Horst Köhler, who served as Germany’s president from 2004 to 2010, has died at the age of 81.
His death was confirmed by the German presidency, which stated he passed away today after a brief illness.
Köhler died early in the morning in Berlin, surrounded by his family, according to the statement.
Before his presidency, Köhler had an influential international career, including serving as the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 2000 to 2004.
Born on February 22, 1943, in Skierbieszów, Poland, then under Nazi occupation, Köhler’s family moved to East Germany before fleeing to West Germany in 1953. He grew up in Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, and went on to earn a doctorate in economics from the University of Tübingen in 1977.
