Dresden: Germany's President has called for his countrymen to stand up to extremism and nationalism, warning that hatred and a desire for authoritarianism are on the rise again in Europe, including in his country.

People arrive to light candles next to Frauenkirche cathedral to commemorate the victims of the 1945 Allied firebombing of the city on the 75th anniversary of the bombing in Dresden, Germany. Credit:Getty

Speaking at a ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Dresden by allied forces at the end of World War II, Frank-Walter Steinmeier said it was important to recall who had started the devastating conflict.

The man-made firestorm, vividly captured by American author Kurt Vonnegut in his book Slaughterhouse Five, and the destruction of large parts of the baroque eastern German city have become a rallying point for those seeking to portray Germans as victims in the war.

"It was Germans who began this gruesome war," Steinmeier said.