Maybe history does repeat itself

November 15, 2010 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Heconomy, Hypocrisy Tags: Berlin, Currency, Euro, Exports, German, Germans, Germany, Greece, Humor, Ireland, Satire 2 Comments

At least when it comes to Germany’s interest in benefitting from currency troubles, I mean. Hey Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Italy… Stay hard-up or shut-up.

”The key principle of German economic policy was to persuade the French and Italians to lower the value of the D-mark so as to make Germany more competitive.”

“The Berlin government’s intransigence over the debt issue, while politically understandable from a German point of view, seemingly pays little heed to the realities of the euro economy, which are heavily tilted towards Germany.”

“In pre-EMU days, if the German economy were growing at an estimated 3.7% as it is this year, the German currency and interest rates would both come under upward pressure – damping exporters’ performance and the growth outlook. Now, however, with all EMU economies shackled together, and devaluation an impossibility for the peripheral countries, the hard-up states have nowhere to hide. Germany continues to profit from excellent export performance — and it can self-righteously point the finger of blame for the euro area’s woes at those debt-ridden peripheral states.”

Ah! Scenic Lake Constance…

November 7, 2010 By Hermann Observer in Hi-tech, Hypocrisy Tags: Armament industry, Berlin, Exports, German, Germans, Germany, Humor, Satire, Weapons industry Leave a comment

The charming landscape, the panoramic views, the armaments industries booming everywhere…

Of course none of these companies (or the communities that live off them) use terms like that if they can avoid it. They prefer calling them “security engineering” or “defense technology” businesses instead, for some strange reason. Maybe because like everwhere else in Germany, they’re all pacifists down here too? Interesting article.

“Genuine pacifists are hard to find around Lake Constance. Most have turned more pragmatic long ago–or maybe their name is Nena. The pop singer performed here last year at MTU’s 100th year anniversary company celebration. And she sang her peace song 99 Luftballons too, of course, and 14,000 guests sang along with her. Before Nena arrived, the celebration’s main attraction had been a Leopard II tank.”

“Laut dem schwedischen Friedensforschungsinstitut Sipri liegt die Bundesrepublik auf Rang drei hinter den USA und Russland–und das, obwohl die deutschen Exportkontrollen zu den strengsten der Welt zählen.”

Export this

October 22, 2010 By Hermann Observer in Heconomy Tags: Berlin, Exports, German, Germans, Germany, Humor, Satire Leave a comment

Tim Geitner surely meant well when he suggested that certain powerful G-20 export nations like Germany might maybe ought to want to cap their trade surpluses and deficits at 4% of GDP. But well just isn’t good enough when dealing with the Germans (and their money).

German Economy Minister Rainer Brüderle quickly retorted however, warning against “planned economy thinking” and “macro-economic fine-tuning and quantitative target-setting,” whatever that means. “Eat me completely,” in other words.

Die Vereinigten Staaten kritisieren immer wieder den hohen Exportüberschuss von Deutschland und China.

Speaking of German cars…

June 3, 2010 By Hermann Observer in Heconomy Tags: Automobiles, Berlin, Cars, Exports, German, Germans, Germany, Humor, Satire 2 Comments

Americans sure like buying them – again. Germans aren’t all that interested in them anymore, though (no more cash-for-clunkers).

Orders abroad are up 22 percent in May compared to a year earlier – with China and the United States providing the demand. We’ve been through this before, haven’t we (and again and again)?

“Die Bedeutung des US-Marktes nimmt wieder zu.”

This is Germany

May 31, 2010 By Hermann Observer in Hypocrisy Tags: Berlin, Defense, Exports, German, Germans, Germany, Humor, Military, Satire, Weapons 4 Comments

Huh?

Germany’s President Horst Koehler has thrown in the towel for getting heat about having said this:

“In my view, however, I think our society is on the right path to fully understanding that a country of our size, export-oriented as it is, and therefore dependent upon foreign trade… In a country like ours we must also know that in doubt, in an emergency, military intervention will also be necessary to protect our interests. To keep free trade routes open, for instance, to prevent regional instability, for example, these are things that would otherwise have a definite negative effect upon our trade, our jobs and our income. Everything should be open for discussion here, and I believe that we are making good progress to that end.”

My, how scandalous. How could the pacifist citizens of the world’s third largest weapons exporting nation possibly take such shocking and unsavoury presidential provocations like this sitting down? They couldn’t take it sitting down, of course, so Horst had to step down.

This is just too ridiculous for me. Somebody please tell me what I missed here.

Germans and their torture instruments

March 17, 2010 By Hermann Observer in Heconomy Tags: Berlin, Exports, German, Germans, Germany, Police, Torture, Weapons 1 Comment

Not only are Germans good at exporting expensive weapon systems, they’re also top-notch torture instrument exporters.

Or at least that’s what Amnesty International thinks they are. Of course Amnesty International also thinks that cold spinach is a torture instrument. Having to eat it, I mean. Which I guess it is, come to think of it. But still.

Nur sieben europäische Länder halten sich dem Amnesty Bericht zufolge an ihre Verpflichtung, Exporte derartiger Gegenstände öffentlich zu machen.

Ein Bombengeschäft

March 15, 2010 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts Tags: Armaments, Arms, Berlin, Exports, German, Germans, Germany, Humor, Satire, Weapons 1 Comment

A bomb of a business, a roaring trade, a gold mine. And the same procedure as every year.

“Germany Now World’s Third Largest Arms Exporter.” Now? Been that way for years, folks. Get used to it already.

Pacifists. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them.

“When it comes to arms exports, few will be surprised that the US tops the list.”

Let’s champion something else for awhile

August 19, 2009 By Hermann Observer in Heconomy Tags: Exports 3 Comments

Although the title may be an unofficial one, it looks like its official now: Germany is poised to lose the title of world’s top exporter this year – to China (who else?). The recession may be over here (or not), but the recession elsewhere continues to lower the demand for expensive German cars, machinery and other Teutonic stuff.

In other words, the rest of the world is now doing what the Germans have been doing here all along: The cheaper the better. No, that’s not a dance, although it might become one.

“Germany’s trading partners are going more for cheaper products right now.”

Observing Hermann

“Was interessiert mich mein Geschwätz von gestern?”

Tag Archives: Exports