Greece Discovers 57 Bags Full of German Reichsmark, Worth 14 Million

The gift came from nowhere. It did not fall from the sky but it was hidden and forgotten in the dark cellars of the Treasury of Bank of Greece.  57 bags full of bank notes and coins. Total worth 14,334,000 Reichsmark. Most probably the Germans had no tanks big enough to carry them away when they left Athens after the years of occupation (1940-1941) during World War II.  And too pity, Germany does not use the Reichsmark anymore, the currency of the Third Reich. Otherwise, debt-ridden and loans-hit Greeks could pay back part of their euro-loan to Angela Merkel.

Greek media, report that the Finance Ministry will set up a six-member committee to decide what it should do with the 57 bags. The banknotes have zero nominal value and just historical one.

A statement issued by the Finance Ministry said that the committee members will have the task to inspect the bags and  submit a proposal as to whether the bags including the contain will be kept, used for other purposes or destroyed, “given that their value today can only be historic.” 

Kathimerini reported that the Bank of Greece had informed the ministry of the German money about a year ago, but given that it is only of historic value, the ministry had then decided against taking any action. However, as a result of the war reparations debate that is currently raging, Sachinidis has now decided to see what can be done with it.

Now six people will find a job, even a temporary one,  and get paid to decide whether 14 million Reichsmark will be destroyed…

KTG offers its proposal free of charge: Send the bags to Germany per courier and have the transport costs paid  “cash on delivery”. Because if one day Greece would demand war reparations, I am sure FinMin Wolfgang Schaeuble will say “How much is the compensation? Yes, but … they left back 57 bags worth 14 million!”

PS I read somewhere that apparently the worthless German treasure was found while the Finance Ministry was searching for the documents concerning the German war reparations towards Greece. I can’t take an oath that things happened like that, but maybe it’s time to start searching our grandma’s cellar, despite the tons of dust…. One never knows, what treasuries grandma left behind.