German president views Picasso's 'Guernica' before historic visit to town

Germany's President Frank-Walter Steinmeier viewed Pablo Picasso's anti-war masterpiece "Guernica" in Madrid on Wednesday, days before becoming the first German head of state to visit the Spanish town devastated by Nazi bombers in 1937.

Steinmeier contemplated Picasso's famed painting at the Reina Sofia art museum on day one of a three-day state visit to Spain, which culminates with Friday's trip to the northern Basque town.

The work captures the horror of Nazi Germany's Condor Legion's bombardment of civilian targets in support of General Francisco Franco's rebels during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) alongside Fascist Italy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the painting last week and has compared the massacre in Guernica, where hundreds died, to the suffering inflicted by Russia's invasion of his country.

Steinmeier is due to travel to Guernica with King Felipe VI and pay tribute to the victims of the April 26, 1937 raid.

The visit comes almost 30 years after former German president Roman Herzog recognised his country's "involvement" and called for "reconciliation".

Steinmeier had addressed the Spanish parliament just before viewing the painting, warning that "extremist and populist movements are gaining strength in our societies" and attacking "the pillars on which liberal democracies are based".

Spain remembered its own authoritarian past on November 20, which marked the 50th anniversary of Franco's death and the end of his 36-year dictatorship.

Felipe and Queen Letizia welcomed Steinmeier and First Lady Elke Buedenbender with pomp and ceremony at Madrid's Royal Palace on Wednesday for talks and a lunch. A gala dinner was scheduled for the evening.

On Thursday, Steinmeier will hold talks with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, attend a German-Spanish economic forum and present an award to former Real Madrid and Germany star Toni Kroos at the Bernabeu stadium.