Horst Kohler, the former German president and leader of the International Monetary Fund, dies in 81

Horst Kuller, who became the president of Germany after it was A financial engineer behind the reunification of Germany and the creation after several decades of the euro currencyHe died on Saturday in Berlin. It was 81.

German President’s office, In a statement On behalf of Mr. Koler’s family, he said he died after a short illness.

Although he held the position of Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Mr. Kohler was not a political known in Germany before he became president Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Mr. Koler called for the transformation of Germany into the “land of ideas” that would form its future and work as a power for good on the world stage. He called for the most daring local economic reforms, and a more confident position at the international level. In the admission letter in May 2004“Germany must fight for its place in the twenty -first century,” he said.

But his bold statements, such as the question of whether the unequal standard of living in East and previous Western Germany could be equal, Fracture taboos In the German political establishment and came at a cost.

In 2010, a year after his second term, Mr. Koler Suddenly Amid a barrage of criticism about the statements he made about German soldiers serving in Afghanistan and peacekeeping missions. His comments, which were held during a visit to Afghanistan, were published that the German soldiers were deployed to protect German economic interests, and expelled them from political opponents who were calling for the withdrawal of his country’s forces from Afghanistan.

This was the first time in four decades, as a German president left the position – despite his successor, Christian Wolf, will also resignIn his case on the accusations of improper relations with businessmen after less than two years in office.

Mr. Kuller’s exit from the political scene was a political blow to Mrs. Merkel, his ally and his close friend. The re -election of Mr. Koler, a member of the Christian Democratic Union Party, a year ago It is considered an offer for party solidarity Mrs. Merkel also faced re -election in a broken political place.

Horst Kuller was born on February 22, 1943, in Skirbizo, Poland. The seventh was among eight children, according to his official biography. During World War II, his family fled the Soviet forces, and they settled in a town near Leipzig, Germany. Nine years later, they are Escape after 1953 East Germany uprising, Soviet Control Revolution. They lived in many refugee camps before settling in Ludwigsburg, West Germany.

After completing the school and military service, Mr. Köhler studied the economy at Tübingen University, and graduated in 1969. He went to obtain a doctorate. In the economy of the university in 1977. A year ago, he had started working as a civilian employee in the Ministry of Economy in Bonn, which was then the capital of West Germany.

With Germany struggling with its reunification in the early 1990s, Mr. Köhler occupied a great position in the country’s Ministry of Finance. During that time, it was One of my great negotiators From the 1992 Mastricht Treaty, which established the euro.

From 1993 to 1998, the German Savage Bank Association, an umbrella organization supervised a network of German banks. Then the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which helped Germany and other countries move to an open market at the end of the Cold War. As well advisor To Chancellor Helmut Cole.

Starting May 2000, Mr. Koler She worked for four years as an administrative member of the International Monetary FundHe supported a look at the globalization that was more comprehensive in developing countries.

Still, remain Relatively unknown For the German audience, in 2004 he became president of Germany despite not building a party’s political profession.

After his presidency, on his focus on humanitarian work, through an institution with his wife, Eva Luiz Koler, who focused on development in Africa and climate change.

Mr. Koler survived his wife. Their daughter, Ulrik; Son, Yoshin; And four grandchildren.