Helmut Kohl
| Helmut Kohl | |
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Chancellor of Germany (West Germany until 1990) |
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In office 1 October 1982 – 27 October 1998 |
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| President |
Karl Carstens Richard von Weizsäcker Roman Herzog |
| Deputy |
Hans-Dietrich Genscher Jürgen Möllemann Klaus Kinkel |
| Preceded by | Helmut Schmidt |
| Succeeded by | Gerhard Schröder |
| Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate | |
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In office 19 May 1969 – 2 December 1976 |
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| Preceded by | Peter Altmeier |
| Succeeded by | Bernhard Vogel |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl 3 April 1930 Ludwigshafen, Germany |
| Political party | Christian Democratic Union (1946–present) |
| Spouse(s) |
Hannelore Renner (1960–2001) Maike Richter (2008–present) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Heidelberg University |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Signature |  |
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl (German: [ˈhɛlmuːt ˈjoːzɛf 'mɪçaʔeːl ˈkoːl]; born 3 April 1930) is a German statesman, who served as Chancellor of Germany from 1982 to 1998 (of West Germany 1982–90 and of the reunited Germany 1990–98) and as the chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) from 1973 to 1998. From 1969 to 1976, Kohl was the 3rd Minister President of Rhineland-Palatinate.
Kohl's 16-year tenure was the longest of any German Chancellor since Otto von Bismarck, and by far the longest of any democratically elected Chancellor. Kohl oversaw the end of the Cold War, and is widely regarded as the main architect of the German reunification. Together with French President François Mitterrand, Kohl is also considered to be the architect of the Maastricht Treaty, which established the European Union (EU).
Kohl has been described as "the greatest European leader of the second half of the 20th century" by U.S. Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton. With the death of Helmut Schmidt in November 2015, he became the oldest living former German chancellor.
Helmut Kohl was born on 3 April 1930 in Ludwigshafen am Rhein (at the time part of Bavaria, now in Rhineland-Palatinate), Germany, the third child of Hans Kohl (1887–1975), a civil servant, and his wife, Cäcilie (née Schnur; 1891–1979).
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