Polls are an integral part of our lives. We want to know what others think. We believe they provide orientation and help us form personal opinions. Particularly before elections, pollsters’ measurements become strategic weapons. This commentary, however, focuses on a poll of a special character – a survey that is unprecedented in its form and, for that very reason, deserves special attention. It is the first survey on the image of Greece in Germany, underwritten by Kapa Research and presented today at 7 pm at the “Seventh” venue in Athens.

The survey, which was conducted for the first time in the whole of Germany on a representative sample of 1,000 people and explored how Germans view Greece and Greeks, has aroused intense interest among all those involved in relations between the two countries. The interest is entirely justified, as until now, we did not know how Germany views Greece. On the contrary, Germany’s image of Greece has been researched in depth and is well documented. This asymmetry is now coming to an end: the new research study sheds light on the “demographic darkness.”

Leaves in the Greek collective memory left by the occupation and the crisis

Let’s start with the most important thing: a clear majority of Germans – specifically 66% – have a good or very good opinion of Greece. When the average German thinks of Greece, he or she is left to dream: holidays, sunshine, good weather. Next on the list of spontaneous associations are Greek specialties: almost every child in Germany knows suvlaki, feta cheese, and tzatziki. The hospitality of the people is also considered a trademark, as are the ancient monuments and picturesque islands. The image of Greece in the minds of the Germans resembles the glittering brochures of the Greek Tourism Organisation.

In this idyllic world, negative associations find a place, if anything, only at the bottom end of the scale. Just one in ten Germans today associates Greece with concepts such as crisis, poverty, or bankruptcy. In most people’s minds, Metaxa, ouzo, and retsina weigh more heavily than the turbulence of the Eurocrisis ten years ago.

However, life is not all about holidays, sunshine, and beautiful beaches. Although relations between Greece and Germany have improved markedly in recent times, shadows continue to cast a shadow over the seemingly harmonious picture, especially when comparing the attitudes of people in the two countries on key issues in their shared history.

A second finding of the survey is that Germans have warmer feelings towards Greece than Greeks have towards Germany. One explanation for this lies in history: important events of the common past are evaluated and interpreted differently. In particular, the period of the Nazi occupation and the related claims for reparations, later the euro crisis that brought Greece to the brink of disaster, as well as Germany’s reactions at the time, have left deep wounds in the collective memory of many Greeks.

Greece-Turkey: 33% of Germans support Greece

33% of German citizens support Germany in Greece.
Undoubtedly, in Germany, there is a certain degree of understanding for Greek positions. However, one finding of the survey that can only be disappointing for the Greek side is this: the vast majority of Germans seem unwilling to overshadow their positive image of Greece as a tourist destination with unpleasant political issues. There is a striking coincidence between the attitude of German governments over time on issues concerning Greece and the views of the majority of citizens. This applies, for example, to the issue of reparations, the payment of which only a small minority supports, as well as the attitude towards Greek-Turkish tensions, where almost half of the respondents prefer a neutral stance on the part of Berlin. A poor consolatory indicator: at least a third of Germans favor support for Greece, while just 14% express a preference for Turkey.

A separate chapter of the study is devoted to the roughly 500,000 Greeks living in Germany, finding a second home. The vast majority of Germans have a positive view of them. Germany’s Greeks are considered so well integrated that they are often described as an invisible minority. This is only partly positive news, as politically, the Greek community in Germany remains almost invisible. The diaspora is not a substantial political force that resonates in Berlin. And yet, the majority of Germans say they would like to see Greeks in Germany become more active. It is up to them to seize this opportunity, to mobilise themselves decisively and to play a strong role in Greek-German relations.