Between Tradition and Modernity: Greek-German Relations in Retrospect.

Abstract

The relations between Greece and Germany have evolved from age-long cultural ties between the people of both countries. As early as in the early modern period, Germans turned to the traditions of ancient Greece and its language. The presence of Greek scholars in German schools and universities led to a rise in interest in the ancient culture. With the Industrial Revolution, German lands became an important trade partner for Greece and their privileged position was hardly hit by military conflicts of the twentieth century. The study attempts to summarize the evolution of relations between the two countries from the birth of the Greek national movement at the beginning of the eighteenth century until their stabilization after the Second World War. The arrangement of the chapters follows the chronological sequence of events, which underscores the transition from the traditional cultural contacts to political and economic cooperation in the modern era.

Keywords: Greece, Germany, external relations, tradition, modernity