Speaking during a meeting in Athens with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Tsipras said Greece and Germany "need to put the last eight years and whatever stereotypes" behind them, but stressed that this does not mean "sweeping differences from the distant past under the rug," according to Ekathimerini.
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The German president responded by saying that the crimes committed during the Nazi occupation of Greece during World War II should not be forgotten, the newspaper reported.
Greece, which has been burdened by massive debt, exited its eight-year bailout program in late August. Since 2010, the country has relied on European creditors and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to support its economy. Germany's former Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble said in February of last year that Greece must implement reforms as part of its bailout regime or leave the eurozone.
Media reported on Wednesday that the Greek government planned to renew its call for Berlin to pay 279 billion euros ($323.5 billion) as compensation for the Nazi occupation.