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Greece and Germany: Blind Fury

February 24, 2012

The ongoing controversy about aid to debt-ridden Greece has left nerves frazzled, and the relationship between Athens and Berlin at a nadir.

https://p.dw.com/p/SCBL
Image: dapd
Griechenland Präsident Karolos Papoulias zu Kritiken aus Deutschland
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

Greek President Karolos Papoulias accused Wolfgang Schäuble of insulting his country after the German finance minister likened Greece to a bottomless pit. Other countries, including Finland and the Netherlands, have also expressed reservations about Greece's efforts toward reform. But in Greece, it's Germany that has roused most of the ire. Greek newspapers have depicted Chancellor Angela Merkel wearing a Nazi uniform, and demonstrators have burned German flags in the streets of Athens. The Greek political and economic crisis has fueled prejudices and stereotypes everyone thought had been overcome.