Germany–Greece relations

The issue of reparations for the atrocities and the “forced loan” during the Occupation was raised— as it is in all visits by German officials to Athens—by both the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister during their meeting with the Pre

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will visit Greece from Tuesday to Thursday at the invitation of Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

The visit will focus on German-Greek relations, addressing historical memory, migration, sustainability and collaboration in business, science and culture.

A recent opinion poll has revealed a significant improvement in Germany's image in Greece over the past two years. The positive survey results largely reflect stable and mostly trouble-free bilateral relations between Athens and Berlin. The days when many Greeks blamed Berlin (and Brussels) for the austerity measures imposed during the financial crisis seem distant.

Berlin appreciates Greece's efforts to contain migrant flows into the European Union but it is also hoping to discuss ways of reducing secondary migration to Germany, the country's new ambassador to Greece, Andreas Kindl, tells Kathimerini in his first interview from his new post in Athens.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was just in Germany, where he met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Migration, Turkey, energy issues, and the Middle East dominated the discussion, while the economy, once the top issue dominating relations between Athens and Berlin, took a backseat.

Greece is a very different country from the one that outgoing Angela Merkel first visited as German chancellor a decade ago, according to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that Greece's fiscal commitments will now be easier to meet.
Merkel was speaking at a joint news conference in Berlin, where Mitsotakis was on an official visit.

The chancellor said that she discussed bilateral relations as well as the improved economic climate in Greece.

The feeling that there has been a thaw in the frosty relations between Greece and Germany was strengthened on Tuesday when Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras rounded off his trip to Berlin by holding meetings with Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel and the leaders of two opposition parties.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier welcomed an improved tone in discussions with debt-mired Greece, after meeting visiting Greek premier Alexis Tsipras Tuesday.

By Madeline Chambers

Germany dismissed Greek demands to pay World War Two reparations after leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras accused Berlin of using legal tricks to avoid paying compensation for the Nazi occupation of his country.