Steinmeier spoke after a wreath-laying ceremony at Berlin’s Neue Wache memorial, where he was joined by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other officials.

In his speech, Steinmeier evoked the spirit of European solidarity in World War Two, which he said was needed to overcome the coronavirus crisis, just as it was to defeat Nazi Germany.

"For us Germans, 'never again' means 'never again alone'," Steinmeier said outside the memorial.

"If we don't hold Europe together, including during and after this pandemic, then we are not living up to May 8.

"We want more, not less co-operation in the world - also in the fight against the pandemic."