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magical thyme

(14,881 posts)

39. Germany *claims* it finished paying its war debt

Sun Jul 5, 2015, 10:52 PM

Jul 2015

"In 1942, the Greek Central Bank was forced by the occupying Nazi regime to loan 476 million Reichsmarks at 0% interest to Nazi Germany. In 1960, Greece accepted 115 million Marks as compensation for Nazi crimes. Nevertheless, past Greek governments have insisted that this was only a down-payment, not complete reparations.[1] In 1990, immediately prior to German reunification, West Germany and East Germany signed the Two Plus Four Agreement with the former Allied countries of the United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union. Since that time, Germany has insisted that all matters concerning World War II, including further reparations to Greece, are closed because Germany officially surrendered to the Allies and to no other parties, including Greece. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_reparations_for_World_War_II

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Germany is the country that has never repaid its debts. It has no standing to lecture other nations. [View all] kpete Jul 2015 OP

Well now, this is inconvenient. libdem4life Jul 2015 #1

Maybe Angela Merkel needs to be reminded of that. eom Cleita Jul 2015 #2

Varoufakis reminded her not long ago magical thyme Jul 2015 #38

Of course. The victim is the rude one. Cleita Jul 2015 #41

Here and now, Piketty is the hifiguy Jul 2015 #3

Nail on Head! CountAllVotes Jul 2015 #4

doesn't negate anyone else's debt arely staircase Jul 2015 #5

It should. Greece was one of the countries that forgave German debt after WW2. pnwmom Jul 2015 #12

interesting (good) point arely staircase Jul 2015 #13

Greece didn't get reparations. Igel Jul 2015 #21

To read your post, it appears you think Germany wasn't responsible pnwmom Jul 2015 #29

Germany paid reparations. The USSR exacted a heavy price--large territorial losses. DonCoquixote Jul 2015 #40

Japan was killing Chinese long before Japan allied with Hitler NT 1939 Jul 2015 #73

22 million during ww2 is still a big number DonCoquixote Jul 2015 #74

Greece was blitzkrieged by Germany during World War II Art_from_Ark Jul 2015 #61

The money the Greek government owes isnt all owed to Germany though. cstanleytech Jul 2015 #30

At least two Nobel prize winning economists, Krugman and Stieglitz, pnwmom Jul 2015 #31

True but spending in excessive of what even the most optimistic predictions cstanleytech Jul 2015 #32

As is usual, the people who benefited then are not the people who will pay now. pnwmom Jul 2015 #35

A country is not a household... druidity33 Jul 2015 #87

Thats debatable but one thing that isn't debatable is the report by the IMF cstanleytech Jul 2015 #89

And of course timdog44 Jul 2015 #90

Well its either the IMF or the Greek government but considering some of deals they made to conceal cstanleytech Jul 2015 #91

Actually, wasn't the conclusion... druidity33 Jul 2015 #93

So we are same page this is the report I am referring to cstanleytech Jul 2015 #97

probably we disagree druidity33 Jul 2015 #103

" "You made your bed... lie in it."" Actually I am not. cstanleytech Jul 2015 #104

I think you're wrong. druidity33 Jul 2015 #105

Really? Were the police going keep doing their job if they didnt get paid? cstanleytech Jul 2015 #106

And now timdog44 Jul 2015 #94

Atleast on the forum on another thread Goldman helped Greece hide the true extent of its debt which cstanleytech Jul 2015 #96

Amazing how easy timdog44 Jul 2015 #98

I dont feel to much sympathy for the Greek government (notice I said the government) if they cstanleytech Jul 2015 #100

I have to say timdog44 Jul 2015 #101

Something else that might make the Germans more willing DFW Jul 2015 #92

it does if the amount Germany owes Greece is the same as the amount magical thyme Jul 2015 #37

Pssssst Scurrilous Jul 2015 #6

I fixed the link for you, so folks can read the rest Electric Monk Jul 2015 #7

thanks for having my back kpete Jul 2015 #8

It was the @ symbol in the url Electric Monk Jul 2015 #11

Bingo. And Greece signed off on forgiveness of it ironically. mmonk Jul 2015 #9

Well that's the case with everything The2ndWheel Jul 2015 #10

Greece should resubmit the bill to Germany. Germany has defaulted roguevalley Jul 2015 #20

In 1953 Germany went to the Allies about the debt burden they held, and adjustments were appalachiablue Jul 2015 #14

Germany finishing paying its war debt in 2010. former9thward Jul 2015 #15

Hrm MFrohike Jul 2015 #16

Some of the write-off was bringing that debt in line with other Igel Jul 2015 #22

It was? MFrohike Jul 2015 #24

You know Greek had a debt write off less than 5 years ago. Travis_0004 Jul 2015 #33

I know MFrohike Jul 2015 #36

It should also be noted... Adrahil Jul 2015 #43

And it doesn't MFrohike Jul 2015 #58

The Greeks didn't just take the money, they sought it. Adrahil Jul 2015 #64

Debt requires a borrower and a lender jeff47 Jul 2015 #67

Yep, it does. And both are about to take a hit. Adrahil Jul 2015 #69

Greece was required to do so in order to get money from the EU/IMF. jeff47 Jul 2015 #70

I agree. As I said, plenty of blame to go around. nt Adrahil Jul 2015 #72

Oh? MFrohike Jul 2015 #82

There was plenty of graft.... Adrahil Jul 2015 #83

There IS plenty of graft MFrohike Jul 2015 #84

Well maybe you can use another source. former9thward Jul 2015 #48

Heh MFrohike Jul 2015 #57

Germany *claims* it finished paying its war debt magical thyme Jul 2015 #39

Greece will claim anything. former9thward Jul 2015 #49

re-read the last sentence. Germany doesn't refuse to pay because it doesn't owe reparations. magical thyme Jul 2015 #62

War "debt" was imposed. That's pretty different. Adrahil Jul 2015 #71

Poor innocent Germany. The Germans were FORCED into invading Europe dbackjon Jul 2015 #86

I've been saying this for the last week or more... blackspade Jul 2015 #17

It's not. They were all born after WWII. nt geek tragedy Jul 2015 #26

That makes no sense at all. blackspade Jul 2015 #42

See post #16 Adrahil Jul 2015 #44

This post puts it pretty well. geek tragedy Jul 2015 #47

As Greeks do, with Greece's money Aerows Jul 2015 #51

That was an entirely different Germany, many generations ago, with a government not freely elected. George II Jul 2015 #18

Yep. If we're going to use history, the Greeks have never atoned for their 5th Century BC atrocities stevenleser Jul 2015 #19

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/constantine-tzanos/are-the-greek-claims-for-war-reparations_b_3439287. magical thyme Jul 2015 #63

Facts schmacts. They're for progressives and socialists. The U.S. right wing knows that. valerief Jul 2015 #23

No mention of the Treaty of Versailles? geek tragedy Jul 2015 #25

Polemics are always more convenient to work with than history. DFW Jul 2015 #46

Strictly speaking, history is written with the consent of the victors... malthaussen Jul 2015 #66

Cited in the link as to why the their WW2 debt was structured differently/forgiven. n/t freshwest Jul 2015 #52

K & R for an excellent interview. mountain grammy Jul 2015 #27

Europe faces two stark choices...either federalize or start the break up. roamer65 Jul 2015 #28

No, they could also agree to extend the loan terms to 40 years or more in order to give Greece cstanleytech Jul 2015 #34

Greece is like Argentina. Time to forgive the debt or let them default. It will never be repaid. DFW Jul 2015 #65

That's gonna leave a mark! Never heard about this! SHTF time. n/t freshwest Jul 2015 #45

Germany has declared bankruptcy 7 times Aerows Jul 2015 #50

So, Germany is the Donald Trump of nations? merrily Jul 2015 #53

Pretty much. n/t Aerows Jul 2015 #55

That was pretty good! d_legendary1 Jul 2015 #78

Glad you enjoyed it. merrily Jul 2015 #99

Thank you for this valuable OP, kpete. merrily Jul 2015 #54

I just find myself wondering, if taxpayers can bail out banks to the tune of trillions, then why Ed Suspicious Jul 2015 #56

Why are there so many conservatives on DU and apparently in the party? BrotherIvan Jul 2015 #59

The Republican party went crazy nxylas Jul 2015 #68

And they all showed up BrotherIvan Jul 2015 #76

Do you consider President Obama to be a "conservative"? (nt) Nye Bevan Jul 2015 #75

Obama famously described himself as a "moderate Republican" Romulox Jul 2015 #81

Thanks for posting. Sherman A1 Jul 2015 #60

So the German people are responsible for their past leaders' actions. randome Jul 2015 #77

Here's one important distinction. totodeinhere Jul 2015 #79

Germany is ground zero for continuing the policies that hurt the world in the first place. lark Jul 2015 #80

Didnt Greece decide iamthebandfanman Jul 2015 #85

K&R..... daleanime Jul 2015 #88

The country that gave us the Nazi's says you haven't done enough to make up for your sins. lol. n/t jtuck004 Jul 2015 #95

Yes, but in fairness the EU was adopted to change all that, and the demands now are EU covenants, Yo_Mama Jul 2015 #102