German historian asks "Cultural" tax infavor of Greeks

An interesting article from Καθημερινή about Leonora Seeling, historian and author who suggests: "Five cents a word, to save Greece":

"A German historian and writer rose against the insulting reports in the German press about Greece. As noted in Deutsche Welle's website («DW»), it's Leonora Seeling, which sought to impose a temporary, cultural tax for the financial rescue of Greece.

According to the publication, Mrs Seeling is not an expert about Greek issues in Germany. However, she has taught in German and French universities, history of mathematics and physics, has published literature and has done many trips the last decade in Greece and now she objects firmly by writing a book.

Her book, "Arykanda (as it was the ancient city of Lycia), which was published by a small publishing house in Stuttgart is written in the form of speaking to citizens and is entitled:" 5 cents, to save Greece. It is - according to the newspaper - "a warm unconditional advocacy for Greece by a German author.

The reason of her public position was the annoying tone of german publications against Greece. Moreover, the question for Mrs Seeling is not to identify the weaknesses of Greek fiscal policy, but to find reasons at any cost to save Greece, which it considers valuable as the cradle of European civilization.

For this reason, Mrs. Seeling proposed the imposition - at a European level - of a minimal, symbolic cultural tax: indeed, whoever is currently using Greek words to pay five 'cheap' cents for each one of them. That is, when the German say "Idee", when the French pronounce "idee" or the British "idea", to be awarded immediately 5 cents in the Greek public purse. The same goes for the words psyche and psychoanalysis, democracy and politics, museum, Europe, euro and so on.

With passion, persistence and apparent joy Mrs Seeling counts the millions and billions that will be entering the empty Greek 'money box'. Indeed, she is absolutely convinced that the European people owe this tax in Greece because without its intellectual and scientific achievements would exist today neither European culture, nor European technology, nor aircraft will be moved, nor the ships would cross the seas.

The second aim of the German writer is to "snuggle" the Germany authors-publications, which with a professor's style rushed to condemn the practice of Greek practice and culture. For this reason, she reminded that next to the Greek naively overt corruption - "democratic corruption", as it is called - is the lofty and hypocritical corruption of the German economy and politics.

For this reason, Mrs. Seeling made the comparison of the earnings of a Greek government official, along with the cut of 10%, with the highest bonus - under certain conditions - that get the German unemployed. She has also proposed the reduction of Greek purchases of German arms to 50% or more. According to «DW», Leonora Seeling says, "I did all this, simply because I am an educated German who's stepped on the toes because they challenged Greece."