As Germans Push Austerity, Greeks Press Nazi-Era Claims

[LAGC]

AMIRAS, Greece — As they moved through the isolated villages in this region in 1943, systematically killing men in a reprisal for an attack on a small outpost, German soldiers dragged Giannis Syngelakis’s father from his home here and shot him in the head. Within two days, more than 400 men were dead and the women left behind struggled with the monstrous task of burying so many corpses.

Mr. Syngelakis, who was 7 then, still wants payback. And in pursuing a demand for reparations from Germany, he reflects a growing movement here, fueled not just by historical grievances but also by deep resentment among his countrymen over Germany’s current power to dictate budget austerity to the fiscally crippled Greek government.

Germany may be Greece’s stern banker now, say those who are seeking reparations, but before it goes too far down that road, it should pay off its own debts to Greece.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/world/europe/as-germans-push-austerity-greeks-press-back.html?_r=0

It will be interesting to see if Greece presses the issue.

For as much as Greece has bent over backwards to meet German demands, there really should be forgiveness of a good part of that bailout debt that is crippling Greece right now...

[LiberalEsto]

1. War repararations payments aren't that unusual

My father received some kind of WW2 war reparations checks from Germany for many years.

[LuvNewcastle]

2. Good God, 300,000 Greeks starved to death during the German occupation!

Not to mention all the shit the Nazis either stole or destroyed. I think the Greek debt should be considered paid in full.