Think Greece's current economic malaise is the worst ever experienced in Europe? Think again. Germany, economic historian Albrecht Ritschl argues in a SPIEGEL ONLINE interview, has been the worst debtor nation of the past century. He warns the country should take a more chaste approach in the euro crisis or it could face renewed demands for World War II reparations.
After the Second World War, Germany left behind a Europe essentially damaged. Furthermore, because of frivolous options, the same over the past century, has gone bankrupt three times. If it were not for the U.S., which helped financially after the war, and countries such as Greece, which never claimed war damages, now my country would not have the economic power it has. I've said it before and am not afraid to repeat to you, Karipidis: Germany is the biggest sinner in the 20th century and perhaps of modern economic history. more... It is as simple as it sounds. By now, everybody knows that Germany -as the defeated one- owes Greece (Hellas) war reparations from world war II . By now, every loss payee got reparation except Greece which -by the way- suffered the most, according to the Nazi minister of Economics and President of Reichsbank Walter Funk who stated: "Greece suffered the pain of war and its consequences like -maybe- no other european country". more...
Talking to Les Echos the French econonmist Jacques Delpla claims that Germany still owes €575bn as a result of World War. He calls on Greece to respect its engagements with Europe by being serious about reforms and repayment of the debt. And he calls on Germany to keep its engagements with Europe by continuing to support Greece. more...
According to the Paris Peace Treaties (Paris 1947) Germany owes Greece War Reparations estimated (with the interests) about one (1) trillion euros! The issue came up the past few months along with the so called bankruptcy and became a popular demand (the payment) after the unacceptable articles, shows and commercials in Germany attacking Greeks showing them as the corrupted, lazy Balkanian living out of the "German tax payer" money. more...
...the victims of the armed forces crimes, forced labour or resistance fighters, for example, were explicitly omitted from these payments, and individual claims in the treaty expressly excepted. The Greek government has always maintained that no final settlement was reached with this global agreement – and even officials in the Federal Finance Ministry have conceded in writing that the Greek reparation claims were not fulfilled by this global agreement. more... “The German government must pay” wartime reparations to Greece for the 1941-44 Nazi occupation and the atrocities committed by the Nazi’s in the country during World War II, according to an eminent German professor of international law.Professor Norman Paech, who teaches International Law at Hamburg University, said in an interview in the German weekly periodical “Stern” that the German government was liable for compensation to the victims of the Nazi atrocities in Greece.“The German government must pay” wartime reparations to Greece for the 1941-44 Nazi occupation and the atrocities committed by the Nazi’s in the country during World War II, according to an eminent German professor of international law. more...
What is truly strange, however, is the brevity of Germany's collective memory. For during much of the 20th century, the situation was radically different: after the first world war and again after the second world war, Germany was the world's largest debtor, and in both cases owed its economic recovery to large-scale debt relief. more... In the Paris Reparations Agreement of 1946 the German war crimes against Greece were billed at 7.1 billion US dollars. A few years later, under the threat of the oncoming Cold War, Germany was already needed by the Allies in the struggle against communism. For this reason, it was agreed in the London Agreement of 1953 that the recognised reparation demands against Germany should be postponed – until a final settlement in a later peace treaty.
Germany also during occupation (1941-1944) was given a mandatory loan from Greece (yes from Greece to Germany) to the size of 3,5 billions USD.
A total sum of 10,6 billions USD at 1938 prices, not today. Even at a modest interest of 4%, this money accounts to 130 billions USD, half of the total debt of Greece! more...
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου