Horst Köhler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Horst Köhler
|
|
|---|---|
Köhler in 2004
|
|
| President of Germany | |
| In office 1 July 2004 – 31 May 2010 |
|
| Chancellor | Gerhard Schröder Angela Merkel |
| Preceded by | Johannes Rau |
| Succeeded by | Jens Böhrnsen (acting) |
| Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund |
|
| In office 1 May 2000 – 4 March 2004 |
|
| First Deputy | Stanley Fischer Anne Osborn Krueger |
| Preceded by | Michel Camdessus |
| Succeeded by | Rodrigo Rato |
| President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development | |
| In office September 1998 – April 2000 |
|
| Preceded by | Jacques de Larosière |
| Succeeded by | Jean Lemierre |
| President of the German Savings Banks Association |
|
| In office 1993–1998 |
|
| Preceded by | Helmut Geiger |
| Succeeded by | Dietrich H. Hoppenstedt |
| State Secretary in the Ministry of Finance |
|
| In office 1990–1993 Serving with Peter Klemm, Franz-Christoph Zeitler
|
|
| Chancellor | Helmut Kohl |
| Minister | Theo Waigel |
| Preceded by | Hans Tietmeyer (1989) |
| Succeeded by | Gert Haller |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 February 1943 Heidenstein, General Government (now Skierbieszów, Poland) |
| Died | 1 February 2025 (aged 81) Berlin, Germany |
| Political party | Christian Democratic Union (1981–2025) |
| Spouse |
Eva Bohnet
(m. 1969) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Tübingen |
| Occupation |
|
| Signature |  |
Horst Köhler (born 22 February 1943 – died 1 February 2025) was a German politician. He served as the President of Germany from 2004 to 2010. The president's job in Germany is mostly about representing the country and showing moral leadership.
Köhler was chosen as president by a special group called the Federal Convention. He was supported by the main Christian Democratic parties and the liberal Free Democratic Party. He was very popular during his time as president.
Before becoming president, Köhler had a long career. He was an economist and worked in government and banking. He led the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development from 1998 to 2000. He also headed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 2000 to 2004.
Contents
- Horst Köhler's Early Life
- Studies and Military Service
- Career in Public Service
- Secretary of State in Finance Ministry
- Banking Career (1993–2000)
- Leading the International Monetary Fund (2000–2004)
- Germany's 9th President (2004–2010)
- After the Presidency
- Personal Life and Death
- Honours
- Images for kids
- See also
Horst Köhler's Early Life
Horst Köhler was born in 1943 in a village called Skierbieszów, which was then in German-occupied Poland. His parents were German but lived in Romania. They had to leave their home in 1940 because of World War II.
His family moved to Poland, then fled to Leipzig in Germany in 1944. In 1953, they moved to West Berlin to escape the communist government in East Germany. They lived in refugee camps until 1957, when they settled in Ludwigsburg. So, Köhler spent much of his childhood as a refugee.
Studies and Military Service
A teacher encouraged Köhler to attend a Gymnasium, which is a type of high school. He graduated in 1963. After that, he served two years in the German army, the Bundeswehr. He became a reserve lieutenant.
Later, he studied economics and political science at the University of Tübingen. He earned a doctorate degree there.
Career in Public Service
Köhler started working for the government in 1976. He joined the Federal Ministry of Economics. In 1981, he moved to the state government of Schleswig-Holstein.
The next year, he became the head of the Minister's office in the Federal Ministry of Finance. He moved up quickly, becoming a Director General for financial policy in 1987. By 1989, he was in charge of currency and credit.
Secretary of State in Finance Ministry
From 1990 to 1993, Köhler was the Secretary of State in the Federal Ministry of Finance. This meant he was a top official and the deputy to the Finance Minister. He also acted as a "sherpa" for Chancellor Helmut Kohl. A sherpa is a personal representative who helps prepare for big international meetings like the G7 summits.
Köhler played a key role in important events. He helped negotiate the joining of East and West German money. He also worked on the Maastricht Treaty, which led to the creation of the euro currency. He also helped organize the sale of state-owned businesses in East Germany after the country reunited.
Banking Career (1993–2000)
From 1993 to 1998, Köhler was the President of the association of savings banks in Germany.
In 1998, he became the president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in London. The bank was facing financial problems at the time. Köhler worked to improve its investment policies.
Leading the International Monetary Fund (2000–2004)
In 2000, Horst Köhler was chosen to be the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF is an organization that helps countries with their money problems.
One of his first actions was to work with British finance minister Gordon Brown. They discussed how to help poor countries by reducing their huge debts. Köhler believed the IMF should focus on big economic issues. He wanted to avoid getting too involved in small details of a country's economy.
He helped countries like Brazil and Turkey with their debt problems. He also worked to expand debt relief for the world's poorest nations. Köhler left the IMF in 2004 to become a candidate for president of Germany.
Germany's 9th President (2004–2010)
On March 4, 2004, Köhler was nominated to be Germany's president. He won the election and became president on July 1, 2004. The German presidency is mostly a ceremonial role. However, it holds significant moral authority.
When he was elected, Köhler said that "Patriotism and being cosmopolitan are not opposites." He wanted Germany to be a "land of ideas." He also stressed the importance of Germany competing well in the global economy.
President Köhler often shared his views on international matters. He called for "globalization with a human face." He strongly supported efforts to end poverty worldwide. He believed Europe had a duty to help Africa. He worked hard to make Africa a top priority for Germany. He created the "Partnership with Africa" initiative. This brought together leaders and experts from Africa and Europe.
By 2005, Köhler was Germany's most popular political figure. In 2005, he dissolved the German parliament, the Bundestag. This led to an early election. In 2006, he used his power to veto two bills. He believed these bills went against the German constitution. These were the first notable vetoes by a German president in recent history.
In 2009, he was re-elected for a second term.
Resignation from Office
On May 31, 2010, Köhler announced he was resigning as president. This happened after he received criticism for comments he made. He had suggested that Germany's military missions abroad also helped protect trade. Critics said he was promoting "gunboat diplomacy," which means using military force to achieve political goals.
Köhler said his comments were about fighting piracy. He felt he had not overstepped his role. However, he did not get enough support from other politicians. He then decided to step down immediately. His resignation was a surprise to many. Some people felt it was an overreaction to the criticism.
After his resignation, the head of the Bundesrat (Germany's upper house of parliament), Jens Böhrnsen, took over as acting president. Christian Wulff was later elected as the new president.
After the Presidency
After leaving office, Köhler continued to speak out on important issues. He focused on relations between Europe and Africa. He also spoke about the global fight against poverty and climate change.
From 2012 to 2013, Köhler was part of a special United Nations panel. This group worked on plans for global development after 2015. Their recommendations helped create the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development."
He was seen as an expert on Africa. He also worked for many charities and non-profit groups. He held an honorary professorship at the University of Tübingen. In 2017, he became a special envoy for the UN. He worked to restart talks between Morocco and the Polisario Front over Western Sahara. He left this role in 2019 due to health reasons.
Personal Life and Death
Horst Köhler married Eva Bohnet, a teacher, in 1969. They had two children, a daughter named Ulrike and a son named Jochen. Köhler was a member of the Protestant Church. He enjoyed swimming, running, and cross-country skiing. He lived in Berlin and Chiemgau with his wife.
Horst Köhler passed away in Berlin on February 1, 2025, at the age of 81.
Honours
German Orders
State Orders
Order of Merit of Baden-Württemberg (2002)
Federal Orders
Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2004) (awarded by virtue of office)
Foreign Orders
Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star for Services to the Republic of Austria (2003)
Order of Vytautas the Great with the Golden Chain (19 October 2005)
Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (15 March 2006)
Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (2007)
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (2007)
Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav (15 October 2007)
Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry (2 March 2009)
Prizes and Awards
Germany: The National German Sustainability Award (2014)- Germany: Adam Smith Prize for Environmental Economic Policy (2014), Green Budget Germany
- Germany: CARE-Millenniumspreis (2015), in recognition for his service to poverty eradication and work towards a global partnership
- Germany: Global Economy Prize (2017), IfW Kiel Institute for the World Economy
Images for kids
-
Horst Köhler as a member of the UN High-Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
See also
In Spanish: Horst Köhler para niños
