Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan landed at Berlin's Tegel Airport after midday on Thursday, beginning a controversial visit, with full state honors, while thousands of demonstrators got ready to express their anger at the leader's authoritarian rule.

Large parts of central Berlin were shut down for the trip, partly to provide a security cordon around the Chancellery, the president's Bellevue Palace, and the historic Adlon Hotel, where Erdogan and his entourage are staying, and partly to accommodate several major demonstrations criticizing the many human rights issues that Erdogan's long-term rule in Turkey has produced.

Organizations representing journalists and various minorities in Turkey, including Kurds and Alevites, have called protests, while a left-wing alliance is staging a march through the city on Friday entitled "Erdogan Not Welcome." Some 10,000 people are expected. Several more demonstrations, both in support of and against the Turkish government, are planned for the second leg of Erdogan's visit, to Cologne on Saturday.

Read more: How Erdogan fills a political gap for German-Turks

Reporters Without Borders is among several organizations that have called demos in Berlin

Erdogan drew press attention shortly after his arrival. German newspaper Bild published a photograph of the Turkish president waving from the inside of his car and said he appeared to be making the hand symbol of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's banned Islamist party. The four-fingered wave with bent thumb, known as the rabia, is used as a greeting by the party's supporters, and Erdogan has made the gesture during speeches in the past. However, it was unclear from the photo whether he was actually making the hand gesture.

Both Turkish and German media will be reporting on the remainder of the Erdogan's three-day trip. He will have two meetings and a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. He is also set to receive military honors at Berlin's Bellevue Palace, where he will be German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's guest of honor at a state banquet on Friday evening.

Erdogan is being accompanied by four senior cabinet ministers as well as secret service chief Hakan Fidan.

Politicians from all of Germany's opposition parties have announced they will be boycotting the state banquet, with many repeating the same criticism: that the authoritarian leader would use the pomp of a full state visit to reinforce self-serving propaganda at home.

On Saturday, Erdogan is due to open a new mosque in Cologne built by the Turkish-Islamic organization DITIB.

Cologne's central mosque: A troubled symbol of unity Inspired by a flower bud The building was designed with glass walls and a staircase accessible from the street, symbolizing openness to people of all religions. It features two 55-meter (60-yard) minarets and a dome of glass and concrete which appears to open like a flower bud.

Cologne's central mosque: A troubled symbol of unity Ehrenfeld's mix of cultures The mosque is located in Cologne's Ehrenfeld district, a formerly a working-class quarter. Ehrenfeld suffered a rise in unemployment and poverty when factories closed in the 1970s. Some time later, however, low rent prices lured in artists, galleries and theaters, ultimately gentrifying the area. Today, 35 percent of locals there have an immigrant background.

Cologne's central mosque: A troubled symbol of unity Impressive plans The construction was funded by hundreds of Muslim associations, but also bank loans and donations from the Turkish government's religious affairs authority in Germany, DITIB. Cologne city council approved the plans in 2008, despite Chancellor Angela Merkel's party, the conservative Christian Democrats, voting against it.

Cologne's central mosque: A troubled symbol of unity Architect drops out after row with Turkish association Architect Paul Böhm, who specializes in building churches, won the contract in 2005. He saw the building as an act of integration. He later fell out with the new leadership of DITIB and stopped working on the project in 2011.

Cologne's central mosque: A troubled symbol of unity Doors opened in 2017 The mosque first opened for prayer during Ramadan in 2017, but was only officially opened by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his visit to Germany in September 2018.

Cologne's central mosque: A troubled symbol of unity Room for 1,200 worshippers Inside the mosque, there's a prayer area which takes up both the ground and the upper floor, with the two sections connected by a well in the center of the building's glass front. The compound houses an Islamic library. There are also shops and sports facilities intended to foster interactions among people of different faiths.

Cologne's central mosque: A troubled symbol of unity New skyline Some residents were shocked by the sheer size of the construction when the plans were first presented, especially the height of the minarets, and feared a change in the skyline of their "Christian city." Then-Cardinal Joachim Meisner, the archbishop of Cologne, admitted to having "an uneasy feeling" about the project.

Cologne's central mosque: A troubled symbol of unity Right-wing protesters oppose the mosque Right-wing politicians picked up on the sentiment and launched a heated debate about the integration of Muslims in Germany. Author Ralph Giordano said the mosque would be "an expression of the creeping Islamization" in the country.

Cologne's central mosque: A troubled symbol of unity Imams or spies? In 2017, German authorities launched an investigation into the activities of DITIB imams, who are schooled in Turkey and paid by the Turkish state, as well as other people working in the Cologne complex. Mosque employees were suspected of spying against Turks living in Germany on behalf of the Turkish goverment. Author: Rina Goldenberg



Fiery words in parliament

Opposition politicians used a Bundestag debate on Thursday morning to express their outrage about Erdogan's red-carpet reception in Germany.

The socialist Left party's Sevim Dagdelen and the Green party's Cem Özdemir delivered the most fiery speeches, with Dagdelen condemning the "wrong signal" that the state visit was sending out, and Özdemir arguing that a simple working visit would have been more appropriate.

"A ruler is coming from a country where there is practically no longer any press freedom, in which more and more people are afraid to express their opinion," Özdemir told the parliament. The former Green party leader is one of the few German politicians to have accepted the invitation to Friday's state banquet. Özdemir defended the decision on the grounds that he wanted to make clear to Erdogan that while he may be able to silence the opposition in Turkey, he could not do so in Germany. "That's why I'm going," he said.

Dagdelen, meanwhile, rejected Erdogan's calls for a "normalization" of German-Turkish relations, which have been marred by a series of diplomatic rows between the two countries in the last two years. "There can only be a normalization when the conditions in Turkey have been normalized," she told the chamber.

But members of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) defended the state visit. "It's always right to discuss with heads of state," CDU Bundestag member Roderich Kiesewetter told DW. "It's a question of how to include a country which is deteriorating in its economic situation, which has a terrible humanitarian situation, but which is also handling three and a half million refugees, and therefore we have to take it seriously."

But Kiesewetter also expressed reservations about Turkey's influence in Germany. "DITIB and other organizations in Germany work like spies, and like a criminal agency for the Turkish state," he said. "And therefore we should reconsider our behavior towards DITIB. We should rule them out of their right to provide imams in Germany."

Five German citizens currently remain political prisoners in Turkey.

Why are German and Turkish relations so strained? The Böhmermann affair March 31, 2016: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan filed charges against German comedian and satirist Jan Böhmermann over his "defamatory poem" about the Turkish leader. German prosecutors eventually dropped the charges on October 4, 2016, but the case sparked a diplomatic row between Berlin and Ankara.

Why are German and Turkish relations so strained? German lawmakers pass resolution to recognize 1915 Armenian Genocide June 2, 2016: The resolution passed almost unanimously. In response, Turkey recalled its ambassador in Berlin and Germany's Turkish community held protests in several German cities. Turkey had repeatedly criticized the use of the term genocide to describe the Ottoman-era Armenian killings, arguing that the number of deaths had been inflated, and that Turkish Muslims also perished in the violence.

Why are German and Turkish relations so strained? Tensions following failed coup in Turkey July 15, 2016: A faction of the Turkish military tried to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but ultimately failed. Ankara accused Berlin of not taking a clear stand against the coup attempt or not doing anything about exiled preacher Fethullah Gulen's organization, who Erdogan blames for orchestrating the failed coup.

Why are German and Turkish relations so strained? Germany criticizes post-coup purge Immediately following the attempted coup, Turkish authorities purged the army and judiciary, detaining thousands of people. The purge expanded to include civil servants, university officials and teachers. German politicians criticize the detentions. Turkish diplomats, academics and military members fled the country and applied for asylum in Germany.

Why are German and Turkish relations so strained? Kurdish rallies in Cologne Erdogan's post-coup crackdown has also been condemned by Kurdish protesters at several mass demonstrations in the west German city of Cologne. Often the rallies have called for the release of Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Turkey considers to be a terror group. Ankara has accused Berlin of not doing enough to stop PKK activities.

Why are German and Turkish relations so strained? Arrest of German citizens in Turkey February 14, 2017: Deniz Yücel, a correspondent for the "Welt" newspaper, was taken into custody in Turkey. Other German nationals, including journalist Mesale Tolu and human rights activist Peter Steudtner were detained in Turkey for what Berlin dubbed "political reasons." Turkey accused them of supporting terrorist organizations. All three have since been released pending trial.

Why are German and Turkish relations so strained? Germany bans Turkish referendum rallies March 2017: A number of German localities blocked Turkish ministers from holding rallies in their districts ahead of an April referendum in Turkey to enhance President Erdogan's powers. The Turkish leader then accused Germany of using "Nazi tactics" against Turkish citizens in Germany and visiting Turkish lawmakers. German leaders were not amused by the jibe, saying Erdogan had gone too far.

Why are German and Turkish relations so strained? Spying allegations March 30, 2017: Germany accused Turkey of spying on hundreds of suspected Gulen supporters as well as over 200 associations and schools linked to the Gulen movement in Germany. Turkish asylum-seekers have since accused officials working in Germany's immigration authority (BAMF) of passing on their information to media outlets with ties to the Turkish government.

Why are German and Turkish relations so strained? Erdogan urges German-Turks not to vote for 'enemies of Turkey' August 18, 2017: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed three of Germany's main political parties as "enemies of Turkey" and told Turks living in Germany not to vote for them in September's general election. He singled out Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), the Social Democrats (SPD), and the Greens. Merkel said Erdogan was "meddling" in Germany's election.

Why are German and Turkish relations so strained? Merkel says Turkey should not become EU member September 4, 2017: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said during an election debate that she didn't think Turkey should become a member of the European Union and said she would speak with other EU leaders about ending Ankara's accession talks. In October, she backed a move to cut Turkey's pre-accession EU funds.

Why are German and Turkish relations so strained? Turkey's military offensive in Afrin January 20, 2018: The Turkish military and their Syrian rebel allies launched "Operation Olive Branch" against the Kurdish-held enclave of Afrin in northern Syria. The move was criticized by German politicians and prompted large protests by Kurdish communities in Germany.

Why are German and Turkish relations so strained? Journalist Deniz Yücel released from prison February 16, 2018: Turkey ordered the release of German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yücel after he'd been held for over a year without charge. According to Turkish state media, Yücel was released on bail from pre-trial detention. Prosecutors asked for an 18-year jail sentence for Yücel on charges of "terror propaganda" and incitement.

Why are German and Turkish relations so strained? Özil quits July 2018: German footballer Mesut Özil quit the national team following the fallout from his meeting with the Turkish president. Özil said he was being made a scapegoat for Germany's forgettable performance at the FIFA World Cup in Moscow because of his Turkish heritage. Erdogan praised Özil's decision and slammed the "racist" mistreatment of the footballer.

Why are German and Turkish relations so strained? Travel ban lifted August 2018: A Turkish court removed the travel ban on German journalist Mesale Tolu, who was arrested last year on terrorism-related charges. But the trial against Tolu, who has since returned to Germany, is set to continue. Her husband, Suat Corlu, who is facing similar charges, has been ordered to remain in Turkey. Author: Rebecca Staudenmaier



Every evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.