Horst Koehler, Germany’s former president who served from 2004 to 2010, has died.
Koehler died on Saturday, aged 81, following a brief illness, according to presidential officials.
“Koehler died early this morning in Berlin after a brief, serious illness, surrounded by his family,” the German president said in a statement.
Prior to his stint as German president, he held a number of notable international roles, including Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 2000 to 2004.
He resigned as Germany’s president in 2010 due to controversy over remarks he made concerning the country’s military engagements.
The former German leader was born on February 22, 1943, in Skierbieszów, Nazi-occupied Poland.
His family was of German heritage, and they later moved to Leipzig, East Germany, before fleeing to West Germany in 1953.
He grew up in Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg. In 1977, he received his doctorate in economics from the University of Tübingen, where he also studied political science.
