Why is Germany’s support for Israel so unwavering? What does Chancellor Olaf Scholz mean when he declares Israel’s security a part of Germany’s Staaträson? And how did Germany’s unique approach to historical atonement come into being?

In this episode of UCG Podcasts, the host, Ella Sator, a journalist, takes us on a journey through post-WWII Germany to uncover the origins of its relationship with Israel. With insights from Memory Studies scholar Maite Fischer, we delve into how countries deal with and remember their past and how various moral and strategic considerations shaped Germany’s approach of atonement and public remembrance. With insights from political scientist Aika Krebs, we explore Germany’s strategy of atonement through reparations and which incentives post-war Germany had, and why Israel ‘complied.’ From the Luxembourg Agreement of 1952 to present-day foreign policy, this episode unpacks how shared history and evolving relations embedded Israel’s security into Germany’s identity and shaped bilateral ties.

Join us as we delve into history, memory, and the politics behind Germany’s unshakable commitment to Israel.

* Episodes of the UCG International Politics podcast are course assignments prepared by the students at the University College Groningen. The characters assumed by the students in the episodes are entirely fictional.