Much of Euroe borrowed money cheaply to buy stuff it couldn’t afford. In effect, lots of non-Germans had used Germany’s credit rating to indulge their material desires. The Germans were the exception. Given the chance to take something for nothing, the German people simply ignore the offer. “There was no credit boom in Germany” says Jorg AsMussen, a german civil servant.”REal estate prices were completely flat. There was no borrowing for consumption. Because this behavior is totally unacceptable in Germany. This is what the German people are. This is deeply in German genes.”