I heard a good saying once: "Germany is a nation of tool makers".
Another one, from the book "The Italians"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...00124?v=glance by Barzini, a classic book. Barzini writes about how the Italians made wonderfully decorated armors in the Middelage. Then, when they had to go to war, the Italians went to Germany and bought their armors there. Why? Because the Italian armors were fragile and would break easily.