The visits of the Presidents of the Republic to the parliamentary systems do not have the political weight of a Prime Minister’s visit. But they set the tone and the general direction of bilateral relations, away from the political tensions sometimes dictated by current affairs. They have high symbolism and are often accompanied by timeless messages. This also applies to Greek-German relations. In particular for the visit of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier from October 29 to 31, 2024 in Greece. The official announcement gives the stamp: “The many aspects and depth of Greek-German relations are reflected in this visit: from historical memory to political challenges, such as migration and sustainability, to cooperation in the economy, science and culture” .

Symbols against the backdrop of current politics

The first stop is Thessaloniki and the Holocaust Museum under construction, which is partially financed by the German government. Thessaloniki, pre-war known as the “Jerusalem of the Balkans”, experienced Nazi horror and the annihilation of its Jews: about 95% of the city’s nearly 60,000 Jews were killed in Nazi concentration camps.

The next stop was the Goethe Institute of Thessaloniki, which after the financial adventures it went through, secured assurances for the continuation of its operation. Discussion on Greek-German relations and departure for the capital with a busy schedule: visit to the German pharmaceutical company Boehringer, meeting with artists from the Athens Biennale, concert at Kerameikos, event for the 160th anniversary of the German Archaeological Institute, visit to the home of the German historian who discovered Mycenae, by Errikos Schliemann.

Political level contacts with his Greek counterpart Katerina Sakellaropoulou and with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis are consecutively scheduled for Wednesday. It still remains open if joint press conferences will be held. In Athens, the German president will also visit the refugee center in Malacca, a necessary visit against the backdrop of the tightening of German and European asylum policy and the guarding of the EU’s external borders. The German president also visited a refugee center during his visit to Cyprus last February, having already formed a first picture on the ground about migratory flows in the south-eastern Mediterranean. The last stop is Crete, a station to which the German presidency gives importance. At the center will be the martyred village of Kandanos.

Leagues: Gauck – Canadian: Steinmeier

“The Battle of Crete and the conquest of the island by the Wehrmacht on June 1, 1941 marked the complete occupation of Greece. During the Occupation more than 30 villages suffered destruction, executions and massacres by the German invaders. The German Military Cemetery in Maleme is the final resting place for more than 4,000 soldiers. Thus, Crete is an important point of German and Greek memory,” political scientist Dr. Babis Karpouchtsis, who has studied the case of Kandanou in depth in his book “German Foreign Policy and Witness Villages. Reconciliation Policy towards Greece and the role of Recognition.”

“Kandanos is one of the most important places of memory in Greece. It is the first village in Crete that was completely destroyed by the Wehrmacht on June 3, 1941 as part of the so-called “retaliations”, reports Babis Karpouchtis and adds: “The conquerors posted signs as an example. Today, copies can be found in the central square of the village – as a memorial and reminder of the Nazi era and the crime of the Wehrmacht. However, Kandanos is also a place of Greek-German reconciliation. In the 1960s, the organization “Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste”, in cooperation with the villagers, built the aqueduct. Nevertheless, the disaster remains unremedied and continues to leave a bitter taste in the local community.”

It remains to be seen whether Frank-Balter Steinmeier, the first German President to visit Crete, will do something similar to the historic speech of his predecessor, Joachim Gauck, in the martyred village of Ligiades in Ioannina in 2014. “With a consciousness of shame and pain , I apologize in the name of Germany to the families of those murdered”, Joachim Gauck had stated at the time, with the President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias at his side. Gauck’s apology for many corresponds with Willy Brandt’s kneeling in the Warsaw Ghetto in 1970 and reflects post-war, democratic Germany’s stance of complacency towards Nazi atrocities.

The shadow of war reparations

As for the big thorn of war reparations, in recent years there has been a decline in political tone, the issue is not at the top of the agenda. The positions of both sides are however known: Claims for war reparations and reparations from Greece to Germany remain active from all post-war Greek governments. For Germany, on the contrary, the issue was finally closed, legally and politically, with the 2+4 Treaty on German Reunification in 1990.

In an interview with DW in 2023, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou stated that “the burdens of the past are there, they do not disappear unilaterally, but in modern societies differences are resolved through dialogue. A solution could be found in the future, with dialogue and a good mood.” He even emphasized that “the legal issues have been raised but it is a purely political issue”. In any case, the visit of Frank-Balter Steinmeier to Crete and Thessaloniki reflects the intention to preserve the common memory of this difficult chapter of the common history. In recent months, he was also in the French Orandour-sur-Glans, next to the French president Emmanuel Macron and also in the Italian martyr village of Marchabotto with his counterpart Sergio Mattarella.

Relationships of trust in a difficult area

Beyond the memory of Nazi crimes and the need to recall the fundamental principle of respect for human dignity, Steinmeier’s visit to Greece focuses on the present and future of Greek-German relations. After the economic crisis and the deep wounds in bilateral relations, the two countries seem ready for a new chapter of mutual trust. A recent practical example was the successful TIF in Thessaloniki, with Germany as the honored country. It remains to be seen what the pace will be from now on in other important Greek-German partnerships, such as the Hellenic-German Assembly of Municipalities and Regions (reportedly facing problems), the Hellenic-German Fund for the Future and the Hellenic-German Youth Foundation.

The new common challenge is the refugee crisis that is shaking the foundations of the EU and putting Germany once again in front of the rise of the far right. Germany already has a tough immigration policy, targeting returns to tackle “secondary migration”. Greece has for years undoubtedly borne a heavy burden in guarding the EU’s external borders. At the same time, it has been accused of using methods that violate human rights.

The solutions will not be easy. Especially with the background of the two wars affecting Europe. One, in the immediate neighborhood of Greece. A German President does not have the power to change much. But this particular German President knows the region well and this year was preceded by his visits to the Republic of Cyprus and Turkey. He knows in depth the geopolitical context and the framework of International Law as a former Minister of Foreign Affairs and a lawyer. That is why the messages it will convey in all directions matter.