After Oman, it’s Germany’s turn. At the end of the month, the Kings will receive German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on a state visit, the highest-level diplomatic meeting. Steinmaier, who will travel to Spain from November 26 to 28, will be the first German leader to pay homage to the victims of the Condor Legion bombing that devastated Gernika in the midst of the Civil War.
This visit, as the Executive reports in a statement collected by Efe, “is a reflection of the excellent level” of bilateral relations maintained by the two countries, partners in the European Union and NATO allies, and is celebrated just two months after the visit of Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
On the part of the German government, they also specified in a statement that this trip aims to “recognize and strengthen close bilateral relations” as well as reliable cooperation within the European Union.
Steinmeier will also be the first German head of state to visit the city of Gernika (Vizcaya) and pay tribute to “shared history” and Germany’s role in the Spanish Civil War, according to the German executive.
This Basque city was bombed during the Civil War by the German Condor Legion and the Italian Legionary Air Force, then allies of General Francisco Franco, in what is considered the first massive and indiscriminate air attack against a civilian population.
The program of this first state visit of a German federal president to Spain since 2002 includes a meeting with King Felipe VI and the president of the government, Pedro Sánchez, in this case on the 27th.
Steinmeier’s agenda in Spain includes, as usual in state trips, his participation in the XI Spanish-German Economic Forum. And in addition to Gernika, he will also travel to Bilbao, where he will meet the Basque executive.
