Greece Tallies Up The WWII Reparations Bill

[Purveyor]

In May 1941, Nazi Germany invaded Greece, and raised the swastika flag at the Acropolis in Athens. The Wehrmacht occupied the country until 1944, with troops marauding and looting towns across the entire peninsula. The economic fallout from the war and the years of occupation have been a matter of controversy ever since.

Greece feels it was at a disadvantage in international reparations negotiations after the end of the war. New Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has estimated that Germany owes Greece billions of euros - and has insisted on resolving the matter. For its part, the German government has repeatedly refused such demands and has insisted Greek claims have already been compensated in previous reparation payments.

Forced loans for the occupiers

Damage done during the war, including destruction, looting and murder, is one issue. In accordance with a 1960 agreement, the German government paid 115 million deutschmarks in reparation payments to Greek victims of the Nazi regime. The sum was regarded as covering all demands for individual damages.

But the other issue is a loan Greece was forced to make to Germany. In 1942, Nazi Germany forced the Greek national bank to pay out an interest-free loan to the tune of 476 million Reichsmarks. The Nazis used the money to finance the their occupation of Greece as well as military operations. The loan was never repaid. A Greek committee has come to the conclusion that Germany therefore owes Greece about 11 billion euros ($12.48 billion).

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http://www.dw.de/greece-tallies-up-the-wwii-reparations-bill/a-18224874

[Dont call me Shirley]

1. Pay up, Germany. Goldman Snachs can afford to forgive their immoral loans.

[bravenak]

2. Welp. I guess payment is due.

[ColesCountyDem]

3. "The Nazis used the money to finance the their occupation of Greece ...."

Akin to the fairly common U.S. practice of forcing jail inmates to pay the cost of their own incarceration.

[Indydem]

4. Good luck collecting.

And if they do, it won't cover half of their annual deficit.

Or 10% of the bailout loan they received from the Eurozone.

Keep it up Greece. Way to make friends. Douchebags.

[polly7]

5. Yep. Pay up. With interest. nt.

[albino65]

6. And the hens come home to roost...n/t

[BigDemVoter]

7. Time for those obedient, law abiding Germans to pay their damned bills. . . .

All the horrendous things they did that can never be paid. . . Admittedly, there are other countries that have committed atrocities, our country included, but NOBODY has matched the sheer scale and awful audacity of the efficient Germans.

[iandhr]

8. Lets assume for a minutes that you expect the Greek position.

Germany owes Greece 11 billion Euros from the war.


Germany still lent Greece 65 billion.

65 billion - 11 billion is 54 billion.


Though the austerity measures have made the situation in Greece go from bad to very bad some of the current situation is their own fault.