article_snippet: But, in an astonishing twist, senior members of the SPD, which shares power with Mrs Merkel, yesterday disagreed.
article_snippet: Gesine Schwan said: ‘I think it would be good for us Germans to sweep up after us Germans in terms of us Germans history.
article_snippet: The government’s legal case leaves a bad impression that Germany doesn’t want to face up to Germany responsibilities.
article_snippet: Ralf Stegner, SPD deputy leader, said: ‘We should not link the question of compensation with the current debate on the euro crisis.
article_snippet: But I am of the opinion that we need to discuss compensation regardless.
article_snippet: Green party parliamentary group leader Anton Hofreiter said: ‘Neither morally nor legally is this chapter complete.
article_snippet: Mrs Merkel’s spokesman said the question was ‘legally and politically closed’.
article_snippet: But Eberhard Rondholz, a historian who has studied the issue, told the Financial Times:
article_snippet: ’ Spiegel news magazine yesterday said lawyers have told Mrs Merkel the Greeks may have a case.