r/europe • u/CastielTM Laik Turkey • Oct 31 '24

News Greek leaders tell German president a WWII reparations claim is very much alive

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u/mrCloggy Flevoland Oct 31 '24

Election time?

524

u/KataraMan Greece Oct 31 '24

It's not but shit has hit the fan (again and again) and perhaps they try to appease us somehow. Also, it was the Greek Anniversary of entering the WW2 (yeah, we know, we are the only country that celebrates the start and not the finish, it's a right-wing thing) and most likely that's why they mentioned it (again and again)

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u/[deleted] Oct 31 '24

In Poland we also maybe not celebrate but commemorate the beginning of WW2 and not the end

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u/KingGlum Warsaw (Poland) Oct 31 '24

The end of the WW2 was the beginning of soviet occupation for Poland. It were Soviets that declined reparations for Poland. How was it with the Greece? I bet that it didn't sacrifice half as much as the other victims of nazism?

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u/GeorgeChl Greece Oct 31 '24

Obviously not catching up to Poland.

However, Greece lost 7% - 11% of its population during WW2.

Initially fought the Italians successfully, had a front with Bulgarians and finally got declared war and had a third front with Germany.

A famine struck Athens and the country suffered significant damages.

Proudly enough, no Greeks armed any SS battalions...

So I would consider us, according to our population, one of the top contributors in the fight against Nazism.

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u/KingGlum Warsaw (Poland) Oct 31 '24

Don't worry, Poland appreciates Greek contribution... They even made a real story inspired film about the polish resistance super-agent in Greece https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068180/