Helmut Kohl

Helmut Kohl

"Leader in reconciliation"

Full name:

Helmut Josef Michael Kohl

Date and place of birth:

3 April 1930, Ludwigshafen, Bavaria, German Reich

Date and place of death:

16 June 2017 (aged 87), Ludwigshafen , Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

Education:

  • Kohl attended the Ruprecht Elementary School and continued at the Max-Planck-Gymnasium.
  • After completing secondary education in 1950, he began to study law in Frankfurt. A year later, Kohl switched to history and political science at Heidelberg University.
  • After graduating in 1956, Kohl became a fellow at Heidelberg University's Alfred Weber Institute and an active member of the student society AIESEC.
  • In 1958, Kohl earned his doctorate degree in history.

“German unity and European unification are two sides of the same coin.”

- Helmut Kohl

Career:

  • Kohl started his career in academia, then transitioned into business before eventually entering politics.
  • 1959: He was elected chairman of his hometown's branch of the CDU (Christian Democratic Union Party) and later swiftly advanced through the ranks of local and regional politics.
  • 1969: Kohl was elected minister-president of Rhineland-Palatinate (making him the youngest person ever elected as head of government in Germany).
  • 1973: He became chairman of the CDU, a position he held until 1998.
  • 1982: Kohl was elected Chancellor by the Bundestag (the West German parliament) after the ruling government fell to a vote of no confidence instigated by the CDU.
  • 1983: At the federal elections, the CDU-CSU-FDP coalition won, consolidating Kohl's power as Chancellor.
  • 1988: He received the Charlemagne Prize along with François Mitterrand.
  • 1990: After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Kohl's efforts were directed towards the reunification of East and West Germany. He visited the Soviet Union, seeking a guarantee from Mikhail Gorbachev that the USSR would allow German reunification to proceed. Kohl signed an economic and social union treaty with East Germany, reunifying Germany after 45 years.
  • 1998: Kohl was the second of only three people to have been given an Honorary Citizenship of Europe from the European Council, in recognition of his significant contribution to European integration and cooperation.
  • 2000: He resigned his party offices and faced serious charges of misusing funds.
  • 2002: Kohl left the Bundestag and officially retired from politics.

Contribution to Europe:

  • The reunification of Germany: By uniting West and East Germany, Kohl managed to bring his vision of a united Europe closer to reality.
  • Franco-German Relations: Helmut Kohl and French President François Mitterrand worked closely to strengthen the Franco-German alliance. The cooperation between the two states was illustrated by the famous gesture of holding hands in front of a memorial wreath at the Douaumont ossuary, which made Verdun a symbol of peace and reconciliation.
  • Maastricht Treaty: Helmut Kohl and François Mitterrand are considered to be the architects of the Maastricht Treaty, which established the European Union and the Euro currency.
  • Eastern enlargement of the EU: Kohl was an influential figure in the integration of Eastern European countries into the EU. His government supported the broader European integration process and played an important role in the international recognition of Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina when the states declared their independence.

Vision for Europe:

  • Like any other important figure in EU history, Kohl strongly believed that a united Europe was essential for achieving lasting peace and prosperity. For him, this union could be realized only through overcoming past conflicts. With his clear vision for the future, Kohl saw the reunification of Germany, the healing of Franco-German relations, and the strengthening of EU institutions as essential steps in building a stronger Europe.

Did you know?

George H. W. Bush called Kohl "the greatest European leader of the second half of the 20th century", while Bill Clinton named him "the largest figure on the continent of Europe for decades."

Kohl at a campaign event for the West German federal election, 1983

Kohl at a campaign event for the West German federal election, 1983

Chancellor Kohl and President Mitterrand standing hand in hand in front of a memorial wreath at the Douaumont Ossuary, Verdun, 1984

Chancellor Kohl and President Mitterrand standing hand in hand in front of a memorial wreath at the Douaumont Ossuary, Verdun, 1984

Helmut Kohl in 1990

Helmut Kohl in 1990

The foundation of Helmut Kohl:

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