The former communist east. The current chancellor, angela merkel, has led the tributes, describing him as a great german and a Great European. The bbcs paul adams looks back at his life. As the cold war ended, helmut kohl seemed to tower, quite literally, over everyone and everything around him. As a child, he witnessed the destruction of his country. World war ii inspiring his lifelong desire to unify germany and europe. He rose through the ranks of the christian democratic union, becoming chancellor in 1982. His provincial manners were frequently mocked but he was tough and he knew how to wield power, and when history came calling, he was ready. The fall of the berlin wall, a moment of euphoria and, for helmut kohl, a chance to put his fractured country back together. But unity did not stop there. With frances president francois mitterrand, he pursued his other big idea the new European Union and its own currency, the euro. He didnt always agree with his political protege and his car
Welcome to the Gold List 2024, our annual list of editors’ favorite hotels, resorts, and more. Here, our picks for the top hotels and resorts in the world.