German Press: Gkaouk rejected the request for war reparations
"Gkaouk rejects Athens's request on war reparations" (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung), and "Resolutely friendly" (Süddeutsche Zeitung) are the typical headlines that summarize in a few words the attitude of Germany on the issue of war reparations.
Süddeutsche Zeitung says: "The fact is that Germany will continue to live with the history of the Nazi past and the monstrous crimes. This past is particularly vivid to the relations with Greece. Most Germans do not know what happened during the occupation: mass executions, persecution, and deprivation of rights. In Greece the horror of that era remains alive and nowhere else the wish for compensation payments is such a primary political issue as is in Greece. Although President Joachim Gkaouk found the right words in his speech, this was not enough to appease the spirits, especially because he was forced to reject the Greek financial claims. In international law, this attitude is correct", the newspaper continues. "The cold indifference to the Greeks and their desire for reparations has a long history. Perhaps it is possible to support the last survivors of Nazi victims on a voluntary basis. It could be a good start if some Germans didn't face with an arrogant way Greece and the economic crisis".
"Nobody denies that happened during the German occupation" underlines the newspaper Die Welt, according to Deutsche Welle. "The rejection of negotiations on reparations is however correct. The contemporary international law is increasingly characterized by the spirit that states are not held liable in perpetuity. New claims act in international politics as a clockwork bomb. The whole history of colonialism or even the war in Vietnam could be put on the table" concludes the Die Welt.
Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung writes about the visit of the German president in Greece: "Joachim Gkaouk dismissed the claim for reparations stressing that as German president doesn't have the authority to do so. At the same time, however, acknowledged the historical guilt for the atrocities against the Greek civilians. The accomplishment of both those tasks simultaneously looked like an exercise to a tightrope. Joachim Gkaouk succeeded, because he found the right words".