William_Clarkson Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Germany owes Greece 279 billion euros in compensation for war damage. At least that's what the Greeks say. The Germans say the claim is nonsense. The issue of German war debt towards Greece has been raised many times before -- most recently in 2010 and 2012, when Greece was negotiating the terms of its 240 billion euros ($260 billion) international bailout package. But this is the first time Athens has put an official number -- roughly $300 billion -- on World War II reparations. The German government has -- again -- dismissed the claims, saying the matter has long been closed. "They won't get their debts paid by conjuring up German obligations from World War II," German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble told German media last month. Germany paid Greece 115 million marks in 1960, as required by reparation agreements. On top of that, it also paid compensation directly to individual victims of the Nazi regime in Greece -- forced laborers, for example. Berlin says the issue of reparations was settled once and for all by the international treaties that cleared the way for German reunification in 1990. Greece did not lodge a protest against those agreements at the time. But the Greek government now says the 1960 payments were not enough. "The 1960 agreement provided reparations only for the victims of Nazism in Greece, not for the damage inflicted on the country itself," Prime Minister Alexis Tspiras said in March, when he launched a commission to establish the size of the claim and suggest ways of resolving the dispute. Athens also says those reparations did not cover an interest-free loan that occupied Greece was forced to make to the Nazis in 1942. The loan was never repaid. The estimate of damages comes as Germans are losing patience with Greece over its attempts to renegotiate the terms of its massive bailout. Germany itself has lent Greece 56 billion euros. The Greek government has not made any formal request for reparations but opinion polls show a claim would have widespread popular support in Greece, which is struggling to avoid another financial collapse. But Tspiras went as far as suggesting Greece could start confiscating German assets if Berlin refuses to pay. That was described as "bizarre and impertinent" by German media. http://money.cnn.com/2015/04/07/news/economy/greece-germany-war-damages/index.html Hasn't Germany already lent more than any other country to help Greece get out of it's crisis (I might be wrong, but I think it has). Either way, Greece is obviously desperate if they're asking for reparations from WWII. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BabychStache Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 I read that earlier. Typical Greek whining. Look in the mirror Greece. You're lazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordCanuck Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Congrats to Greece for trying to slip out of there agreements. Germany runs the EU at this point, All the other country are failing. Greece the joke since 500 BC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejazz97 Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Basically an attempt to pay off their debts. "Well boys, we're done." "But Mr. President, we do have something else that could get us out of debt entirely!" *looks at it* "Hm, yes... this could work... Let's say Germany owes us approximately the same amount as we owe them!" "Brilliant, sir! Couldn't have said it better myself!" A brief look inside the Greek leader's office during those three weeks before bankruptcy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuckin_futz Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Tspiras and his right hand man Varoufakis are in completely over their heads. It's not a matter of if Greece exits the EU and returns to the Drachma but rather when. The EU doesn't give a rip about Greece but is concerned about the contagion effect. Spain, Portugal and Italy are next up and represent a much bigger problem than Greece. Cue the "Grexit". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2SKATES1STICK Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 The EU doesn't give a rip but do they give a rip about alabama? 'cause thugs and criminals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armada Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 No Greece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancaster Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 The EU will collapse eventually. The Germans are doing their utmost to keeping everyone together by bailing out their extravagance lifestyle. Just those irresponsible countries keep bashing the Germans for more money, dredging out old conflicts and stuff. Most of the blaming are coming from extreme nationalistic parties. I guess it's likely that many will leave the Eurozone, taking all the money that's borrowed. Then will probably crank up the anti-German rhetoric when they are unable to receive anymore loans to finance their budgets, perhaps even using force. A good video from the leader of UKIP... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gross-Misconduct Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Maybe if them Greeks stopped smashing plates and started pulling their own weight they wouldnt be so freaking broke. OPA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilduce39 Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 France wanted a lot of reparations after WW1 as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drummer4now Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 I feel bad for Germany... why are they so hellbent on keeping the Euro? They're Europes #1 economy and this is essentially after three world wars if you count the cold war.. Greece needs to put a sock in it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
William_Clarkson Posted April 8, 2015 Author Share Posted April 8, 2015 France wanted a lot of reparations after WW1 as well. Did they want them 70 years later, after Germany has already did as much as they reasonably could (and then some) to help Greece out after their own incompetence? The EU will collapse eventually. The Germans are doing their utmost to keeping everyone together by bailing out their extravagance lifestyle. Just those irresponsible countries keep bashing the Germans for more money, dredging out old conflicts and stuff. Most of the blaming are coming from extreme nationalistic parties. I guess it's likely that many will leave the Eurozone, taking all the money that's borrowed. Then will probably crank up the anti-German rhetoric when they are unable to receive anymore loans to finance their budgets, perhaps even using force. i really like the idea of the European Union and the Eurozone, but I have the feeling it's been poorly implemented. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offensive Threat Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 The current Greek gov rolled into power on an anti-austerity platform. They know they cant deliver that so they are setting up Germany as the bad guy to deflect the blame. Very basic politics. Going all the way back to WW2 Is a cute twist though. if Greece wants to see what will happen if they leave the Euro zone itll make current conditions look like heaven by comparison...and they will still have to pay back their debts. Who will lend them anything? They want to leave the only source they have to get the cash they need to stave off total collapse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeromotacanucks Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 here´s what I think: 1) there´s no freaking way Germany will pay that. Germany would invade Greece again but heck no they will pay that amout of money to the Greeks... 2) Greece will leave the Eurozone, not if, when. they´re broken (Brazil is on the way). the Greek internal politic is different and can´t affor the EU demands... 3) without choice Greece will become a Russian ally. if not economically at least military. Russia is interesting to have a "Satelite friend" in Europe... 4) The Euro Union will not last for long. why? -there are many countries with different economies. oner richers than the other. Germany is clearly more efficient in terms of politics than Italy and Greece. -so the rich countries such as France, Germany and England will be fed up of helping "all day long" the other countries without a future perspective. they demand cuts but Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece refuse do it because their local population will not agree with that... -because the EU is tight. the Euro (currency) is tight. you can´t have it when the countries around the zone are so different. -probably if USA and Canada or Swede, Finland and Norway decide use a common currency it would work better since their economies and politics are pretty much in pair with each other. you can´t espect Germany and Greece having the same politics... 5) Solution? well. why not transform the Euro Zone into the "Euro Country"? -simple. people there always talk about it. instead an european continent transform it into a giant country and probably using the Latin as the official language. -it would unify the politics, the economy, it would make the things easier because instead of "hundreds" of different countries and politics there will be only one... we will definetly see things changing in Europe pretty soon... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejazz97 Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 -simple. people there always talk about it. instead an european continent transform it into a giant country and probably using the Latin as the official language. My history teacher told us a story of how his uncle would go traveling to France and Spain and Italy. They'd speak their native tongue to him and he'd speak Latin back, and they'd understand each other. It's a good idea, although the European country would likely have to be settled into provinces to still let each country keep it's own culture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Not only that, but Iran owes them 300 Euros... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejazz97 Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Not only that, but Iran owes them 300 Euros... Did they skip out on the dinner bill or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeromotacanucks Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 My history teacher told us a story of how his uncle would go traveling to France and Spain and Italy. They'd speak their native tongue to him and he'd speak Latin back, and they'd understand each other. It's a good idea, although the European country would likely have to be settled into provinces to still let each country keep it's own culture that´s because French (language), Italian (language), Spanish, Portuguese (language) and Romanian (language) have the same common origin. the Latin... so that´s why once you learn one it´s a lot easier learn the others. with the same origin many worlds are almost the same. if not the same... the transition to an "European Country" would require effort and patience. reverendums around the zone would be done to decide if each country want abdicate for their own federal goverment and transforming their country into a "province/state". just like in Canada. in Vancouver people speak mandarin/chinese but it´s not the official language of Canada. it´s a local preference. France as a province might work better than France as a country without having to support Spain and Portugal all the time... but althout looks crazy it will solve the problem in europe. a major central government will be better than many small federal governments... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugor Hill Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Tspiras and his right hand man Varoufakis are in completely over their heads. It's not a matter of if Greece exits the EU and returns to the Drachma but rather when. The EU doesn't give a rip about Greece but is concerned about the contagion effect. Spain, Portugal and Italy are next up and represent a much bigger problem than Greece. Cue the "Grexit". No way this is Varoufakis' idea. Tspiras though, I don't know about him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Did they skip out on the dinner bill or something? Nah. It was a weak attempt at a joke. Here's a clue: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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