Germans have a tradition of saving that goes back at least to World War I, World War II, and the hyper-inflation of the 1920’s. It also harkens back to the nineteenth century. Apparently Germans were just as frugal back then. Somehow saving money and rarely spending more than what you have in the bank is inculcated in them from their early years. They routinely saving 10% of what they earn on average.
Imagine a people like that suddenly being confronted with the Greeks who on average spend 12% more than what they earn, which is considered a negative savings rate.
Germany has chosen to ally itself with Greece in its noble attempt at a common European currency called the euro. As a result these thrifty German taxpayers are confronted with the spectacle of more indebted European countries with low savings rates forcing a reliance on foreign investors (read Germans) to finance their deficits. Germany must bail the others out or their vision of being the United States of Europe will vanish in the next economic downturn. Then all those Germans who are nostalgic about the Deutsche mark can have it back again.