Germany–Greece relations

Amalia of Oldenburg wearing the Amalia dress

Angela Merkel and Kyriakos Mitsotakis during a meeting of the EPP, 2019

Diplomatic relations between Byzantine Greeks and Germans trace back to the Middle Ages and the Byzantine Empire.

The first King of independent Greece, Otto I, was of German descent, and many Bavarians came and settled in the new state, while his father, Ludwig I of Bavaria, had aided financially and politically the Greeks during their War of Independence and after the enthronement of his son.

Greece and Prussia established diplomatic relations in 1834, the same year both countries exchanged embassies.[1]

The two countries were enemies during both World Wars, with Germany taking part in the Axis Occupation of Greece during World War II. The issue of reparations for German war crimes and the forced loan during the occupation continues to be unsettled. In February 2021 the FIR International Association with an anouncement called for compensation and criticized the modern German policy on the matter.[2]

There is a 300,000 people Greek community living in Germany, most of them came during the 1960s and 1970s.

The two nations enjoyed excellent relations for 60 years (1950- 2010) with Germans to be the first nation of tourist arrivals in Greece during 1970s, 1980s,1990s, 2000s[3] and the first European destination of Greeks immigrating abroad (mainly 1950s, 1960s). Moreover, Greece supported the German Reunification during 1980s and the two countries cooperated in many sectors (culturally, technologically, army etc.) under the EU spectrum.

In 1999, the Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos caused a diplomatic crisis when he stated that "Germany is politically a dwarf"[4] and later apologized.

However, relations were severely strained during the European sovereign-debt crisis between the nations.[5] Although many media outlets in both countries tried to damage relations through polemical reporting, there was an initiative to counteract this. The most known is the founding of the German-Greek Youth organisation (Deutsch-griechisches Jugendwerk).

In general, German-Greek relations are considered to be balanced, and at European level the countries work well together. One exception is the German position in relation to Greco-Turkish relations. Germany has increased its investments in Turkey in recent decades and, unlike France or Israel, does not take a clear view of Turkish aggression against Greece. A few months before Turkish warships entered Greek maritime territory in 2020, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas increased arms exports in the maritime sector.[6] Germany was also hesitant when the EU wanted to impose sanctions on Turkey. It should be mentioned that Germany has already provided Greece with 4 U-214 submarines that Greece desires not to be sold, also to Turkey.

• Bilateral cultural agreement, 17 May 1956
• Treaty of residence and shipping, 2 September 1961, which also addresses military conscription matters for persons with dual nationality
• Agreement for the avoidance of double taxation, 18 April 1966

After 1981, most agreements were made through the European Union.

• April 2000: visit by President of Germany Johannes Rau
• 22 January 2004: visit by Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou
• December 3, 2004: visit by Greek Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis
• 15–16 February 2006: visit by Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis and Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis
• 23 June 2006: visit by Germany Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier
• 18–22 September 2006: visit by President of Greece Karolos Papoulias
• 20 July 2007: visit by Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel

The Embassy of Germany is located in Athens, Greece. The Embassy of Greece is located in Berlin, Germany.

• Foreign relations of Germany
• Foreign relations of Greece
• Greeks in Germany

• German embassy in Athens (in German and Greek only)
• Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the relation with Germany
• Greek embassy in Berlin (in German and Greek only)