Kohl served as the sixth Chancellor in 1982-1998, being the longest serving German chancellor since Otto von Bismarck.
In October 1982, Kohl as leader of the CDU became Chancellor in the coalition government formed by the CDU and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) of Germany In 1987, the CDU-FDP coalition gained the majority of votes, and Kohl again became chancellor.
In 1973, Kohl was named federal chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). From 1976 to 2002 he was a member of the Bundestag (the German Parliament), the leader of the Christian Democratic Party/the Christian Social Union faction in the Bundestag.
Helmut Kohl is the author of several books on German history. He was awarded with German and foreign orders.
Kohl is survived by two children.