Horst Koehler, the former German president who held office from 2004 to 2010 and was recognized as a prominent global policymaker with a specific focus on Africa, passed away on Saturday at the age of 81 after a brief illness, as announced by the federal presidential office in Berlin.
Born in 1943 in German-occupied Poland, Koehler spent his early years in refugee camps with his family before settling in Ludwigsburg, Baden-Wuerttemberg.
Trained as an economist and affiliated with the Christian Democrats, Koehler advanced to the position of deputy finance minister under former Chancellor Helmut Kohl, where he played a pivotal role in the introduction of the West German mark to East Germany following the collapse of communist rule in 1990.
Taking on the role of managing director of the International Monetary Fund in 2000, a role he held for four years before being nominated for the presidency in 2004.
During his presidency, he demonstrated independence by dissolving parliament in 2005 to call for new elections and criticizing then-Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2007 for alleged insufficient preparation for globalization.
Although he resigned midway through his second term after facing backlash for claiming in a radio interview that foreign military engagements by the German army served the country's economic interests, he swiftly gained popularity in opinion polls, despite his initial obscurity before assuming the presidency.
Reflecting on Koehler's legacy, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier remarked, "It was his belief in the strength of our country and in the energy and creativity of its people that allowed him to win so many hearts."