BERLIN, Feb 1 – Horst Koehler, a respected former President of Germany and former head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has died at the age of 81 after a short illness. His passing on Saturday was confirmed by the German presidency, stating that he died in Berlin surrounded by family. India Times highlighted President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's tribute, expressing that Germany has “lost a highly esteemed and extremely popular person who achieved great things – for our country and in the world.” Born in 1943 in wartime Poland, Koehler's family spent years in refugee camps before settling in Ludwigsburg, Baden-Wuerttemberg. A trained economist, he notably held significant positions within Germany's civil service, including as deputy finance minister under former Chancellor Helmut Kohl, and made pivotal contributions to Germany's economic reunification in the early 1990s. Koehler was elected President in 2004, becoming the first individual to hold the position without a traditional political background. Initially “virtually unknown” prior to his presidency, he gained popularity as he advocated for Germany to be a “land of ideas” and was a forthright critic of excessive executive pay and financial markets. His presidency was also marked by a strong interest in Africa, where he frequently emphasized its importance for global development and visited multiple times. Alongside these efforts, he was the UN's envoy to Western Sahara from 2017 to 2019, working towards resolving the ongoing conflict in the region. However, his presidency was not without controversy. In 2010, Koehler resigned following backlash over comments he made that linked military deployments with protecting economic interests abroad. Despite this, his legacy remains impactful; as noted by former Chancellor Angela Merkel, he served Germany with “cheerful, optimistic and fearless” dedication. The tributes from global leaders, including a post from Chancellor Olaf Scholz honoring Koehler as a “committed politician”, reflect his significant contributions to both German society and international development. For further details, read the full articles from Reuters, Le Monde, and India Times.