Nope, this latest Spiegel cover is not what I would call “defamatory or racist.” It’s just particularly stupid. But everybody seems to be having hurt feelings about it and calling each other names because of it and stuff like that, which always warms my heart. So keep running with it, folks.
“Our Greeks – Taking a closer look at a strange people.” Takes one to know one, I guess.
And always remember: “Spiegel readers know more” (one of the magazine’s more popular slogans). And they also love to look down their noses at people who read the Bildzeitung, for instance. There is a big difference, you see? Me, neither.
SPIEGEL-Leser wissen mehr!
Observing Hermann 
I haven’t read the article, but the cover illustration is what used to be called “caricature” – taking certain clichés and overemphasizing them. It’s not meant to be subtle or balanced. And it certainly isn’t “racist” or “Stürmer-like”. And after all, Der Spiegel is not a government bulletin on political correctness (even if they think so themselves…), it’s just a magazine. With an opinion. Others are available.