Few nations have been more picked on in modern history than Germany. After it’s defeat in WWII, it was divided up by victorious Allied nations and made to pay huge sums of money to the nations Germany fought under the mad, but genius, leadership of Adolf Hitler.
Now, in February 2015, 70 years after the defeat of Germany, a new demand has come for Germany to pay even more reparation money for atrocities that ended so many years ago. The new Prime Minister of Greece, Alexis Tsipras, has inherited a country that has suffered much in the past decade — massive fires, uncontrolled illegal immigration, and the collapse of much of its economy. Only the international help of a 240 billion euro bail-out has kept his country financially afloat.
For the second time in the last two years, Greece has demanded massive reparations from the German government. In 1960 Germany paid off the treaty amount of 115 million deutsche marks, and Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel (who also serves as financial minister) has rejected the new demands outright. That did not stop Athens from desiring to get more money beyond what they claim was only an initial down payment.
The majority of Greeks blame Germany for their economic problems. Greece was occupied by German troops during WWII and many Greek civilians had been killed. The Greek economy has never fully recovered, but Germany is a current heavy-weight in the euro market. Greece has accused Germany of crowding the euro market, the Reuters reports.
Germany is currently led by the Golden Dawn Party; Alexis Tsipras has made public parallels between Golden Dawn and the Nazi Parties since they both arose to bring their bankrupted nations into prosperity. One might even suggest they are both trying to employ the same methods, including trying to bully other nations in order to get an advantage.
Yet Vice Chancellor Gabriel cites a treaty that nullifies the claims of the Greeks. In September 1990, when Germany was being unified after the fall of the Communistic Block, Western governments signed a new pact with Germany. In this treaty, all prior claims against Germany for her part in WWII were dropped. According to Gabriel, Germany is in the right in denying all claims made against it in the original treaty.