Croatian-German relations
Encyclopedia
Croatian-German relations are foreign relations between Croatia
and Germany
. The countries established diplomatic relations on January 15, 1992. Croatia has an embassy in Berlin
and 5 consulates general (in Düsseldorf
, Frankfurt
, Hamburg
, Munich
, and Stuttgart
). Germany has an embassy in Zagreb
and an honorary consulate in Split
. , there were nearly 400,000 people of Croat origin who lived in Germany.
Historically Germany has had close co-operations with Croatia. When Croatia declared independence on 25 June 1991, many German politicians and other leaders declared their support, with then German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher
being one of the strongest advocates of international recognition of the newly-freed country, as well as Slovenia
, which declared independence a few hours later on the same day. Then-Chancellor Dr Helmut Kohl
(CDU-CSU) was also a vocal supporter of the cause as were many German, Austrian, Hungarian, and Italian politicians, church leaders and others. Genscher also has streets in many towns and cities of Croatia named after him, as does then-Austrian foreign minister Alois Mock
.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The countries established diplomatic relations on January 15, 1992. Croatia has an embassy in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and 5 consulates general (in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, and Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
). Germany has an embassy in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
and an honorary consulate in Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
. , there were nearly 400,000 people of Croat origin who lived in Germany.
Historically Germany has had close co-operations with Croatia. When Croatia declared independence on 25 June 1991, many German politicians and other leaders declared their support, with then German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher
Hans-Dietrich Genscher
Hans-Dietrich Genscher is a German politician of the liberal Free Democratic Party . He served as Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor of Germany from 1974 to 1982 and, after a two-week pause, from 1982 to 1992, making him Germany's longest serving Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor...
being one of the strongest advocates of international recognition of the newly-freed country, as well as Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
, which declared independence a few hours later on the same day. Then-Chancellor Dr Helmut Kohl
Helmut Kohl
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl is a German conservative politician and statesman. He was Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998 and the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union from 1973 to 1998...
(CDU-CSU) was also a vocal supporter of the cause as were many German, Austrian, Hungarian, and Italian politicians, church leaders and others. Genscher also has streets in many towns and cities of Croatia named after him, as does then-Austrian foreign minister Alois Mock
Alois Mock
Alois Mock is a politician and member of the Austrian People's Party . He was Vice Chancellor of Austria from 1987 to 1989. As foreign minister he helped take Austria into the European Union....
.
Yugoslav wars
Germany highly supported Croatia in that period, many German volunteers have gone to fight for Croatia. Germany aided Croatia with weapons and infantry. Many German politicians highly supported Croatia as independent country in 1990s.See also
- Foreign relations of CroatiaForeign relations of CroatiaThe following page shows the foreign relations of Croatia from past history, current events, international disputes and foreign support.-History:...
- Foreign relations of GermanyForeign relations of GermanyThe Federal Republic of Germany is a Central European country and member of the European Union, Group of 8 and NATO . Germany is one of the world's leading industrialized countries and biggest market economy in Europe, with "windows to the East and West".Since reunification in 1990, Germany has...
- Accession of Croatia to the European UnionAccession of Croatia to the European UnionCroatia applied for European Union membership in 2003, and the European Commission recommended making it an official candidate in early 2004. Candidate country status was granted to Croatia by the European Council in mid-2004...