On the occasion of the celebration of the 36th anniversary of German unification, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier recalled the poignant moments that accompanied the country's reunification. During the ceremony celebrating this anniversary, Steinmeier said in the city of Bremen in northern Germany today, Saturday (October 3, 2026): “On this day thirty-six years ago, a deep wound was healed, a wound that has continued to haunt Germany, burden it, and keep it for more than four decades in a state - I see it as an abnormal state - of internal division.”
Steinmeier explained that a long time has passed since then, pointing out that the purpose of celebrating Unity Day is to remember the feelings and brave people who lived through its events. He believed that it was the first peaceful revolution for freedom and democracy in Germany.
Steinmeier stressed the need for the challenges of the present to never overshadow this moment of happiness in German history, saying: “We must never allow this moment to fall into oblivion,” expressing his belief that this would be tantamount to betrayal. He said: "What became possible 36 years ago seems to us like a gift from heaven. But it was not. October 3, 1990 only confirmed what had been achieved a year earlier. I can name many places in eastern Germany where in 1989 people freed themselves from the stifling fear imposed by the dictatorship."
Lack of confidence in the German political system
“We do not live today in the world full of trust and hope from which we came for decades,” Steinmeier said. “Many of us, and not only in the east of the country, are disappointed in our expectations. (...) After nearly four decades of German unity, and after enormous and numerous efforts that I believe are historically unprecedented in construction and renewal, a large part of citizens declare their lack of confidence in the political system of the Federal Republic of Germany. I do not want to say that they are all turning their backs on democracy itself, but, to be frank, I do not know "That too."
The German President expressed his concern about the current situation in his country, warning that extremist forces now threaten freedom, democracy and national unity. He stressed that political officials must unequivocally ask themselves about the negligence that prompted a large segment of citizens to abandon politics and make extremists resonate with them. He said that there is much that needs to be done, and called on everyone to confront manipulation and lies. He continued in front of about 1,000 guests: “Our country, Germany, is a good country. Let us work to ensure that it remains so.”
He added: "The intolerable political demagoguery practiced by extremist forces, which enjoy sabotage and mock and threaten others, not only endangers freedom and democracy, but also threatens our internal unity." Criticizing the governments' performance, he pointed out: "We must ask ourselves, without any obstinacy, what the federal and state governments failed to do during the past three and a half decades, until this large number of people moved away and the extremists found this much resonance."
Deep economic transformations in Germany
Steinmeier pointed out that the past decades have witnessed many crises and challenges, stressing that it is possible, based on his experience, to break up stalemates and reconcile contradictions. He noted that major crises can be addressed through small steps, and he believed that the secret lies in the political will to abandon the usual traditional patterns. He called on political officials to act decisively even in the face of adverse winds, saying: “Have courage for renewal.”
He said: "Deep economic transformations always leave losers and winners. (...) However, despite everything that remains to be done, we have achieved very much in many areas. In fact, we have done more than other transition countries in Europe. The entire country has succeeded in mobilizing more resources than ever before in German history in order to bring living standards closer together."
“The discrediting of democratic procedures, the rise of extremism and extremism in the public sphere as we are witnessing today, the denigration of the idea of a political settlement, should all serve as a warning. Circumstances may always be different, but whether or not Berlin will become more like the Weimar Republic is yet to be decided. But it is in our hands. We have a duty to preserve what remains important.”
"Democracy is not for sale"
Referring to his preoccupation with national issues alone, he said, "Our democracy is not for sale. It will not surrender itself to its enemies. We are stronger than baseness. We are proud of our rule of law. (...) We will protect our free system, renew it, and improve it. Germany is a good country. Let us work to make it that way." Then he added: “I say frankly that reducing the recent state of bitter political discontent to our internal German problems only is a kind of short-sighted preoccupation with the national self, and therefore it is a wrong interpretation. (...) When we look more carefully, and go beyond the German borders a little, we find that this type of extremism and angry voters also exists in many advanced industrial countries in Europe and North America.”
The future of liberal democracy
The German President added: "It is a vicious circle: populist parties of all kinds destabilize parliamentary democracy. Forming stable governments becomes more difficult from one election to the next, and the process of governance itself becomes more difficult. (...) Breaking this vicious circle that I am talking about will determine not only our future, but the future of liberal democracy in the entire West. I am completely convinced that we will succeed in this in Germany." He added: "What we have succeeded in achieving, we will preserve. And what is not yet good, we will work to improve it. This is our homeland, which we are committed to serving with courage, hope, and all the strength we have."
He concluded his moving speech, which was met with long applause, by saying: “Our country, Germany, is a good country... Let us work together to make it better.”
