German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has paid a visit to Coventry Cathedral in central England, symbolically atoning for the Third Reich’s atrocities, as his country and the United Kingdom seek to bolster an alliance to combat Russia’s prosecution of Europe’s deadliest war since World War II.
Steinmeier’s visit on Friday commemorates the deadly Nazi bombing of Coventry on the night of November 14, 1940, which destroyed the 14th-century Gothic cathedral, leaving more than 500 people dead and a roofless ruin that stands as a reminder of the ravages of war.
The UK was represented at the event by the Duke of Kent, who has long fostered British-German reconciliation following the war.
Steinmeier’s appearance wraps up a three-day state visit to the UK, the first by a German head of state in 27 years.
During a lavish banquet on Wednesday night at Windsor Castle, Steinmeier and King Charles III put on a show of Anglo-Saxon unity, exchanging toasts that celebrated the cultural and historic ties between their nations and highlighting efforts to build a common front against Russian aggression in Ukraine.
In his toast, Steinmeier described Coventry as a symbol of the bonds that grew out of the war that ended 80 years ago.
“Flourishing cities grew out of the ashes. Enemies became friends,” he said.
“That is our common history – and it shows what is possible when people have the courage to pursue reconciliation.”
