In memoriam Helmut Kohl

On the occasion of the death of former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, the President of the International Pan-European Union, Alain Terrenoire, sent a general message to the Pan-European membership and the public.

In the message, he pointed out that "with the death of Helmut Kohl, we lose the greatest German politician of the 20th century. Beside Konrad Adenauer, he was the greatest German Chancellor after Bismarck, although not a chancellor of war as the latter, but a chancellor of peace".

"'Helmut Kohl was a stroke of luck for us Germans', Angela Merkel said yesterday. However, he was a stroke of luck also for all the Europeans. Kohl accomplished in 1989-1990 simultaneously the unification of Germany and the unification of Europe. This was done in accordance with the spirit of Pan-Europe because 'Pan-Europe' means 'the whole Europe'. We must underline this the day after the sad news of his death reaches us. The one who set an example for us, the Archduke and Member of the European Parliament Otto von Habsburg had defended for many years in the European Parliament the interests of Central and Eastern European countries under the Soviet yoke until Helmut Kohl decisively contributed to their liberation."

Alain Terrenoire on the Occasion of the Death of Helmut Kohl (EN) (PDF)