Relations between Berlin and Ankara are not in good shape, and it has even been ten years since a German president visited Turkey. But this Monday, April 22, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Germany and modern Turkey, Frank-Walter Steinmeier wanted to focus on what brings the two countries together, namely a significant community of Turkish origin in Germany. With a gastronomic symbol.
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With our correspondent in Berlin, Pascal Thibaut
A 60 kg block of frozen meat, one of those massive kebab skewers that you find in small snack bars everywhere Germany. The presidential plane had unusual luggage in its hold this Monday.
Seven billion euros in turnover per year: the kebab has become a German national dish in just a few decades. Due to inflation, its price has increased. Young people even asked Chancellor Scholz for a grant to make kebabs more affordable.
The family of adopted Berliner Arif Keles has been selling kebabs for almost 40 years. This German-Turk is one of Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s official guests and was to serve his specialty this Monday evening during an official dinner in Istanbul.
At the table will be artists known in Germany, from Türkiye : the CEO of DHL or the mayor of Hannover. So many known examples of the first community of foreign origin.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited the train station in Istanbul, from where many migrants left for Germany in the 1960s.
It will only be Wednesday that the German president will meet his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoganwith whom relations are strained.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier symbolically began his trip with a meeting with the mayor of Istanbul, the best-known opposition leader. Ekrem Imamoglu regretted that his country’s relations with Germany andEuropean Union are currently “ so bad “.
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