History in Germany (and Italy)

[Zanza]

I can see how arguably the natural story of Germany in a positive light is of natural progress towards unification and eventual reunification in which case the Prussians play a large, arguably positive role.  But that what you say about them means that story isn't necessarily accurate and can't really be told that way because of their influence on the Nazis and certain 'Prussian values'.

Bismarck is seen as an ambivalent figure. Sure, he was successful and did unite Germany, but he also started conflicts, both external and internal (against the social democrats and the Catholics) which would cause problems long after his death. He's certainly not seen as an unabashed hero who founded our nation.
Prussia's role and the unification "from top" is contrasted with the attempted unification "from the bottom" in 1848, which is seen in a much more positive light and considered as a huge missed chance for Germany to unify peacefully into something better than the eventual Prussian Reich.

So it just interested me how Germany deals with that history and with the fact that there are a myriad of local histories that can be quite divergent before you reach 'Germany'.

Do you know if there's any local element in areas like Saxony or Bavaria?

No idea, but then I don't see how Bavarian or Saxon history for example would in itself be much more interesting than Schleswig-Holstein's history. In the grand picture, none of the various German principalities except for Prussia and Austria mattered much.