussia, who adored Fritz
and therefore likely adopted the flute-playing from the latter, also took on the
role of the shepherd when he united the flock of fragmented German
states to form one sovereign nation – the German Confederation. It was a
military march that culminated in unification.

With that said, this theory will be making the assertion
that Prussia has chosen his next successor to undertake the role of the
shepherd – Germany.

The strip “Private Flute Concert” is essential to this
theory in that it gives us  some of the biggest hints of connections
between Germany and Holy Rome. Evidence of this symbolic divine reference can be found
when Prussia talks about the “sacred journey of the flute.”

As designated by the title, Prussia gives Germany a private
flute concert.

Notice how as Prussia plays, he has a flashback to another private concert he had… with his little brother no less. 

There, a sick
and bed-ridden Holy Rome expresses surprise at Prussia’s ability to play the
instrument. What’s important here is that Holy Rome refers to Prussia as a “war-maniac.”

The connection surfaces once Prussia halts playing and removes himself from the flashback. Germany expresses surprise at Prussia’s ability to
play, and Prussia echoes his previous conversation with Holy Rome by likewise referring
to himself as a “war-maniac” in his defense of this ability.

So, why is it that I think Germany is the next shepherd to
be?

For one thing, in another chapter that echoes Prussia’s
flashback, Prussia reads Grimm Fairy Tales to a dying Holy Rome.

Another connection emerges when you notice that one of the
illustrators was named Ludwig Grimm, who also
just so happened to play the flute. Once again, notice the flute’s herding
properties; in this case, Ludwig Grimm’s flute causes a flock of pigeons to come
together.

Perhaps this is why Germany’s human name is Ludwig. What if
it was Prussia who gave it to him, either as a tribute to his predecessor, or as a tribute to his forgotten past? [I lean more towards the latter]

While Holy Rome himself was not good at drawing and was more erratic and impulsive in temperament, we know that
Germany has a more structured and composed personality. He would therefore be more adamant
on practicing and perfecting this skill. Here, he’s shown to have considerable artistic competency when
he draws Italy.

That said, it’s also important to mention that this personality
difference between Holy Rome and Germany is accounted for and justified in
chapter 1 of World Stars. When a personification gains a new title, it’s
possible for them to acquire a new personality.

Since Holy Rome is seen to exist well after his
dissolution, it’s not farfetched to assume that he never actually died. A
theory on that [here]. In fact, given how much evidence there is that Germany
is suffering from amnesia [theory here], these two arcs seem to form yet another
connection whereby Hima’s implying at the possibility of him being Holy Rome.

All right. With all that said, let’s tie this together.

Prussia is no more in modern times, and so is East Germany, albeit formally. [It’s heavily and painfully obvious that he’s East Germany, but I have yet to
see him explicitly be referred to as this].

Here’s one example of how obvious, yet indirect the hints of Prussia being East Germany are: 

“We have to get rid of the “wall in our hearts”, so that the country can get better and the progress will be naturally more effective! 

When the Ostalgie level gets higher, Russia imposes himself on my big brother.
[ T/N: Ostalgie is a combination of Ost (East) and Nostalgie] ”

Nonetheless, in the same concert strip, we also know that Prussia doesn’t
heal as fast as he should after being bitten by Germany’s dog. On top of that, he lies to Germany about when he acquired the injury. It would follow,
then, that perhaps Prussia’s immortality is waning. 

However, this shouldn’t cause us any panic, since we know that
it’s possible for personifications to live on and become state representatives
after losing their nationhood: 

“Usually, when the culture or the country’s personality dies/disappears, the country would gradually disappear or entrust him/herself to the country that takes over him/her.

There are also cases that him/her is not a country but continues to live leisurely as a representative of a region.”

[Source: It’s a treasure box of countries.]

It’s these particular panels that are of interest to
me.

That’s right. Prussia’s pushing for Germany to take up
playing the flute. Situating this in its symbolic context, doesn’t it seem that
Prussia is asking for Germany to heal his newfound mortal weakness?

The country was consolidated by a march that Prussia led. Now that the country is consolidated again after the fall of the
Berlin Wall, his reason of being [a personification] is no more.

It’s Germany who now leads the figurative march in running
their country. There’s also the fact that Germany has a character song titled “Vorwärts Marsch!” Translation: Forward March!

If Germany’s marching forward
in running an already consolidated nation, he leaves Prussia behind. There’s
not much use for the latter now.

How I interpret this is that
by giving Germany the flute, Prussia is recognizing  that 1) his time has
passed or 2) he’s relying on Germany to help fix/heal his broken immortality.

Prussia gave life to Germany, but what about vice-versa?