Germany–Iceland relations
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Germany–Iceland relations are the bilateral relations between
History
Early history
Already in the saga of the
Documented relations between Iceland and the
Until 1104, when the ecclesiastical province of
The first written accounts of Iceland in German date from the 11th century and go back to Adam of Bremen.[1]
Christopher of Bavaria (1416-1448), born Christoph von Pfalz-Neumarkt was also ruler of Iceland (Icelandic: Kristófer af Bæjaralandi) as king of Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Didrik Pining from Hildesheim, a participant in an international expedition with João Vaz Corte-Real, among others, which was to re-establish contact with Greenland in 1473-76 and is said to have reached the North American mainland in the process, was governor of Iceland from 1478 to 1490.[1]
In the 15th and 16th centuries, trade was conducted between the Hanseatic League and especially Hamburg on the one hand and Iceland on the other.[2] In the mid-16th century, the Lutheran-style Reformation was imposed in Iceland. In 1814, during the Napoleonic Wars, the Peace of Kiel was concluded between Sweden, Great Britain and Denmark. From the point of view of the Icelanders, this peace was a perpetuation of Denmark's dominance over their country, which had already been ruled by Norway since 1380. In 1854, the Danish trade monopoly was abolished. In World War I, Denmark, and by extension Iceland, remained neutral. Since 1918, Iceland was only loosely connected to Denmark by personal union.[1]
Modern history
Iceland was cut off from Denmark in 1940 following the
In 1944, Iceland declared itself an independent republic. After World War II, the states of Germany and Iceland established diplomatic relations in 1952, at the request of Konrad Adenauer. Embassies were opened in Hamburg and Reykjavík. In 1955, the Icelandic Embassy moved to Bonn, and in 1999 to Berlin. It is part of the Nordic Embassies.[1]
There is cooperation between the two countries in
Economic relations
From the 15th century, there were trade relations through the merchants of the Hanseatic League, which shaped the economic development of Iceland. In the so-called Icelandic trade, the Hanseatic city of Hamburg had the most important role. Trade also paved the way for increasing cultural exchange. Between 1602 and 1787, trade relations were interrupted by a Danish trade monopoly.[1]
In the three so-called
Germany and Iceland are organized together in the European Economic Area. Economic relations are close, with a trade volume of €1.111 billion in 2019, according to the Federal Statistical Office. Germany's imports were worth €526 million, while exports were worth €585 million. The products shipped to Germany are around 53% processed goods, such as aluminum, and 38% marine products, such as fish processed in Bremerhaven and Cuxhaven. Germany exports 43% to Iceland, mainly motor vehicles, machinery and electrical engineering. For Iceland, Germany was the third most important trading partner for imports and the sixth most important for exports in 2019.[4]
Germans play an important role for tourism in Iceland. In 2019, for example, Germany was the fourth-largest country of origin, with more than 132,000 visitors to Iceland annually, and visitors from Germany had the longest length of stay, averaging 8.8 nights.[5]
Cultural relations
German-Icelandic cultural relations go back more than a millennium; the two states have a Germanic cultural background.[1]
Trade relations through the merchants of the Hanseatic League in the 16th century brought the art of printing and impulses for the Reformation to Iceland. The first printing of an Icelandic script took place in Hamburg in 1530.[1] The first printing press was also exported to Iceland from there. The Bishop of Skálholt Gissur Einarsson, a proponent of the Reformation, stayed in Germany for several years; he arranged for a translation of the New Testament of Luther's Bible into Icelandic.[1] German natural scientist Robert Bunsen traveled to Iceland in the mid-19th century and explained the geyser phenomenon.[1]
Institutions such as the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) or the Goethe-Institut promote German-Icelandic cultural exchange. The library in Hafnarfjörður cooperates with the Goethe-Institut. Other sponsors of cultural relations are the German Studies Department of the University of Iceland, the Icelandic German Teachers' Association (German is an elective subject at secondary schools) and several German-Icelandic societies in Germany. In 2002, a lectorate for Icelandic was established at the Humboldt University in Berlin.[4]
Contemporary scientific cooperation is mainly centered around marine and Arctic research.[1]
Diplomatic missions
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Altenkirch, Birte. "Lachs comme il faut" und "verteufelt schönes Berlin". Ein Überblick über die deutsch-isländischen Beziehungen von den Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart" (PDF). Retrieved 2022-12-21.
- ISBN 978-3-406-53595-6.
- ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
- ^ a b c "Deutschland und Island: Bilaterale Beziehungen". Auswärtiges Amt (in German). Retrieved 2022-12-21.
- ^ "Tourism in Iceland 2020" (PDF). 2021-03-09. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-03-09. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
- ^ "Deutsche Vertretungen in Island". Auswärtiges Amt (in German). Retrieved 2022-12-21.
- ^ "Vertretungen Islands in Deutschland". Auswärtiges Amt (in German). Retrieved 2022-12-21.
External links
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