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I had no problem understanding your perspective, though I disagree only to the extent that I find it intolerable that German conservatives, especially those from the south, still complain about references to what those they strongly supported in the '30s did and that it left such a mark on German history. I do this because my real concern is that I see the social and psychological attitudes and political beliefs involved then still acting today in analogous ways. I have the same concern for all of the US conservatives who supported Hitler, to the extent of cooperating with him in the rearming of Germany right up until their holdings were (temporarily) confiscated during WW II, after they had transferred vital technologies to Germany - Standard Oil, DuPont, Firestone, Ford, IBM, etc., not to mention Harriman-Brown law firm It is a serious concern that they were and are not now held accountable. Individuals involved included Pierre DuPont, Henry Ford (Iron Cross by Hitler), Prescott Bush, both Dulles brothers, Joe Kennedy, etc. And these same people are now supporting the current, post modern imperial security state in the USA.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Mon Feb 23rd, 2015 at 09:58:14 AM EST
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Yes. I can only remind you that I am not particularly conservative, but that I too flap my ears at all demands to hold me responsible for what my grandparents did, or anything resembling such demands. People who want to reach the German public, or at least who don't want to alienate it, should avoid this minefield. You can either have a narrative that pitches nations against each other or a narrative that holds conservatives responsible, but not both.
by Katrin on Mon Feb 23rd, 2015 at 10:25:58 AM EST
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That's a fair point, in the same sense and to the same extent that it is a fair point that you will not change Israeli public opinion by bringing up the 1948 ethnic cleansing.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Mon Feb 23rd, 2015 at 02:13:17 PM EST
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I think that is a fair point, and as long as Greece remains in the eurozone winning the German public for the spirit of '53 should be the goal.

However, if Greece is kicked out of the eurozone and Germany insist on being repaid and uses the legal structure of the EU to try to collect, then I think bringing up legal claims against Germany might be necessary in order to remain in the EU.

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by A swedish kind of death on Tue Feb 24th, 2015 at 05:09:18 AM EST
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Agreed. In that case the political climate would be poisoned anyway.
by Katrin on Tue Feb 24th, 2015 at 06:52:49 AM EST
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I read it in the same way.

It is a point being made to show that a Greek exit from the eurozone really does mean unrecoverable  debts for the rest of Europe.

Beyond that, Citigroup has argued that the removal of ELA automatically creates a legal liability for Europe that absolves Greece of any debt.

I would also point out that the debt conversion in 2012 changed Greek debt from being Athens based, without any collective action clauses, to London debt that required a % of creditor agreement in the changing of any terms.

by Upstate NY on Tue Feb 24th, 2015 at 08:55:59 AM EST
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