German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has just learned the dangerous lesson that by exhibiting reflexive anti-Americanism, one can win over the German electorate. Reeling from a slumping economy, Mr. Schroeder turned in his campaign to opposing any American action against Iraq, even if it has the backing of the United Nations.

As Angela Merkel, leader of the opposition Christian Democrats, said in a televised discussion yesterday: “German-American relations were never as bad as they are this evening … This is a high price for this campaign.” The price for Germany will only grow greater in coming months, as Mr. Schroeder is heavily indebted to his coalition partners, the fervently anti-war Greens, who had a historic high showing at about 8.5%.

The rehabilitation of Germany after World War II and the Cold War was a monumental achievement. However, in choosing sides with a totalitarian regime that has attacked Israel, Germany has thrown its world standing into doubt. Once a trusted ally of America, it is slumping into league with the anti-Semites and the appeasers on the continent and off.

Perhaps if Mr. Schroeder’s opponent, Edmond Stoiber, had offered a truly clear alternative, he would have prevailed. Instead he diluted his free-market message, backing away from an American-style free-market program. Shame on Germany and its Social Democrats for putting what the country has achieved in the post-war era into jeopardy with a move so unconsidered.