This is a list of presidential visits to foreign countries made by Joachim Gauck, the former president of Germany. Gauck was elected and assumed the office for a five-year term on 18 March 2012, following the resignation of Christian Wulff and served until 18 March 2017.
2012 Date Countries Places visited Narrative26–27 MarchWarsawInaugural visit to President Bronisław Komorowski; Gauck also met with Prime Minister Donald Tusk.16–17 April BrusselsInaugural visit to the institutions of European Union and NATO: Gauck met with Secretary General of NATO Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Belgium Elio Di RupoStrasbourgMet the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso and President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz.4 MayStockholmGauck was received by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at Stockholm Palace and attended the 400th anniversary celebrations of the Tyska Skolan (German School) in Gamla stan.5–6 MayBredaAmsterdamGauck became the first foreign head of state to participate in the Liberation Day celebrations, in the course of which he delivered a speech. He met with Queen Beatrix and Crown Prince Willem-Alexander; together, they took a boat trip on Amstel river. 28–31 MayTel AvivJerusalemRehovotIn Tel Aviv, Gauck was received by President of Israel Shimon Peres and met with further politicians including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman and leader of the opposition Shelly Yachimovich. During his stay, the German President visited the grave of Ignaz Bubis (the former President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany), the Yad Vashem memorial, and the Weizmann Institute of Science and came together with survivors of The Holocaust and the Israeli delegation of the 1972 Summer Olympics. RamallahOpened a German-funded girls school and met with Palestinian leaders Mahmoud Abbas and Salam Fayyad.11 JuneChurGauck attended the annual informal meeting of the German speaking heads of state with President of Austria Heinz Fischer, Crown Prince Alois of Liechtenstein and President of the Swiss Confederation Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf.15 JuneRomeInaugural visit to President Giorgio Napolitano; Gauck also met with Prime Minister Mario Monti.2 JulyParisInaugural visit to President François Hollande.27–28 JulyLondonGauck attended a reception at Buckingham Palace for foreign heads of state hosted by Queen Elizabeth II due to the beginning of the 2012 Summer Olympics, as well as the opening ceremony later that evening. On the next day, he met with German athletes at the Olympic Village and watched a gymnastics competition at the North Greenwich Arena.2 AugustTogether with President of Poland Bronisław Komorowski, Gauck opened the Przystanek Woodstock rock music festival.16 AugustViennaInaugural visit to President Heinz Fischer; Gauck also met with Chancellor Werner Faymann and visited the Austrian National Library.29–30 AugustLondonGauck attended the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Paralympics. On the next day, he came together with athletes at the Paralympic Village and presented the medals to the winners of the Men's time trial cycling event.11 SeptemberCopenhagenInaugural visit to Queen Margrethe II; Gauck also met with members of the Danish government and parliament.10 OctoberPragueLidiceGauck met with President Václav Klaus and Prime Minister Petr Nečas as well as activists of the Velvet Revolution. In order to mark the 70th anniversary of the Nazi massacres in retaliation of Operation Anthropoid, he visited the Lidice Memorial. 13 NovemberLondonCompleting a series of inaugural visits to European neighboring and close partner states, Gauck was received by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace and attended a discussion about the different views on the future of Europe with British politicians and society members at the residence of the German ambassador.19–20 NovemberNaplesTrilateral meeting with Presidents Giorgio Napolitano and Bronisław Komorowski of Italy and Poland: This included the signing of the Naples Appeal calling for the overcoming of the economical and financial crisis, and a memorial ceremony honoring Polish freedom fighter Gustaw Herling-Grudziński. 5–6 DecemberVatican CityGauck was received by Pope Benedict XVI for a private audience and met with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone. He also paid a visit to the Collegio Teutonico. 6–7 DecemberZagrebGauck was received by President Ivo Josipović and had a talk with Prime Minister Zoran Milanović concerning the Accession of Croatia to the European Union.Mazar-i-SharifKabulGauck met with Bundeswehr soldiers at Camp Marmal as well as German humanitarian workers. In Kabul, he was received by President Hamid Karzai and honored with the Order of the Sun.
2013 Date Countries Places visited NarrativeGenevaFirst in a series of journeys to institutions concerned with the protection of the human rights (because Germany had been elected a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for a three-year term beginning 1 January 2013): Gauck gave a speech at the UNHRC, met with the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and visited the grave of Nobel Peace Laureate Ludwig Quidde.17–20 MarchAddis AbabaLalibelaDuring his first journey to Africa, Gauck met with President Girma Wolde-Giorgis and Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, as well as Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (the chairperson of the African Union Commission). He gave a speech addressing the Permanent Representatives' Committee of the African Union on occasion of the 50th anniversary of the union and visited the grave of Gudina Tumsa. In Lalibela, he visited the Church of Saint George and had talks with representatives of the different religions in Ethiopia. 24 MarchOn the invitation of President of Italy Giorgio Napolitano, Gauck attended the memorial ceremony of a World War II massacre.22 April StrasbourgSecond in a series of journeys to institutions concerned with the protection of the human rights: Gauck visited the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe, where he delivered a speech.8–16 May BogotáMedellínGauck was received by President Juan Manuel Santos and gave a speech about Vergangenheitsbewältigung and reconciliation at the University of the Andes on the occasion of recent peace talks between the Colombian government and the FARC rebels. Also, he met with members of human rights organizations at Biblioteca España in Medellín.São PauloRio de JaneiroWas received by President Dilma Rousseff. Among other appointments, Gauck visited the Volkswagen factory near São Paulo, met with Governor of Rio de Janeiro Sérgio Cabral Filho as well as members of the National Truth Commission, and visited the "model favela" of Santa Marta. 30 MayThe HagueThird in a series of journeys to institutions concerned with the protection of the human rights: Gauck visited the International Criminal Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice. 5–13 JulySavonlinnaTurkuFollowing him attending the opening performance of the annual Savonlinna Opera Festival together with President of Finland Sauli Niinistö and being formally received at the President's summer residence near Turku on the next day, Gauck paid State visits to the Baltic states.RigaWas received by President of Latvia Andris Bērziņš at the House of the Blackheads on 7 July, which was followed by a visit of the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia. Also, Gauck had talks with Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis and Solvita Āboltiņa, the Speaker of the Saeima.TallinnMet with President Toomas Hendrik Ilves at his summer residence and was formally received at Kadriorg Palace in Tallinn on the following day (9 July), which was followed by a memorial ceremony at the War of Independence Victory Column and a visit of the Museum of Occupations. The day concluded with a state dinner at the Estonian Maritime Museum. The next day, Gauck met with Prime Minister Andrus Ansip and visited St Mary's Cathedral.VilniusKlaipėdaNidaOn 11 July, he was received by head of state Dalia Grybauskaitė at the Presidential Palace and met members of the Lithuanian parliament; also, Gauck attended a ceremony at the Independence Memorial. The next day, he had a talk with Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius and attended discussions on the future development of Europe and the Soviet/German Occupations of Lithuania. Gauck's journey concluded with visits to the site of the planned reconstruction of St. John's Church in Klaipėda and the Thomas Mann Cultural Centre in Nida.19 July SalzburgGauck met with President Heinz Fischer and delivered the opening speech at the annual Salzburg Festival.3–5 September ParisOradour-sur-GlaneMarseilleFirst state visit of a German President to France in 16 years on occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty: Gauck was received by President François Hollande at the Élysée Palace and met with Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault. The two Presidents attended a memorial ceremony at Oradour-sur-Glane, the site of a World War II massacre committed by members of the Waffen-SS. Gauck concluded his stay with a visit of Marseille, in that year a European Capital of Culture.9 SeptemberInnsbruckGauck attended the annual informal meeting of the German speaking heads of state with President of Austria Heinz Fischer, Crown Prince Alois of Liechtenstein and President of the Swiss Confederation Ueli Maurer.7–9 OctoberKrakówOn 7 October, Gauck met with Presidents Giorgio Napolitano and Bronisław Komorowski of Italy and Poland, to discuss the political developments since their last convention in the previous year which had included the signing of the Naples Appeal. Later that day, the three presidents had a talk with Viktor Yanukovych, the President of Ukraine, which dealt with the Ukraine–European Union relations. On 8 and 9 October, Gauck, Napolitano and Komorowski attended the 2013 Arraiolos meeting with another five non-executive presidents of EU member states. 18 OctoberSłubiceTogether with Bronisław Komorowski, the President of Poland, Gauck opened the academic term at Collegium Polonicum (pl) in Słubice and Viadrina European University in Frankfurt (Oder), Germany, which is located on the other bank of the Oder river.10 DecemberJohannesburgGauck attended the state memorial service for Nelson Mandela and visited Liliesleaf Farm.
2014