Horst Köhler was a finance expert who served as Germany’s head of state between 2004 and 2010.
Former German President Horst Köhler died in Berlin Saturday morning after a short illness, the office of current German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a statement.
Köhler, who was president between 2004 and 2010, was surrounded by family at the time of his death, according to the statement. He was 81.
Köhler also onetime served as the managing director of the International Monetary Fund.
Köhler was an outsider who made a reputation for himself
Köhler was an economist before he became a politician and was virtually unknown to most people.
When he became president, Germany’s Bild tabloid greeted the new president with the headline “Horst Who?”
Köhler was also a close ally of former Chancellor Angela Merkel who lobbied hard for his presidency in 2004.
But Köhler eventually built high popularity ratings once in the job, something that he achieved in part by positioning himself as an outsider to the country’s political elite.
More to follow…
DW News
