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Visit to Berlin by the Israeli President

Topic: Report

27 January 2020

Following the remembrance ceremony in Poland marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier traveled back to Berlin together with Reuven Rivlin, President of the State of Israel, on 27 January. On 29 January, they both gave speeches during the memorial ceremony at the German Bundestag marking the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of National Socialism.

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier welcomes Reuven Rivlin, President of the State of Israel, at the Berlin airport
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Reuven Rivlin, President of the State of Israel, during a panel discussion with pupils of the Jewish Moses Mendelssohn Gymnasium
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Reuven Rivlin, President of the State of Israel, pay a visit to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier held a speech at the German Bundestag on the day of Remembrance for the Victims of National Socialism
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Reuven Rivlin, President of the State of Israel, after his speech at the German Bundestag on the day of Remembrance for the Victims of National Socialism
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Reuven Rivlin, President of the State of Israel, during a panel discussion with participants of the German Bundestag’s International Youth Encounter.


Following the remembrance ceremony in Poland marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier traveled back to Berlin together with Reuven Rivlin, President of the State of Israel, on 27 January.

On 28 January, Federal President Steinmeier and President Rivlin met pupils from the Jewish Moses Mendelssohn Gymnasium in Berlin for a panel discussion in the school’s assembly hall.

The next day, 29 January, the Federal President and the Israeli President gave keynote speeches in the German Bundestag as part of the memorial ceremony marking the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of National Socialism. Thereafter, the Federal President, the President of the State of Israel and the President of the Bundestag took part in a panel discussion with the participants of the German Bundestag’s International Youth Encounter.

President Rivlin’s visit to Berlin is the last in a series of joint events to commemorate the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp 75 years ago. The first of these was Federal President Steinmeier’s visit to Yad Vashem, where he gave a speech at the Fifth World Holocaust Forum at the invitation of Israeli President Rivlin. A commemorative event marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp took place in Poland on 27 January. The Federal President also attended this event together with Israeli President Rivlin.

Overview of the programme:

Monday, 27 January

  • Arrival at Berlin Tegel Airport

Tuesday, 28 January

  • Berlin, Jewish Moses Mendelssohn Gymnasium
    Panel discussion attended by the Federal President and the President of the State of Israel with pupils of the Jewish Moses Mendelssohn Gymnasium

Wednesday, 29 January

  • Berlin, German Bundestag, plenary chamber
    Keynote speeches by the Federal President and the President of the State of Israel marking the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of National Socialism
  • Berlin, German Bundestag, Jakob-Kaiser-Haus
    Panel discussion attended by the Federal President, the President of the State of Israel and the President of the Bundestag together with participants of the German Bundestag’s International Youth Encounter.

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