The visit of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Guernica has become an event full of symbolism, because it represents a joint action in recognition of the suffering caused by the bombing of April 1937, during the Spanish Civil War. As Europa Press reported, King Felipe VI thanked the German President for this gesture, describing it as a reconciliation initiative of strong historical importance, and stressed that the trip that they will both take, with Lihandakari Imanol Pradales, to honor the victims in the Basque Country, aims to deepen the collective memory of the tragedies whose consequences went beyond Spanish borders.
During the dinner party held at the Royal Palace, Felipe VI affirmed before Queen Letizia, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and Foreign Minister José Manuel Albarez that the bombing of Guernica was a reminder of “the horror to which totalitarianism leads,” a phrase reported by Europa Press. According to the media, the Moroccan king stressed that recalling this event allows us to warn of the dangers of extremism, and to spread the idea that memory is crucial to strengthening democratic values in the face of escalating international threats and the crisis of pluralism.
Europe Press reported that the Spanish king stressed in his speech the current challenges facing democracies, referring to the troubling context in the international system and recent violations of legality, problems that, in his opinion, strongly affect Eastern Europe with the prolongation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is approaching its fourth year, and which also has repercussions in Africa and the Middle East. In this sense, Felipe VI emphasized that Spain and Germany should work to strengthen cooperation on security and defense issues, and restore relations within NATO and the European Union. Europe Press explained that within the framework of this cooperation, joint missions stand out to promote peace and stability, especially in the eastern side of Europe, a context that it considers to be particularly important given the current state of geopolitical uncertainty.
The reign of Felipe VI has shown, according to Europe Press, that neither Spain nor Germany has any intention of surrendering to climates of discord, but rather is committed to searching for harmony capable of responding to challenges such as the progress of climate change, the energy transition or achieving the sustainable development agenda. He expressed that cooperation in the field of renewable energies, green hydrogen and energy efficiency places the two countries as a reference for the rest of Europe. In addition, Europa Press reported that the king mentioned the joint development of solutions in the field of artificial intelligence, robotics or industrial digitalization, as tools aimed at improving competitiveness and social well-being.
Economic and commercial aspects also enjoyed a prominent space in the speech of Felipe VI, who stressed that the automobile industry is a fundamental pillar of bilateral relations. Added to this economic framework is the migratory movement: the Europa Press estimated that more than 200,000 Spaniards currently reside in Germany, while more than 116,000 Germans have made their home in Spain, data that, in the King’s opinion, strengthens the human bond between the two peoples and reinforces the ideal of an integrated Europe.
On cultural matters, Europa Press reported, Felipe VI alluded to a shared tradition dating back to figures such as Goethe and Cervantes, and to the vitality of contemporary encounters, from the Frankfurt Book Fair to film competitions such as the Berlinale and the San Sebastian Film Festival. The monarch also pointed to the thousands of students who participate in academic and professional exchanges between Spain and Germany, and valued learning the German and Spanish languages as a “great gift” given its global reach, information reflected in Europa Press publications.
The Spanish Head of State referred to the role played by Germany in the process of reintegrating Spain into Europe after the dictatorship, as well as the support provided by Spain for the reunification of Germany. Felipe VI pointed out the need to analyze the past with humility and a historical sense in order to face the moral responsibilities imposed by the present, and conveyed to the German delegation his desire that they find in Spain the same welcome and affection that the Spaniards had previously felt from the German people. According to Europe Press, the King stressed the common path between the two countries, and called on them to persevere in consolidating friendship and future cooperation.
For his part, President Steinmeier warned during the event of the pressures exerted by extremist forces on liberal democracies and of the dual threat facing the current era, in his opinion. According to Europa Press, Steinmeier noted that “our era is threatened by a double threat”: the war in Ukraine has caused devastation and a crisis in the European defense system; In parallel, there is a threat to freedoms and the transatlantic connection with the United States. The German President considered that the world is imminently facing a new era of challenges.
Steinmeier’s agenda in Spain included a bilateral meeting with Felipe VI at Zarzuela Palace, accompanied by the Secretary of State for European Union Affairs, Fernando Sampedro, and the Spanish Ambassador to Germany, Pascual Navarro, Europa Press reported. After this meeting, the Kings treated the German President and his wife to a state lunch, an event that preceded a parallel meeting between Queen Letizia and German First Lady Elke Boydenbender. As detailed by Europa Press, this meeting, held at the Royal Collections Gallery and in the presence of the Secretary of State for Trade, Amparo López Sinovilla, focused the dialogue on promoting gender equality in Spain.
The German delegation had previously received military honors at the Royal Palace, in the presence of Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister, in a protocol event reported by Europe Press. President Sanchez was also scheduled to receive Steinmeier in La Moncloa on Thursday, as part of the official program. As Europa Press reported, Steinmeier’s state visit is the first of its kind since he took office and is in response to the invitation extended by the Kings during their visit to Germany in October 2022. Although Steinmeier had already visited Spain in 2018 to attend the Spanish-German Forum, Europa Press noted that the last state visit by a German federal president dates back to 2002.