Former German President Horst Köhler passed away early Saturday at the age of 81 after a brief illness, the presidential office in Berlin announced.
Köhler was elected as Germany’s federal president on May 23, 2004, and secured re-election for a second term five years later. However, he resigned unexpectedly on May 31, 2010.
In a condolence message to his widow, Eva Luise Köhler, current German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier paid tribute to Köhler, describing him as a “stroke of luck for our country.” Steinmeier wrote, “We can only be profoundly grateful to have had Horst Köhler as the ninth president of the Federal Republic of Germany. He gave so much to this nation.”
Beyond his presidency, Köhler also served as the United Nations envoy for Western Sahara before stepping down due to health reasons, according to the UN.
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