In 2008, when the Landesbanks were found to be full of American subprime mortgages, the German government bailed them out with a €500 billion ($650 billion) rescue package at its taxpayers’ expense. In 2010, when German banks were badly over-exposed – to the tune of $704 billion – to Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, European taxpayers and the ECB helped them to bring most of that money home.
德国纳税人已经为德国银行的错误付出了沉重代价。2008年，Landesbanks深陷美国次贷陷阱，德国政府花了5000亿欧元援助它，这笔援助资金便来自德国纳税人。2010年，德国银行在希腊、爱尔兰、意大利、葡萄牙和西班牙的风险敞口巨大——达到了7040亿欧元，欧洲纳税人和欧洲央行帮他们将这笔钱的大部分带回了家。德国纳税人的最大威胁不是南欧的挥霍无度，而是本国的银行。