In today’s narrative, reasonable or not, the Germans see themselves as victims in the euro crisis. They think they are being asked to pay for the errors of others, who are using the past as a “pretext for extortion, a way to get German money”, Mr Kundnani thinks. Indeed Bild, the largest German tabloid, has described the talk of reparations as “blackmail”.
This worsening climate inevitably affects the tone of debate about the future of the euro zone. According to a new poll, 82% of Germans doubt that Greece will carry through the reforms it has promised, and 52% want it to exit from the single currency. In a sign of her concern, Mrs Merkel has invited Mr Tsipras to Berlin on March 23rd. It will take all her vaunted skill to save Europe from an unintended disaster.