[Update: Hoax] News from the teacup: Greek Finance Minister gives Germany the Finger

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis upset Germans with a video that shows him giving The Finger.

For those of you who have not seen the reaction of a German TV talk show host when the man and his finger were shown in a YouTube video, here is a link to a remarkable host expression.

With Germans upset, Mr. Varoufakis hastily explained "It is doctored", a reaction which never helps even if it were true. The video is from a speech he held in May 2013 in Croatia, almost two years before he became Greece's latest Finance Minister.

Of the many Eurozone countries upset at Greece not doing enough to comply with the harsh terms of the bailout, many Germans feel it is their money that keeps Greece afloat, so it is no surprise that emotions run high in Germany about the video. Accusations fly, such as that of an overblown state owned sector of the economy, money changing hands in unmarked envelopes, resistance to change, and more.

The relationship between Greece and Germany is complicated by all accounts. Imagine how you would react if you knew that Mr. Minister across the table is known to have received envelopes of cash donations for his party and  would later admit that he knew the money was "not correctly handled".
How would this shape your perception of the man as Finance Minister of his country?

Oh, the envelope juggler was not Mr. Varoufakis, that was Germany's current Finance Minister Mr. Schäuble.

All of the back and forth about money is just one more reason for the K-Landnews to ask why we cannot have the tried and true mom and pop shopkeeper's motto in international politics: You broke it, you bought it.

Have you noticed people in a shop slow down when they see this sign prominently displayed?

The K-Landnews TheEditor was initially upset when it** saw the Wikipedia page on the German scandal but then bellowed: Maybe the Germans are upset because they have the feeling they even do corruption better than the Greek?

** TheEditor insists on gender neutral treatment for itself.

[Update 3/19] Today, the German press asks if the "finger" was a hoax after a German comedian came out and said "I did it". Our hyper cautious "even if it were true" was not misplaced then?
That would be great, because it would validate the unease on first seeing the video, it did not feel right.