Germany and Iran have been connected long before either country resembled its modern form. Early ties were cultural; official diplomatic relations came later. This is a brief look at that shared history.
Goethe’s enthusiasm for Persian poetry
In 1814, at age 65, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe read a translation of the Divan of Hafez, the collection of poems by the Persian mystic Hafez. He was captivated, writing: “And even if the whole world were to sink, Hafez, with you, with you alone do I wish to compete!” Born around 1315, Hafez’s real name was Mohammed Schemseddin; “Hafez” is an honorific for someone who has memorized all 114 surahs of the Quran. In Iran Hafez remains a national poet and many households keep a copy of his Divan.
Goethe saw a kindred spirit in Hafez and in 1819 published his West-Eastern Divan, exploring love, human conflict, transience, spiritual insight and advocating cultural openness. “Whoever knows himself and others will recognize here as well: East and West can no longer be separated,” he wrote. Nearly 200 years later the cultural bridge endures: in 2000 Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and Germany’s then-president Johannes Rau unveiled a Hafez–Goethe monument in Weimar.
Persia as a pawn of world powers
Ancient Persia once dominated vast territories but lost ground over centuries. In the 19th century the rivalry between the British and Russian empires—the “Great Game”—left Persia a pawn in their struggle. Under the Qajar dynasty Persia sought closer ties with European royal houses to counter British and Russian influence. In 1857 Persia and the Kingdom of Prussia signed their first official trade and friendship agreement.
In 1873 Naser al‑Din Shah became the first Middle Eastern monarch to visit Europe. In Berlin he met Emperor Wilhelm I and noted in his travel diary the contrast between European industry and his own court. He nonetheless pursued reforms and showed interest in European technology, seeking closer political and economic ties. Germany opened its first diplomatic mission in Persia in 1885, strengthening relations.
Wilhelm Wassmuss: the German Lawrence of Arabia
Wilhelm Wassmuss, born in 1880, served as a German diplomat and vice‑consul in Persia and became known for his efforts to incite resistance against British influence during World War I, earning him the nickname “the German Lawrence of Arabia.” Fluent in Farsi and close to local leaders, Wassmuss carried out a German plan to weaken Britain by encouraging guerrilla actions. In 1915 he and allies seized the British consulate in Bushehr, but British forces eventually prevailed and the mission failed.
After the war Wassmuss remained attached to Persia. In 1924 he established a farm in Bushehr intending to compensate former allies with harvest proceeds, but the venture failed. Disillusioned, he returned to Germany in 1931 and died soon after.
New friends: the Pahlavis
The German monarchy ended in 1918 and the Weimar Republic emerged. In Persia Reza Khan rose to power and in 1925 deposed the Qajar dynasty, becoming Reza Shah Pahlavi. He launched modernization and centralization programs and sought technical expertise from Europe, notably Germany. German firms contributed to aviation and to construction projects including parts of the Trans‑Iranian Railway. In 1929 Persia and the Weimar Republic signed a friendship and commercial treaty.
Reza Shah maintained economic ties with Germany after the Nazis came to power in 1933. In 1935 he requested the international use of “Iran” instead of “Persia.” During World War II Iran declared neutrality, but British and Soviet troops occupied the country in 1941 and compelled the pro‑German Reza Shah to abdicate; his son Mohammad Reza Shah then cooperated with the Allies. Iran regained full sovereignty in 1946.
Economic ties deepened in the postwar decades: German companies built factories, hospitals and roads in Iran. In 1966 the two countries signed an arms agreement, and in 1974 German involvement began on the Bushehr nuclear power plant.
Soraya: “Germany’s favorite empress”
In 1951 the Shah married Soraya Esfandiary‑Bakhtiary, the daughter of an Iranian diplomat and his German wife. Soraya’s European background and striking presence drew intense media attention. The marriage ended seven years later when it became clear she could not bear children, a central issue for the Pahlavi succession. The divorce sparked harsh tabloid coverage in Germany, straining relations; Iranian authorities protested and Germany considered a law to protect foreign heads of state from insults—informally dubbed “Lex Soraya”—but it was never enacted.
The Shah’s 1967 state visit to Germany marked a turning point: protests by Iranian students and expatriates against political repression and human rights abuses turned the reception into a scene of confrontation. Demonstrators carried placards accusing the monarch of oppression. German police used violent force against protesters; officers beat demonstrators and one protester was shot and killed. The incident left unresolved tensions that were handled through diplomatic channels.
After the revolution
Following the Shah’s fall in 1979 many Western countries distanced themselves from the new Islamic Republic, but West Germany pursued dialogue. In 1984 Foreign Minister Hans‑Dietrich Genscher became the first high‑ranking Western politician to visit the new regime; other German politicians followed. Over time political tensions, human rights concerns and the course of Iran’s leadership brought an end to the once close German‑Iranian partnership.
This article was originally written in German.