German President Honors Guernica Bombing Victims

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has made a historic visit to Guernica, 88 years after the town was bombed by Nazi Germany's Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War. During a solemn remembrance ceremony, Steinmeier honored the victims of the 1937 attack, acknowledging the "terrible crimes" perpetrated by Germans and emphasizing the need to never forget. This marks the first time a German head of state has visited Guernica for such a commemoration.

The bombing, which occurred on market day, killed hundreds of civilians and served as a precursor to the aerial bombardments of World War II. Steinmeier met with survivors and visited the Museum of Peace, underscoring the lasting impact of the atrocity. He stressed that Picasso's warning against indifference to suffering remains urgent and called for a commitment to peace, freedom, and human rights.

The visit also reignited calls for Picasso's iconic painting, "Guernica," to be moved to the town that inspired it. Local and regional leaders used the occasion to call for deeper acknowledgment of historical responsibilities. Steinmeier's remarks echo a growing German tradition of confronting its past, following similar sentiments expressed by a previous German president three decades ago.