The german situation doesn't seem much different to a lot of Europe.
http://www.nationaldebtclocks.org/debtclock/germany
A large amount of debt per head, also pension debt not listed for public sector worker pensions and they are tied to a currency where many countries have crippling debt like Italy at 140% gdp. At the moment Germany has a feel good factor as being linked to such economies makes German exports more competitive because those countries devalue the currency but the Euro is also a huge liability.
It's all getting really messy in Europe with huge problems pushed into the future rather than faced by more borrowing, same in the USA. It's like the future is a place where we think we will be rich again and these debts can be easily paid and so we can borrow massively today.
I don't think I've got anything in my house that is German made or French. My tumble dryer is Italian I think. My car is korean. Much of my white goods are Turkish as is my TV. All my PCs and consoles are Chinese and what stuff I have that has European brands is often made elsewhere if not Chinese possibly eastern european countries. I have a range of bikes and most are taiwanese or chinese or a mixture of both. I'm sure I probably do have something German or French made just nothing major springs to mind.
I mean you look at this;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Yn5kIpIrv0&t
The factory looks amazing, they mention only a few of the brands they manufacture for, brands from across Europe and the US. Quality looks brilliant too. The economies of scale are incredible. How can Europe or the US compete with that especially with the chinese currency kept artificially low in value to aid exports.
