Editing Anti-German sentiment (section)

===European debt crisis, Greece and Italy===
{{see also|Fourth Reich#Usage to indicate German influence in the European Union}}
During the [[European debt crisis]], many countries embarked on, or were arguably pushed into, austerity programs. Germany was blamed for the resulting economical, social and political consequences.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.reuters.com/macroscope/2011/11/07/euro-zone-crisis-its-germanys-fault/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111108024858/http://blogs.reuters.com/macroscope/2011/11/07/euro-zone-crisis-its-germanys-fault/|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 November 2011|title=Euro zone crisis: It's Germany's fault|website=Reuters|date=7 November 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/who-is-responsible-for-the-eurozone-crisis-the-simple-answer-germany-a6771536.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/who-is-responsible-for-the-eurozone-crisis-the-simple-answer-germany-a6771536.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Why Germany could be behind the eurozone crisis|website=[[Independent.co.uk]]|date=13 December 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-09-12/is-germany-responsible-for-the-euro-crisis|title=Is Germany Responsible for the Euro Crisis?|newspaper=Bloomberg |date=12 September 2013|via=www.bloomberg.com}}</ref>

The [[Greek government-debt crisis]] and EU-driven austerity measures imposed on the country revived anti-German sentiments.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ferris |first=Amie |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-greece-germany-relations-idUSTRE79P3LN20111026 |title=Nazi jokes, wrath at Germans highlight Greek despair |agency=Reuters.com |date= 26 October 2011|access-date=14 May 2014|newspaper=Reuters }}</ref> The Greek media was making comments critical of the German policy, often mentioning, and drawing parallels with the [[Axis occupation of Greece]], with some commentators emphasizing a genetic heritage from "[[Goths]]" or "[[Huns#20th century use in reference to Germans|Huns]]".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ppol.gr/cm/index.php?Datain=7608&LID=1|script-title=el:Ο αντιγερμανισμός και οι μύθοι που τον τροφοδοτούν|author=Spyros Vletsas|language=el|access-date=7 April 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130616030849/http://www.ppol.gr/cm/index.php?Datain=7608&LID=1|archive-date=16 June 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Ioannis Grigoriadis|url=http://news.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi/_w_articles_columns_2_25/07/2012_490122|title=Αντιαμερικανισμός και αντιγερμανισμός|newspaper=[[Kathimerini]]|access-date=7 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121116220505/http://news.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi/_w_articles_columns_2_25/07/2012_490122|archive-date=16 November 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> A poll in 2012 by VPRC noted the existence of an anti-German sentiment in Greece, and that the majority of the respondents connected Germany with negative notions such as "Hitler", "Nazism" and "3rd Reich".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tvxs.gr/news/ellada/problima-stis-sxeseis-elladas-germanias-anadeiknyei-dimoskopisi-sok-tis-vprc |title=Πρόβλημα στις σχέσεις Ελλάδας Γερμανίας αναδεικνύει δημοσκόπηση-σοκ της Vprc |language=el |date=23 February 2012 |publisher=VPRC |work=tvxs.gr| access-date=7 April 2013}}</ref>

A main argument has been that, despite its rhetoric, Germany made profits during the Greek debt crisis (due to falling borrowing rates – as Germany, along with other strong Western economies, was seen as a safe haven by investors during the crisis<ref name="Media Coverage">{{cite news |url=https://www.academia.edu/6655991|title= Media Coverage of the 2010 Greek Debt Crisis: Inaccuracies and Evidence of Manipulation |work= Academia.edu|date=January 2014 }}</ref> – investment influx, and exports boost due to the Euro's depreciation, with estimates reaching 100bn Euros,<ref>{{Cite news| title = Time for Flush Germany to Put Europe First| url = https://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304803104576427971253989738 |work= The Wall Street Journal | date = 6 July 2011 |access-date= 1 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| title = The EU's Dirty Secret: Germany Is The Biggest Welfare Recipient There Is | url = http://www.businessinsider.com/germany-benefits-from-the-eurozone-2011-4 |work= Business Insider | date = 22 April 2011|access-date= 1 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| title = The Euro Payoff: Germany's Economic Advantages from a Large and Diverse Euro Area| url = http://www.greekcrisis.net/2011/03/euro-payoff-germanys-economic.html| work = GreekCrisis.net| date = 12 March 2011| access-date = 1 January 2014| archive-date = 20 October 2020| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201020184516/http://www.greekcrisis.net/2011/03/euro-payoff-germanys-economic.html| url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| title = Greece's crisis, Germany's gain| url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-mar-15-la-oe-meaney15-2010mar15-story.html |work= Los Angeles Times | date = 15 March 2010 |access-date= 1 January 2014 | first1=Thomas | last1=Meaney | first2=Harris | last2=Mylonas}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| title = German Exporters' Debt to Greece | url = https://blogs.wsj.com/brussels/2011/06/13/german-exporters-debt-to-greece/ |work= The Wall Street Journal | date = 13 June 2011|access-date= 1 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| title = Germany Profiteering from Euro Crisis Through Low Interest Rates | url = http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/germany-profiting-from-euro-crisis-through-low-interest-rates-a-917296.html |work= Spiegel | date = 19 August 2013 |access-date= 1 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="Taxpayer bailouts">{{Cite news| title = Analysis: What taxpayer bailouts? Euro crisis saves Germany money | url = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eurozone-bailouts-idUSBRE9410CG20130502 |work= Reuters | date = 2 May 2013| access-date= 1 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| title = Eurozone crisis saves Germany tens of billions | url = http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-07-22/eurozone-crisis-saves-germany-tens-of-billions | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120724045151/http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-07-22/eurozone-crisis-saves-germany-tens-of-billions | url-status = dead | archive-date = 24 July 2012 |work= Businessweek | date = 22 July 2012| access-date= 1 January 2014}}</ref> as well as other profits through loans).<ref name="Germany profit Handelsblatt">{{cite news |url= https://global.handelsblatt.com/finance/germany-profits-from-greek-debt-crisis-796637 |title= Germany Profits From Greek Debt Crisis |work= Handelsblatt |date= 12 July 2017 |access-date= 20 July 2018 |archive-date= 12 July 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170712134939/https://global.handelsblatt.com/finance/germany-profits-from-greek-debt-crisis-796637 |url-status= dead }}</ref>
Another key issue, has been the claim for still owed [[World War II reparations#Greece|War reparations, with estimates reaching 279b Euros]].

In August 2012, Italian Prime Minister [[Mario Monti]] warned that escalating arguments over how to resolve the Euro debt crisis are turning countries against each other and threatening to rip Europe apart. Resentment in Italy is growing against Germany, the European Union and chancellor Merkel, he said, adding that "the pressures already bear the traits of a psychological break-up of Europe".<ref name= Aldrick2012>{{cite news |last= Aldrick |first= Philip |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9454255/Debt-crisis-threatens-to-break-up-Europe.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9454255/Debt-crisis-threatens-to-break-up-Europe.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Debt crisis threatens to break up Europe |newspaper= [[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |date= 5 August 2012 |access-date=14 May 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

A survey took place in the summer of 2017 among ten members of the EU. Most expressed scepticism about German influence on European matters; the Greeks (89%) express most of the skepticism followed by the Italians (69%) and the Spanish (68%). Greeks also come with the most negative opinion (84%) about Angela Merkel, and with the least positive opinion about the German people (24%), among the questioned ten states.<ref>{{cite news |last=Nikolaidou|first=Myrna|url=https://www.frontpages.gr/d/20170617/26/%CE%95%CF%83%CF%84%CE%AF%CE%B1|title=Greece, the champion of anti-germanism: Europeans are concerned over Berlin's influence|newspaper=[[Estia]]|date=16 June 2017}}</ref>