Europe and the Euro-zone have grown accustomed to facing crises; the history of the continent is filled with conflicts, crises and wars. The post-war period, albeit peaceful, has not been much different at least on an economic, monetary and philosophical level and especially so since the introduction of the common currency.
Since the end of World War II, Germany has been associated more with the sponsorship of the common European ideals rather than with the cause of the crises that could undermine the European project. Nonetheless, its exploitation of the stickiness of the common exchange rate regime (what’s stickier than theEuro?) to the detriment of other European countries has been flagged as one of the main causes for the weakness that has arisen in the other countries.