Long After The Holocaust – is Germany About to Take Over Europe?

Adolph Hitler took Germany into war in 1939 with a hazy idea of world domination but a very clear vision of conquering Europe. He saw the rise of Germany as revenge for the humiliation of losing the 1914 – 1918 war and the economic collapse that followed.

Germany was strong again. Hitler had risen to power  by demonising the Jews and blaming them for all the post war problems. He was backed by Germany’s ruling classes who were eager to use seized Jewish assets, rebuild the country and exploit conquered territories. Hitler began his “final solution” and murdered 6 million Jews in the Holocaust 

Germany was only defeated in 1945 after six years of hard warfare by the allied forces of the US and UK.

Now 66 years later Germany is poised to take over the leadership of Europe and force the 27 countries of the European Economic Community to follow German rules.

The irony is that this time round the Germans are not keen on the role.

When the Eurozone was set up, the countries that joined abandoned their national currencies and agreed to follow a set of financial disciplines, mostly designed by Germany. The idea was that all would benefit from increased trade and financial stability – while Germany would be protected against other countries devaluing their currency and gaining a competitive edge in world trade.

The idea has not worked because a group of countries including Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Spain and Italy could not keep to the financial rules of the game. Their economies were not strong enough and unlike Germany, the citizens of countries like Greece and Italy regard not paying taxes as the national sport.

To keep the Euro afloat Germany will have to bail out the economies of weaker countries, with some help from France. The cost will be paid by German taxpayers who are not keen on subsidising struggling economies. Particularly when their media is full of stories about Greek workers who start late, get down to the beach and retire early.

But the alternative, allowing the Euro to collapse, is even less welcoming.

Germany and the rest of Europe would be devastated financially as banks and the markets collapse. In a near fatal domino effect, world markets, including Wall St, are dragged into the inferno. Unemployment and inflation soar, world trade tanks for up to a decade.

So Germany will be forced to do what it tried, and failed, to do 66 years ago. Effectively take over the leadership of Europe.

The final twist is that countries with weaker economies will be exploiting German strength. Hitler must be spinning in his grave.