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Comment by w0utert | Hacker News Reader

I'm still trying to figure out whether the new watermark on the new banknotes is some kind of sick joke, a big 'f*ck you' to euro-sceptics, or simply a screw-up and testament to the lack of historical knowledge of the people who designed the notes.

For those of you who don't know what I'm getting at: the watermark on the new notes is Europe, the woman who -according to Greek mythology- was seduced by Zeus to ravish her, while he was disguised as a beautiful white bull. The bull abducted her while she was riding its back, into the sea, to the beaches of Crete (Greece), where he showed his true identity.

You don't need a whole lot of imagination to find an analogy between this story and what is going on with Greece and the Euro right now.

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I think you should sit down, take a drink and rethink what's important here in life. If anything, it's the other way around.

And if it is indeed on purpose, like you seem to think, then kudos - at least ECB has a sense of humour.

Greece can go find their own way, if that's what they want. Nobody is forcing them to do anything.

Great advice, you should take it yourself ;-)

Will do!

That comment is wrong on so many levels.

Ancient Greece is commonly viewed as the cradle of democracy and generally looked up to, it's a heritage that Europe is proud of and likes to display.

People generally recognize that this is not a tribute to modern day Greek politics.

I'm aware of that, so I can understand where the idea to put Europe in the watermark is coming from. That said, with everything that is going on, it's at least a little insensitive to have a symbol from Greek mythology on your bank notes, that relates a story that almost seems too coincidentally analogous to how a lot of Europeans feel about the Euro, the ongoing integration of Europe at the expense of national sovereignty, and the Greek bailouts.

A lot of Europeans feel tricked into accepting a common currency that now appears to be used as an instrument to railroad through measures that promote European integration, is leading to austerity, higher taxes, higher unemployment, and less national sovereignty. Whether or not this feeling is justified is not relevant, that's how many feel about it over here right now.

One thing worth mentioning in this context is that the images of buildings and bridges on the notes were specifically chosen to be imaginary, instead of depicting real buildings from European countries. The rationale for this choice was that the Euro was the common currency of all Eurozone countries, and putting e.g. the Eiffel tower or the Colosseum on them might send the wrong message to people living in countries that did not have any national monuments depicted on Euro notes. Still, somehow nobody thought anyone could ever get any wrong ideas if they put the mythological Europe in the watermark, which I personally find pretty strange.

Personally, I find this interpretation totally ludicrous. People who think like that will find a reason to be offended, no matter what you do, and are thus not worth paying any attention to.

It's not about people being offended, but about making sure the notes are as neutral as possible, because they are used by Europeans in 17 different countries. Hence the imaginary buildings on the notes, instead of real national monuments.

It doesn't matter if the interpretation of the watermark is ludicrous or absurd, the fact is that they had a million options for the watermark that nobody would ever take note of, but they chose the mythological Europe, opening the door for euro-sceptics to mock the notes, the Euro and the EU. I'm not talking hypothetically here, the extreme right-wing leader of one of our most euro-phobic political parties has already twittered about this watermark. I think it is safe to assume this only fuels Euro-hate of his (non-insignificant) electorate even further.

If Europe can't take pride and realize the inherent European nature of all of its monuments, languages and people, maybe you guys shouldn't exist as a union.

Yeah, well, maybe you're right ;-)

As I wrote: a non-issue not worth paying attention to. That guy would have found something to mock and hate completely independant of what was chosen, and absolutely nothing any EU institution does will ever change that.

Europe (the woman) is often used to refer to Europe (the continent) in caricatures and paintings. I'd say neither of your interpretations is the real reason, though they're both amusing.

That's simply the story of how the continent got its name: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_(mythology)#The_continen...

I doubt any of the symbolism of your interpretation was intended.

If you are interested in symbolism the EU Parliament "Tower of Babel" connection is a worth looking into.

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