> And is it true that they were the first to recover?
Well, I can say for certain that after WW2 lots of people migrated from their countries to find "wealth", or simply an opportunity, in Germany, so, I'd say that maybe they were not the first, ok, but among the first ones, which says a lot about the country and how determined and good at planning these people used to be already 60-70 years ago. They were the ones who created the brand "made in Germany" without registering it anywhere, which the current generation abuses to make money (by producing in China...yeah). If you like that brand, then you must also understand that it comes with a price - and this is not necessarily openness, being easy, relaxed, laid back, etc.
I think we (nowadays) often make the mistake of underestimating the impact that culture has/had in the progress of a society, which is sad, because it's an important aspect of any society. Denying what and how something happened doesn't falsify it.