This is the first survey of its kind on how Germans perceive Greece. Based on representative polling data of 2025, it reveals a largely positive image shaped by tourism, cultural interest, and personal encounters while political conflicts and historical legacies remain mostly absent. Germans mostly associate Greece with leisure, not crisis.
The study highlights an asymmetry: Germans view Greece more favorably than Greeks view Germany. The latter perception is shaped by unresolved grievances – Germany’s stance on WWII reparations, its dominant role during the financial crisis, and its perceived bias toward Turkey in regional disputes. It also explores the understated role of the Greek diaspora in Germany, not least in gastronomy, as an informal vehicle of soft power.
The present survey is the third in a series of activities on the role of public opinion(s) in Greek-German relations with earlier studies in 2022 and 2024 focusing on the views held by Greeks on Germany and the Germans.
Dr. Ronald Meinardus is Senior Research Fellow and Coordinator of Research Projects on Greek-German Relations. The project was conducted with the support of the Athens office of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
The survey is available here.
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