Biography

François Mitterrand:

• Born on 26th October 1916 in Jarnac (Département Charrante).
• Studied Sociology and French Literature in Paris.
• In 1939 he was conscripted for military service, became a prisoner of war in 1940 in Germany, but was able to flee from the prisoner of war camp in 1941 and later joined the resistance movement.
• In 1946 he became a Member of the National Assembly. From 1947 to 1958 he held various ministerial positions (amongst others 1954 Interior Minister, 1956 Minister of Justice). In 1959 he was elected Mayor of Château–Chinon. He was elected first Socialist President in 1981.
• Died on 8th January 1996.

Helmut Kohl:

• Born on 3th April 1930 in Ludwigshafen.
• From 1950 he studied History, Law and Political Science at the universities of Frankfurt am Main and Heidelberg; doctorate in History (1958).
• 1959–1979 elected into the Landtag of Rhineland–Palatinate for the CDU. In 1963 chairman of his party group, in 1966 leader of the CDU party, in 1969 Minister President of his Bundesland. In 1973 elected as leader of the CDU party (till 1998). 1982–1998 German Chancellor.
• Kohl was named Honorary Citizen of Europe by the European Union on 11th December 1998, previously only bestowed to Jean Monnet.
• Died on 16th June 2017.