Helmut Kohl

No other German politician has been as notoriously underestimated as Helmut Kohl. His rhetorical skills were limited, he did not stand out as an intellectual, and his provincial demeanor embarrassed many Germans when the "Oggersheimer" stepped onto the world stage in 1982 in a cheerful mood. However, while Kohl initially attracted mockery and scorn, he quickly taught his opponents a lesson and won four consecutive federal elections. No other Chancellor of the Federal Republic has governed longer than he did, and as the "Chancellor of Unity" and a great European, his place in history books is secure. But what was the secret of Kohl, whom so many felt superior to and then lost to? Sharp-witted and lucid, while also unyielding in critical analysis, Patrick Bahners delves into the phenomenon of Kohl and finds an answer.