German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will become the first German head of state to visit Guernica, the northern Spanish town devastated by Nazi bombers in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War. The attack, carried out by the German Condor Legion in support of General Francisco Franco, killed hundreds of civilians and left the town in ruins.
Steinmeier will lay a wreath with King Felipe VI at a local cemetery to honor the victims and visit the Museum of Peace, which documents the bombing and its historical significance as a precursor to World War II’s terror bombings.
Earlier in Madrid, Steinmeier urged Germans not to forget the “crime” of Guernica, describing it as a reminder to uphold peace, freedom, and human rights. He also viewed Pablo Picasso’s anti-war painting Guernica, which immortalized the tragedy.
During his state visit, Steinmeier met Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and awarded former Real Madrid star Toni Kroos the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. The visit also coincides with the 50th anniversary of Franco’s death, marking the end of his dictatorship.
