| Helmut Kohl | |
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| In office 1 October 1982 (West Germany) / 3 October 1990 (all Germany) – 27 October 1998 |
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| Preceded by | Helmut Schmidt |
| Succeeded by | Gerhard Schröder |
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| Born | April 3, 1930 Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany |
| Political party | CDU |
| Spouse | Hannelore Kohl (died 2001) Maike Richter (since 2008) |
| Profession | Historian, Political scientist |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl (born April 3, 1930) is a German conservative politician and statesman. The Head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (Kanzler Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany ( Events 42 BC - First Battle of Philippi: Triumvirs Mark Antony and Octavian fight an indecisive battle with Caesar's Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Helmut Heinrich Waldemar Schmidt (born 23 December 1918 is a German Social Democratic Politician who served as Chancellor of West Germany ˌɡeɐ̯haɐ̯t fʁɪʦ kʊɐ̯t ˈʃʁøːdɐ (born 7 April 1944 German politician, was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005 Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England. Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ludwigshafen am Rhein is a City in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest Political party in Germany. Hannelore Kohl ( March 7, 1933 &ndash July 5, 2001) was the wife of former German Chancellor Dr See also History An historian is an individual who studies and writes about History, and is regarded as an Authority on it This is a list of notable political scientists See the List of political theorists for those who study politics without using the Scientific method. Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England. Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. He was Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998 (of West Germany alone between 1982 and 1990) and the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) from 1973 to 1998. The Head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (Kanzler West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany ( The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest Political party in Germany. His 16-year tenure was the longest of any German chancellor since Otto von Bismarck. Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen Duke of Lauenburg Prince of Bismarck ( April 1, 1815 July 30, 1898) Kohl styled himself as the architect of the German Reunification and, together with French President François Mitterrand, the Maastricht Treaty, which created the European Union. German reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung took place twice after 1945 first in 1957 the Saarland was permitted to join the Federal Republic of Germany François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand ( 26 October 1916 8 January 1996 served as President of France from 1981 to 1995 elected as representative of the Socialist The Maastricht Treaty (formally the Treaty on European Union, TEU) was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht, the Netherlands after final The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in
Kohl and François Mitterrand were the joint recipients of the Karlspreis in 1988. François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand ( 26 October 1916 8 January 1996 served as President of France from 1981 to 1995 elected as representative of the Socialist The Karlspreis ( Charlemagne Prize; Prix Charlemagne; full name originally Internationaler Karlspreis der Stadt Aachen [1] In 1998, Kohl was named Honorary Citizen of Europe by the European heads of state or government for his extraordinary work for European integration and cooperation, an honour previously only bestowed on Jean Monnet. The European Council (referred to as a European Summit) is the highest political body of the European Union. Jean Omer Marie Gabriel Monnet ( November 9, 1888 &ndash March 16, 1979) is regarded by many as a chief architect of European Unity [2]
Contents |
Life
Youth
Kohl was born in Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Palatinate, Germany, to Cäcilie (née Schnur; 1890–1979) and her husband Hans Kohl (1887–1975), a civil servant. Ludwigshafen am Rhein is a City in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz is one of the 16 federal states (German Bundesländer) of Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. He was the third child born into this conservative, Roman Catholic family which, before and after 1933, remained loyal to the Catholic Centre Party. The German Centre Party ( Deutsche Zentrumspartei or merely Zentrum) was a Catholic political party in Germany during the Kaiserreich His older brother died in the Second World War as a teenage soldier. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including In the last weeks of the war, Helmut Kohl was also drafted, but he was not involved in any combat.
Kohl attended the Ruprecht elementary school, and continued at the Max Planck Gymnasium. In 1946, he joined the recently founded CDU. The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest Political party in Germany. In 1947, he was one of the co-founders of the Junge Union-branch in Ludwigshafen. The Junge Union ( Young Christian Democrats) or JU is the joint Youth organisation of the two conservative German political parties After graduating in 1950, he began to study law in Frankfurt am Main. In 1951, he switched to the University of Heidelberg where he majored in History and Political Science. The Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg ( University of Heidelberg, Ruperto Carola, Heidelberg University, or simply Heidelberg) is a History is the study of the past particularly the written record Those who study history as a Profession are called Historians Etymology Political science is a branch of Social sciences that deals with the theory and practice of Politics and the description and analysis of Political systems In 1953, he joined the board of the Rhineland-Palatinate branch of the CDU. Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz is one of the 16 federal states (German Bundesländer) of Germany. In 1954, he became vice-chair of the Junge Union in Rhineland-Palatinate. Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz is one of the 16 federal states (German Bundesländer) of Germany. In 1955, he returned to the board of the Rhineland-Palatinate branch of the CDU.
Life before politics
After graduating in 1956 he became fellow at the Alfred Weber Institute of the University of Heidelberg. The Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg ( University of Heidelberg, Ruperto Carola, Heidelberg University, or simply Heidelberg) is a In 1958, he received his doctorate degree for his thesis "The Political Developments in the Palatinate and the Reconstruction of Political Parties after 1945". "PhD" redirects here for other uses see PhD (disambiguation. After that, he entered business, first as an assistant to the director of a foundry in Ludwigshafen and, in 1959, as a manager for the Industrial Union for Chemistry in Ludwigshafen. In this year, he also became chair of the Ludwigshafen branch of the CDU. In the following year, he married Hannelore Renner, whom he had known since 1948: they now have two sons. Hannelore Kohl ( March 7, 1933 &ndash July 5, 2001) was the wife of former German Chancellor Dr
Early political career
In 1960, he was elected into the municipal council of Ludwigshafen where he served as leader of the CDU party until 1969. In 1963, he was also elected into the Landtag of Rhineland-Palatinate and served as leader of the CDU party in that legislature. Germany (Deutschland is a Federal Republic consisting of sixteen States, known in German as Länder (singular Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz is one of the 16 federal states (German Bundesländer) of Germany. From 1966 until 1973, he served as the chair of the CDU, and he was also a member of the Federal CDU board. After his election as party-chair, he was named as the successor to Peter Altmeier, who was minister-president of Rhineland-Palatinate at the time. However, after the Landtag-election which followed, Altmeier remained minister-president.
Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate
On May 19, 1969, Kohl was elected minister-president of Rhineland-Palatinate, as the successor to Peter Altmeier. Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz is one of the 16 federal states (German Bundesländer) of Germany. Peter Altmeier ( August 12 1899 &ndash August 28 1977) was a German Politician ( Zentrum, later of the CDU During his term as minister-president, Kohl founded the University of Trier-Kaiserlautern and enacted territorial reform. The University of Kaiserslautern ( German Technische Universität Kaiserslautern) is a university located in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Also in 1969, Kohl became the vice-chair of the federal CDU party.
In 1971, he was a candidate to become chairman of the federal CDU, but was not elected. Rainer Barzel remained in the position instead. In 1972, Barzel attempted to force a cabinet crisis in the SPD/FDP government, which failed, leading him to step down. The Free Democratic Party ( Freie Demokratische Partei, FDP is a liberal Political party in Germany. In 1973, Kohl succeeded him as federal chairman; he retained this position until 1998.
The 1976 Bundestag election
In the 1976 federal election, Kohl was the CDU/CSU's candidate for chancellor. The CDU/CSU coalition performed very well, winning 48. 6% of the vote. However they were kept out of the center-left cabinet formed by the Social Democratic Party of Germany and Free Democratic Party (Germany), led by Social Democrat Helmut Schmidt. The Free Democratic Party ( Freie Demokratische Partei, FDP is a liberal Political party in Germany. Helmut Heinrich Waldemar Schmidt (born 23 December 1918 is a German Social Democratic Politician who served as Chancellor of West Germany Kohl then retired as minister-president of Rhineland-Palatinate to become the leader of the CDU/CSU in the Bundestag. The Bundestag ("Federal Diet " or "Lower House of German Parliament" is the Parliament of Germany. He was succeeded by Bernhard Vogel.
Leader of the opposition
In the 1980 federal elections, Kohl had to play second fiddle, when CSU-leader Franz Josef Strauß became the CDU/CSU's candidate for chancellor. Franz Josef Strauss (Franz Josef Strauß (fʁants jozɛf ʃtraʊs ( September 6, 1915 – October 3, 1988) was a German Strauß was also kept out of government by the SPD/FDP alliance. Unlike Kohl, Strauß did not want to continue as the leader of the CDU/CSU and remained Minister-President of Bavaria. Bavaria ( German:, with an area of 70553 Km² (27241 square miles and almost 12 Kohl remained as leader of the opposition, under the third Schmidt cabinet (1980–82).
On September 17, 1982, a conflict of economic policy occurred between the governing SPD/FDP coalition partners. Events 1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought 1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) The FDP wanted to radically liberalise the labour market, while the SPD preferred to guarantee the employment of those who already had jobs. The FDP began talks with the CDU/CSU to form a new government.
Chancellor of West Germany
Rise to power
On October 1, 1982, the CDU proposed a constructive vote of no confidence which was supported by the FDP. Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) The constructive vote of no confidence (in German: konstruktives Misstrauensvotum) is a specialty of the 1949 German Constitution, the Grundgesetz Such a motion had been proposed only once before, against Brandt in 1972. The motion carried, and, on October 3, the Bundestag voted in a new CDU/CSU-FDP coalition cabinet, with Kohl as the chancellor. Events 42 BC - First Battle of Philippi: Triumvirs Mark Antony and Octavian fight an indecisive battle with Caesar's The first cabinet led by Helmut Kohl was sworn in on October 4, 1982 and took power on March 29, 1983. Many of the important details of the new coalition had been hammered out on September 20, though minor details were reportedly still being hammered out as the vote took place. Events 451 - The Battle of Chalons takes place in North Eastern France.
The first cabinet
The foundation of this cabinet is still considered controversial. Although the new cabinet was legally legitimate according to the Basic Law, it was contentious because, during the 1980 elections, the FDP and CDU/CSU were not allied. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany (Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland is the Constitution of Germany. To answer this problem, Kohl did something more controversial. He called a confidence vote only a month after being sworn in. Members of the coalition partners abstained from voting, thereby using a constitutional loophole to allow Federal President Karl Carstens to dissolve the Bundestag in January 1983, an act allowed only under exceptional circumstances by the German Basic Law. The President of Germany (deutscher Bundespräsident is Germany 's Head of state. Karl Carstens ( December 14, 1914 - May 29, 1992) was a German politician The term basic law is used in some places as an alternative to " Constitution " implying it is a temporary but necessary measure without formal enactment However, this step was approved by the German Federal Constitutional Court as a legitimate instrument to solve a current crisis.
The second cabinet
In the federal elections of March 1983, Kohl won a smashing victory. The CDU/CSU won 48. 8%, while the FDP won 7. 0%. Some opposition members of the Bundestag asked the Federal constitutional court to declare the whole proceedings unconstitutional. The Federal Constitutional Court (in German: Bundesverfassungsgericht BVerfG) is a special Court established by the Basic Law for the Federal Republic It denied their claim.
The second Kohl cabinet pushed through several controversial plans, including the stationing of NATO midrange missiles, against major opposition from the peace movement. The second cabinet led by Helmut Kohl was sworn in on March 29, 1983 and laid down its function on March 11, 1987. The North Atlantic Treaty
On 24 January 1984, Kohl spoke before the Israeli Knesset, as the first Chancellor of the post-war generation. Events 41 - Gaius Caesar (Caligula, known for his eccentricity and cruel Despotism, is Assassinated by his disgruntled Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) For Beit Knesset a Jewish Place of worship, see Synagogue. The Knesset (כנסת lit In his speech, he used Günter Gaus' famous sentence, that he had "the mercy of a late birth".
On September 22, 1984 Kohl met the French president François Mitterrand at Verdun, where the Battle of Verdun between France and Germany had taken place during World War I. Events 66 - Emperor Nero creates the Legion I Italica. 1236 - The Lithuanians Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand ( 26 October 1916 8 January 1996 served as President of France from 1981 to 1995 elected as representative of the Socialist Verdun (medieval Wirten official name before 1970 Verdun-sur-Meuse) is a city and commune The Battle of Verdun was one of the most critical battles in World War I on the Western Front, fought between the German and French World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Together, they commemorated the deaths of both World Wars. The photograph, which depicted their minutes long handshake became an important symbol of French-German reconciliation. Kohl and Mitterrand developed a close political relationship, forming an important motor for European integration. European integration is the process of political legal economic (and in some cases social and cultural integration of European states including some states that are partly in Europe Together, they laid the foundations for European projects, like Eurocorps and Arte. Eurocorps is a multinational army corps within the framework of European Union and NATO common defence initiatives Arte (Association Relative à la Télévision Européenne is a Franco-German TV network. This French-German cooperation also was vital for important European projects, like the Treaty of Maastricht and the Euro. The Maastricht Treaty (formally the Treaty on European Union, TEU) was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht, the Netherlands after final Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e
In 1985, Kohl and US President Ronald Reagan, as part of a plan to observe the 40th anniversary of V-E Day, saw an opportunity to demonstrate the strength of the friendship that existed between Germany and its former foe. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by Victory in Europe Day ( V-E Day or VE Day) was May 7 and May 8, 1945, the dates when the World War II Allies During a November 1984 visit to the White House, Kohl appealed to Reagan to join him in symbolizing the reconciliation of their two countries at a German military cemetery. As Reagan visited Germany as part of the G6 conference in Bonn, the pair visited Bergen-Belsen concentration camp on 5 May, and more controversially the German military cemetery in Bitburg, discovered to hold 49 members of the Waffen-SS buried there. Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located about 20 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia Belsen redirects here For other meanings see Belsen (disambiguation. Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people commonly in large groups without trial Events 553 - The Second Council of Constantinople begins 1215 - Rebel Barons renounce their allegiance to King John Bitburg (ˈbɪtbʊʁk is a city in Germany, capital of the district Bitburg-Prüm, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The Waffen-SS ( German for "Armed SS" literally "Weapons SS" was the Combat arm of the Schutzstaffel ("Protective Squadron"
In 1986, more controversy was caused by an essay published in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on April 25, 1986 entitled "Land Without A History" written by one of Kohl's advisors, the historian Michael Stürmer, in which Stürmer argued that West Germany lacked a history to be proud of, and called for effort on the part of the government, historians and the media to be build national pride in German history. FAZ Building 2jpg|thumb|300px|right| Editorial department building of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung ]]The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (English Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) Michael Stürmer (born September 29 1938) is a German historian Through Stürmer insisted that he was writing on behalf of himself and not in an official capacity as the Chancellor's advisor, many left-wing intellectuals claimed that Stürmer's essay also expressed Kohl's views.
The third cabinet
After the federal elections of 1987 Kohl won a slightly reduced majority and formed his third cabinet. Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev ( Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachyov;; born 2 March 1931 in Privolnoye Stavropol Krai) is a Russian politician " Tear down this wall! " was the famous challenge from United States President Ronald Reagan to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to destroy The third cabinet led by Helmut Kohl was sworn in on March 12, 1987 and laid down its function on January 17, 1991. The SPD's candidate for chancellor was the Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia, Johannes Rau. North Rhine-Westphalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen usually shortened to NRW, official short form NW is the westernmost and - in terms of population and economic output - the Johannes Rau ( January 16, 1931 &ndash January 27, 2006) was a German Politician of the SPD.
In 1987, Kohl received East German leader Erich Honecker - the first ever visit by an East German head of state to West Germany. The German Democratic Republic ( GDR; Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR; commonly known in English as East Germany) was a Socialist state Erich Honecker ( August 25, 1912 – May 29, 1994) was a German Communist Politician who led the German Democratic This is generally seen as a sign that Kohl pursued Ostpolitik, a policy of detente between East and West. Ostpolitik ( German for Eastern Politics) describes the politics of the "Change Through Rapprochement" principle &mdash as verbalized by Egon Bahr Détente is a French term meaning a relaxing or easing the term has been used in international politics since the early 1970s Following the breach of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Kohl's handling of the East German issue would become the turning point of his chancellorship. The Berlin Wall (Berliner Mauer was a physical barrier separating West Berlin from the German Democratic Republic (GDR ( East Germany) including
The road to reunification
Taking advantage of the historic political changes occurring in East Germany, Kohl presented a ten point plan for "Overcoming of the division of Germany and Europe" without consulting his coalition partner, the FDP, or the Western Allies. In February 1990, he visited the Soviet Union seeking a guarantee from Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that the USSR would allow German reunification to proceed. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev ( Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachyov;; born 2 March 1931 in Privolnoye Stavropol Krai) is a Russian politician On May 18, 1990, he signed an economic and social union treaty with East Germany. Events 1152 - Henry II of England marries Eleanor of Aquitaine. Against the will of the president of the German federal bank, he allowed a 1:1 conversion course for wages, interest and rent between the West and East Marks. The East German mark (Mark der DDR commonly called the eastern mark ( Ostmark in West Germany and after the reunification) in East Germany only In the end, this policy would seriously hurt companies in the New Länder. The (five New Länder ((Fünf Neue Bundesländer is a term describing five reestablished states ( Länder) in the former German Democratic Republic (East Together with Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Kohl was able to resolve talks with the former Allies of World War II to allow German reunification and the expansion of the NATO into the former East German state. Hans-Dietrich Genscher (born March 21, 1927) is a German Politician and member of the Free Democratic Party (FDP. German reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung took place twice after 1945 first in 1957 the Saarland was permitted to join the Federal Republic of Germany On October 3, 1990, the East German state was abolished and its territory reunified with West Germany. Events 42 BC - First Battle of Philippi: Triumvirs Mark Antony and Octavian fight an indecisive battle with Caesar's Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) After the fall of the Berlin Wall Kohl, confirmed that historically German territories east of the Oder-Neisse line were definitively part of the Republic of Poland, thereby finally ending the West German territorial claims. The former eastern territories of Germany (ehemalige deutsche Ostgebiete describes collectively those Provinces or Regions east of the current eastern The Oder-Neisse line (Granica na Odrze i Nysie Łużyckiej Oder-Neiße-Grenze was drawn in the aftermath of World War II as the eastern border of Germany and Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany ( In 1993, Kohl confirmed, in a treaty with the Czech Republic, that Germany would no longer bring forward territorial claims as to the pre-1945 ethnic German so-called Sudetenland. The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, This article is about the German diaspora See Germans for the German ethnicity in general Sudetenland ( Czech and Polish: Sudety) is the German name used in English in the first half of the 20th century for the western regions of This was a disappointment for the German Heimatvertriebene, displaced persons. Heimatvertriebene ( German for "expellees" are Ethnic Germans who fled or were expelled after World War II from many countries who
Chancellor of all Germany
After the 1990 elections — the first free, fair and democratic all-German elections since the Weimar Republic era — Kohl won by a landslide over opposition candidate and prime minister of Saarland, Oskar Lafontaine. The 12th German federal election 1990 was conducted on December 2, 1990, to elect members to the Bundestag (lower house of Germany. The term Weimar Republic ( ˈvaɪmarɐ repuˈbliːk is used by historians to signify the democratic and Republican period of Germany from 1919 to 1933 Saarland (ˈzaːɐ̯lant in German; French: Sarre) is one of the 16 federal states (German Bundesländer) of Germany. Oskar Lafontaine (ˈlafɔntɛn born September 16, 1943 in Saarlouis -Roden is a German Politician, former German finance minister He formed the Cabinet Kohl IV. The fourth cabinet led by Helmut Kohl was sworn in on January 18, 1991 and laid down its function on November 15, 1994.
After the federal elections of 1994 Kohl was narrowly re-elected. The 13th German federal election 1994 was conducted on October 16, 1994, to elect members to the Bundestag (lower house of Germany. He defeated the Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate Rudolf Scharping. Rudolf Scharping ( December 2 1947 in Niederelbert) is a German Politician ( SPD) The SPD was however able to win a majority in the Bundesrat, which significantly limited Kohl's power. The Bundesrat ("federal council" or "upper house of German parliament" is the representation of the 16 Federal States ( Bundesländer) of In foreign politics, Kohl was more successful, for instance getting Frankfurt am Main as the seat for the European Central Bank. The European Central Bank (ECB is one of the world's most important Central banks responsible for Monetary policy covering the 15 member countries of the
By the late 1990s, the aura surrounding Kohl had largely worn off amid rising unemployment figures. He was heavily defeated in the 1998 federal elections by the minister-president of Lower Saxony, Gerhard Schröder. In 1998 a German federal election was conducted on September 27, 1998, to elect members to the 14th Bundestag, the lower house of Germany. Lower Saxony ( German: Niedersachsen ch is pronounced before an s --> lies in north-western Germany and is second ˌɡeɐ̯haɐ̯t fʁɪʦ kʊɐ̯t ˈʃʁøːdɐ (born 7 April 1944 German politician, was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005
Retirement and legal troubles
A red-green coalition government led by Schröder replaced Kohl's government on October 27, 1998. The Alliance '90/The Greens ( Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) the German Green party, is a Political party in Germany whose regional Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) He immediately resigned as CDU leader and largely retired from politics. However, he remained a member of the Bundestag until he decided not to run for reelection in the 2002 election. The 15th German federal election 2002 was conducted on September 22, 2002, to elect members to the Bundestag (lower house of Germany.
Scandal
Kohl's life after politics was characterized by the CDU-party finance scandal and by developments in his personal life. In late 1999, it was discovered that the German Christian Democratic Union (CDU political party had accepted illegal donations while under the control
A party financing scandal became public in 1999, when it was discovered that the CDU had received and maintained illegal funding under his leadership.
Investigations by the Bundestag into the sources of illegal CDU funds, mainly stored in Geneva bank accounts, revealed two sources. One was the sale of German tanks to Saudi Arabia (kickback question), while the other was the privatization fraud in collusion with the late French President François Mitterrand who wanted 2,550 unused allotments in the former East Germany for the then French owned Elf Aquitaine. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand ( 26 October 1916 8 January 1996 served as President of France from 1981 to 1995 elected as representative of the Socialist Elf Aquitaine was a French Oil company which merged with TotalFina to form TotalFinaElf. In December 1994 the CDU majority in the Bundestag enacted a law that nullified all rights of the current owners. Over 300 million DM in illegal funds were discovered in accounts in the canton Geneva. The fraudulently acquired allotments were then privatized as part of Elf Aquitaine and ended up with TotalFinaElf, now Total S.A., after amalgamation. Total SA () is an oil company headquartered in Paris, France, and one of the six " Supermajor " oil companies in the world
Kohl himself claimed that Elf Aquitaine had offered (and meanwhile made) a massive investment in East Germany's chemical industry together with the takeover of 2,000 gas stations in Germany which were formerly owned by national oil company Minol. Elf Aquitaine is supposed to have financed CDU illegally, as ordered by Mitterrand, as it was usual practice in African countries.
Kohl and other German and French politicians defended themselves that they were promoting reconciliation and cooperation between France and Germany for the sake of European integration and peace, and that they had no personal motives for accepting foreign party funding.
These scandal matters are still under investigation. The German-Canadian businessman Karlheinz Schreiber, a longtime associate of Kohl's late CDU political rival Franz Josef Strauss, is wanted by Bavarian prosecutors on charges of fraud and corruption, but Schreiber has been fighting extradition from Canada to Germany for more than eight years, since the summer of 1999. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Karlheinz Schreiber (born March 25, 1934 in Petersdorf (Thüringen) a German -born Canadian citizen who is a Lobbyist, Franz Josef Strauss (Franz Josef Strauß (fʁants jozɛf ʃtraʊs ( September 6, 1915 – October 3, 1988) was a German Extradition is the official process by which one nation or state requests and obtains from another nation or state the surrender of a suspected or convicted criminal Schreiber who is freed on bail in Canada as of April, 2008, filed an affidavit implicating former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, another business associate of his. Martin Brian Mulroney PC CC GOQ (predominantly known as Brian Mulroney) (born March 20, 1939) was the eighteenth The Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper called on November 13, 2007, for a public inquiry to probe Schreiber's statements. WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Honorific prefixes --> Stephen Joseph Harper PC Events 1002 - English king Ethelred orders the killing of all Danes in England, known today as the St Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
Life after politics
In 2002, Kohl left the Bundestag and officially retreated from politics. In recent years, Kohl has been largely rehabilitated by his party again. After taking office, Angela Merkel invited her former patron to the Chancellor's Office and Ronald Pofalla, the Secretary-General of the CDU, announced that the CDU will cooperate more closely with Kohl, "to take advantage of the experience of this great statesman", as Pofalla put it. (ˈaŋɡela doʁoˈteːa ˈmɛɐ̯kəl (born Angela Dorothea Kasner, 17 July 1954 in Hamburg, West Germany) is the Chancellor of Germany.
On July 5, 2001, Hannelore Kohl, his wife, committed suicide, after suffering from photodermatitis for years. Events 1295 - Scotland and France form an alliance the beginnings of the Auld Alliance, against England. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Hannelore Kohl ( March 7, 1933 &ndash July 5, 2001) was the wife of former German Chancellor Dr Photodermatitis, or sometimes called by the nonscientific term sun poisoning, is a reaction of the Skin to UV rays of the Sun, or Photoallergy On March 4, 2004, he published the first of his memoirs, called "Memories 1930-1982", covering the period 1930 to 1982, when he became chancellor. Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The second part, published on November 3, 2005, included the first half of his chancellorship (from 1982 to 1990). Events 644 - Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Muslim Caliph, is killed by a Persian slave in Medina. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. On December 28, 2004, Kohl was air-lifted by the Sri Lankan Air Force, after having been stranded in a hotel by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Events 1065 - Westminster Abbey is Consecrated. 1308 - The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea Earthquake that occurred at 005853 UTC on December 26 2004 with an Epicentre off the west coast of
He is a member of the Club of Madrid. The Club of Madrid is an independent organization created for the purpose of promoting Democracy and change in the global community. [3]
As reported in the German press, he also given his name to the soon-to-be launched Helmut Kohl Centre for European Studies (currently 'Centre for European Studies'), which is the new political foundation of the European People's Party. The European People's Party (EPP is a Christian democratic and Liberal conservative European political party.
In April 2008, Kohl was reported to be in intensive care due to a falling accident earlier in the year, and incapable of speaking. Subsequent to his recovery, he married his 43-year-old partner, Maike Richter, on May 8, 2008. Events 589 - Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo 1450 - Jack Cade's Rebellion: Kentishmen 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common
Political views
Kohl had strong, although complex and somewhat ambiguous political views, focusing on economic matters and on international politics.
- Economically, Kohl's political views and policies were influenced by Ronald Reagan's and Margaret Thatcher's capitalistic beliefs like reform of the welfare state and lowering taxation. Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 This article refers specifically to the Welfare state of the United Kingdom.
- In international politics Kohl was committed to European integration, maintaining close relations with the French president Mitterrand. European integration is the process of political legal economic (and in some cases social and cultural integration of European states including some states that are partly in Europe François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand ( 26 October 1916 8 January 1996 served as President of France from 1981 to 1995 elected as representative of the Socialist Parallel to this he was committed to German Reunification. German reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung took place twice after 1945 first in 1957 the Saarland was permitted to join the Federal Republic of Germany Although he continued the Ostpolitik of his social-democratic predecessor, Kohl also supported Reagan's more aggressive policies in order to weaken the USSR. Ostpolitik ( German for Eastern Politics) describes the politics of the "Change Through Rapprochement" principle &mdash as verbalized by Egon Bahr The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991
Public perception
During the earlier years of his tenure, Kohl faced stiff opposition from the West German political left. His adversaries frequently referred to him by the widely known and disparaging nickname of Birne (a German word for pear and slang in the south for "head"; after unflattering cartoons showing Kohl's head as a pear). This public ridicule subsided as Kohl's political star began to rise: as the leader of European integration and an important figure in the German reunification. Kohl became one of the most popular politicians in Germany and a greatly respected European statesman. Some criticize him for taking personal credit for German reunification, while without historical developments in the USSR and East Germany in the late 1980s, reunification would not have been possible. After his chancellorship, especially when the claims of corruption sprang up, Kohl fell in public perception. Kohl fought the release of his East German Secret Service files successfully through the courts, leaving people wondering what there was to hide.
Honors
- In 1988, Kohl and Mitterrand received the Karlspreis for his contribution to Franco-German friendship and European Union. The Karlspreis ( Charlemagne Prize; Prix Charlemagne; full name originally Internationaler Karlspreis der Stadt Aachen [1]
- In 1996, Kohl received the Prince of Asturias Award in International Cooperation
- In 1996, he was made honorary doctor of the Catholic University of Louvain. The Prince of Asturias Awards ( Spanish: Premios Príncipe de Asturias, Asturian: Premios Príncipe d'Asturies) is a series of prestigious annual The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (in short KU Leuven) is the Flemish offshoot of the oldest university in the Low Countries which was originally founded
- In 1996, Kohl received an order for his humanitarian achievements from the Jewish organisation B'nai B'rith. The Independent Order of B'nai B'rith ( IPA: /bəneɪ 'brɪθ/ Hebrew: בני ברית "Sons of the Covenant " is the oldest continually-operating
- In 1996, Kohl received a Doctor of Humanities, Honoris Causa from the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines, a Jesuit run institution. An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa ( Latin: 'for the sake of the honour' is an Academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding The Ateneo de Manila University (also called " Ateneo de Manila " or simply "the Ateneo " is a private University run The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP The Society of Jesus ( Latin: Societas Iesu, SJ and SI or SJ, SI) is a Catholic religious order
- On December 11, 1998, he was made honorary citizen of Europe, a title which only Jean Monnet had received before. Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Jean Omer Marie Gabriel Monnet ( November 9, 1888 &ndash March 16, 1979) is regarded by many as a chief architect of European Unity [2]
- In 1998, he received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Brandeis University in Massachusetts. Brandeis University is a private research University with a Liberal arts focus located in Waltham Massachusetts, United States. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. [4]
- In 1998, he was only the second person to be awarded the Grand Cross in Special Design of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, the other being Konrad Adenauer. Bundesverdienstkreuz (Federal Cross of Merit officially Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only Konrad Hermann Josef Adenauer ( 5 January 1876 – 19 April 1967 was a German Statesman. [5]
- In 1999, Kohl received Presidential Medal of Freedom from U. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is a decoration bestowed by the President of the United States and is along with the equivalent Congressional Gold Medal bestowed S. President Clinton. [6]
- Kohl is honorary citizen of both Frankfurt am Main and Berlin. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. On September 2, 2005, he was made an honorary citizen of his home town, Ludwigshafen. Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ludwigshafen am Rhein is a City in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
- In 2007, he received the Gold Medal of the Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe for his contribution to the unity of Europe. The Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe is an organisation which supports initiatives dedicated to the construction of European unity
References
- ^ a b Der Karlspreisträger 1988 (German). Stiftung Internationaler Karlspreis zu Aachen. Retrieved on 2008-03-01. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant
- ^ a b "European leaders honour Kohl", BBC NEWS, 1998-12-11. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office
- ^ Helmut Kohl. Club of Madrid. Retrieved on 2008-03-01. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant
- ^ Williams, Jennifer. "Kohl's honorary degree 'an affirmation of healing'" (PDF), BrandeisReporter, 1998-08-31. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Events 1056 - Byzantine Empress Theodora becomes ill dying suddenly a few days later without children to succeed the Throne
- ^ "Bundesverdienstkreuz mit Lorbeerkranz für Kohl", Rhein-Zeitung, 1998-10-26. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death (German)
- ^ Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient Dr. Helmut Kohl. medaloffreedom. com. Retrieved on 2008-03-01. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant
External links
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Helmut Schmidt |
Chancellor of Germany (West Germany only 1982-1990) 1982–1998 |
Succeeded by Gerhard Schröder |
| Preceded by Margaret Thatcher |
Chair of the G8 1985 |
Succeeded by Yasuhiro Nakasone |
| Preceded by John Major |
Chair of the G8 1992 |
Succeeded by Kiichi Miyazawa |
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Kohl, Helmut |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Dr. Helmut Heinrich Waldemar Schmidt (born 23 December 1918 is a German Social Democratic Politician who served as Chancellor of West Germany The Head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (Kanzler West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˌɡeɐ̯haɐ̯t fʁɪʦ kʊɐ̯t ˈʃʁøːdɐ (born 7 April 1944 German politician, was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005 Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 Yasuhiro Nakasone (中曽根 康弘 Nakasone Yasuhiro, born May 27 1918 is a Japanese Politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan Sir John Major KG CH ACIB (born 29 March 1943 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom was a Japanese Politician and the 78th Prime Minister from November 5, 1991 to August 9, 1993. Helmut Josef Michael Kohl |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | German Chancellor of Germany |
| DATE OF BIRTH | April 3, 1930 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Palatinate, Germany |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
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