Angela Merkel

DarkJager wrote: »

What I'd like to know is who told Germany they run the Eurozone,

I don't believe anyone told them that, but they are by far the biggest economy in it and that economy is in pretty good shape at the moment. That inevitably gives them some degree of prestige and influence. After all, Realpolitik (look it up!) is originally a German word.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

DarkJager wrote: »

or made that nauseating kunt the fuhrer of it?

No one made her the Führer (the German word for "leader") of the Eurozone, but her party did come out as the biggest in parliamentary elections, which gave her the right to become Chancellor of Germany. She wouldn't have been my first choice, but that's democracy for you. As for the four-letter word you misspell, it's Fotze in German. Add it to your existing vocabulary of vulgarities.:pac::pac:

She didn't do Ireland any favours by opening her trap either. Can't stand her.

Min wrote: »

If we didn't get German money we would be in a much worse state. He or she who pays calls the tune, unfortunately.
We as a nation brought this mess on ourselves, the state allowed irresponsible borrowing encouraged by tax incentives and low interest rates, the interest rates were to suit Germany, but we had too much tax take based on once off payments and now we are changing that.
The whole mess could have been avoided, no point blaming Germany though they hold some responsibility in terms of the interest rates and their banks lending to Irish banks.
We should have controlled our banks with proper implementation of regulations which was ignored at the time.
So Angela Merkel is not the problem, we created our own problem, it is Germany that has been left to try and solve it given their economic might.

Exactly. Much easier to blame someone than own up to the fact that the Irish were stupid and its leaders incompetent. The truth hurts

who what when wrote: »

I've said it before and i'l say it again. There's something in those German jenes that make them hell bent on world domination. They found out the hard way that they couldnt do it through war so now they're trying economics instead!

No, they just aren't lazy or big on Irish procrastination; they work and save and build.

To say the German people guide their country's destiny is foolish, it is the power of money that determine what 'Western states' do and don't do.

We Irish aren't exactly on top on of things in our own nation either. There is private interests leading the way.

Chinasea wrote: »

Oh yea, the pea brain elephant memory syndrome yet again. Yawn, cringe puke.

This thread is about the giant cac ca that is in Ireland's nappy now - ABSOUTLEY NOTHING to do with the history that you harp on about now.

What, the history about the nazis, attempted genocide, concentration camps, gas chambers, hitler, those events that people still alive can remember and everyone everywhere will remember forever, long looooong after this minor financial spat is over, you mean? Quite the teacher.

Shenshen wrote: »

They have already paid that :

$23 bn to the allies
$450 mil to Israel (in addition to individual claims)
$3 bn to the World Jewish Congress for survivors in other countries

It also finished paying off reparations for WW I in 2010

No it didn't. It was forgiven a massive amount of its WW2 reparations in '49. And the actual treaty wasn't signed 'til 1990.... and still in the courts ....

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/wwii-reparations-case-germany-doesn-t-feel-obliged-to-pay-more-a-786216.html

09/14/2011

WWII Reparations Case 'Germany Doesn't Feel Obliged to Pay More' AP Judges at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, on Sept. 12.

This week The Hague addresses a dispute over whether Italian courts can skirt German sovereignty in demanding reparations for Nazi war crimes. In an interview with SPIEGEL Online, victims' lawyer Martin Klingner discusses the implications of the case for his clients and future international war reparations.

In a case that could have consequences worldwide, Germany and Italy are squaring off this week at the United Nation's highest court in a jurisdictional dispute over the right of Italian courts to demand compensation for the victims of Nazi war crimes.

Hoping to quell what has been called "judicial tourism," Germany applied for proceedings in front of the World Court in December 2008, arguing that Italian courts have violated German sovereignty by addressing civilian claims for Nazi war crimes. The row originated from the case of Luigi Ferrini, who in 1944 was deported to Germany as a forced laborer. After an Italian Supreme Court ruled he should be compensated by Germany in 2004, a flood of similar cases have been filed in the country.



Greece would appear to have more than a case for money ..... Ireland wouldn't .....

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2093990,00.html

Another legal issue that has surfaced concerns the 476 million reichsmarks lent against its will to Germany by the Greek National Bank during the war. If this were to be considered a form of war damage, then in principle it would be subject to reparation — except that according to the 1990 treaty, Germany would not have to pay it. If the money were, however, to be considered a normal credit, then Greece would be entitled to get the money back.
Without interest, the amount in today's money would amount to $14 billion. With interest at 3% over 66 years, that would come to at least $95 billion. The problem is this: even partial recognition of such a debt would create a precedent that could bring untold claims in its wake.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Plan

Reparations: Germany had no money or gold left after WW2. Although up to 300 heavy industrial factories from Germany were dismantled and re built in the US as well as France and the UK, etc, The US then went on to give Europe approx €17 Billion over four years to help us out of our problems. A pretty big sum - especially in '47!! Germany got a ginormous lump of that money ...