BERLIN — Lest Greeks forget, the Germans are watching. Closely.

When the leftist Syriza-led government was elected in Greece on Jan. 25, public broadcasters broke into Germany’s favorite crime series to announce the result. Television stations went live to Athens several times that night.

Years of crisis over Greece’s finances have often pitted Europe’s weakest economy against Europe’s economic powerhouse. German admiration for ancient Greece — dating back at least to Goethe — has given way to hard-nosed pragmatism, even in the face of increasing hardship in Greece.

Having contributed the largest share of the 240 billion euros, or $255 billion, of credits extended to Athens, Germany believes that it has done the most to keep Greece solvent and in the eurozone. And Germans keep tabs on their money.

Journalists and politicians here fret daily about Athens’ willingness to keep agreements with international creditors, or, by accident or design, leaving the eurozone. Complex graphs on Greek debt are a staple of newscasts that veer from patronizing to panicky. Less seriously, they ponder whether Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, 40, will ever wear a tie.