Extremism is on the rise, German president warns at WWII memorial

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed concern at the rise of nationalist and right-wing extremist forces in his country during a visit to Italy to mark the 80th anniversary of the World War II Marzabotto massacre on Sunday.

"Forces that wish to weaken or undermine democracy - in my country, of all places - that worries me," Steinmeier said.

There was a greater responsibility than before to stand up and fight for the values of a united Europe and its democracies, he said.

Steinmeier travelled to Italy immediately after Italian President Sergio Mattarella's three-day visit to Germany.

The two presidents attended an event to mark the 80th anniversary of the Marzabotto massacre near Bologna.

Steinmeier described commemoration as a "responsibility for our history, especially for us Germans" so that what once took place could not happen again. This responsibility was without end, he said.

German Nazis murdered almost 800 people in Marzabotto, including numerous women and children, between September 29 and October 1, 1944, in retaliation for a partisan attack. It was among the worst massacres carried out by German soldiers on Italian soil during World War II.

Steinmeier received much applause during his speech, which he delivered in Italian. He expressed sorrow and shame for the German crimes and asked the victims and their relatives for forgiveness.

The German president and Mattarella also met with a group of survivors and relatives of the victims of the massacre on Sunday and attended several wreath-laying ceremonies.