The German government has been bitterly criticised for spending a mere €4.5
million (£3.7million) on events commemorating the outbreak of the First World War compared to a joint budget of €65 million
allocated to the anniversary by Britain and France.
A spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition disclosed that her
government had set aside €4.5 million to spend on events marking this year’s
100th anniversary during parliamentary questioning earlier this week.
Opposition MPs and German historians have responded angrily. The complain that
while Britain and France have put up Euros 65 million to commemorate the
centenary, Germany, their main opponent in the conflict - is spending less
than a tenth of that amount.
Calling for a “ massive increase” in German government funding for the
anniversary, German Left party MP Sevim Dagdelen said: “ It is scandalous
that the federal government is marking the commemoration of the First World
War - mostly through inaction.”
Holfer Afflerbach, a professor of European History at Britain’s Leeds
University said: “ Both the UK and France have set aside vast funds for the
commemoration and in good time, while Germany decided that is efforts would
be reactive – no wonder many feel that that attitude is a bit stupid.”
The German historian Gerd Krumeich who is an advisor to the French government
on the centenary commemorations, has accused the German government of being
“ fundamentally uninterested” in the anniversary.
German officials said that the First World War centenary would not be a priority for Chancellor Merkel during her recent red-carpet visit to London . Mrs Merkel has not said whether she will attend any commemorative events marking the 1914 anniversary either in Germany or abroad.
Germany is largely ashamed by the role it played as an aggressor during the First World War. The conflict is seen as a major disaster which led to the twin catastrophes of the Nazis and the Second World War.
Chancellor Merkel’s government has said that it wants to focus on reconciliation and show that former enemies have “learned from their mistakes”. Germany is using its Euros 4.5 million to fund exhibitions on the First World War at Berlin’s German Historical Museum and Dresden’s Army Museum.
Germany is also contributing to a major Franco-German First World War museum at the site of the Hartmannsweilerkopf battlefield in the French Alsace. An estimated 30,000 French and German troops were killed at the site. Soldiers called it “The Mountain of Death.”
German officials said that the First World War centenary would not be a priority for Chancellor Merkel during her recent red-carpet visit to London . Mrs Merkel has not said whether she will attend any commemorative events marking the 1914 anniversary either in Germany or abroad.
Germany is largely ashamed by the role it played as an aggressor during the First World War. The conflict is seen as a major disaster which led to the twin catastrophes of the Nazis and the Second World War.
Chancellor Merkel’s government has said that it wants to focus on reconciliation and show that former enemies have “learned from their mistakes”. Germany is using its Euros 4.5 million to fund exhibitions on the First World War at Berlin’s German Historical Museum and Dresden’s Army Museum.
Germany is also contributing to a major Franco-German First World War museum at the site of the Hartmannsweilerkopf battlefield in the French Alsace. An estimated 30,000 French and German troops were killed at the site. Soldiers called it “The Mountain of Death.”
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