Wolfgang Schaeuble, a prominent figure in German politics for several decades and a renowned advocate of budgetary discipline in the eurozone, passed away at the age of 81, as announced by the German parliament on Wednesday.
Schaeuble, who served as a minister under Chancellors Helmut Kohl and Angela Merkel and played a pivotal role in the German reunification of 1990, peacefully departed during the night, according to the Bild daily.
Current Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed deep sorrow, stating that Schaeuble had "shaped our country for more than half a century." Scholz shared his condolences on X, formerly Twitter, describing Schaeuble as a "sharp thinker, passionate politician, and pugnacious democrat."
Merkel, in a statement released by her office, paid tribute to Schaeuble, acknowledging him as "an outstanding personality" who significantly influenced the country.
During his tenure as finance minister under Merkel, Schaeuble earned a reputation as a steadfast guardian of Germany's budgetary discipline, particularly in the context of the Greek debt crisis. His resolute approach and insistence on stringent conditions for bailout contributions by Berlin drew both praise and criticism.
Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, who clashed with Schaeuble during the crisis, criticized him for contributing to "the impoverishment of Greece" and suggested that history would judge him harshly.
Born in Freiburg in 1942, Schaeuble was the longest-serving member of the Bundestag, where he had served since 1972. His political career flourished under conservative leader Kohl, with whom he oversaw Germany's national reunification. However, tragedy struck when Schaeuble survived an assassination attempt in 1990, leaving him severely injured and reliant on a wheelchair.
Schaeuble's commitment to Europe and his intellectual rigor were acknowledged by Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank, who hailed him as "one of the most influential European leaders of his generation."
Despite criticism and controversy throughout his career, Schaeuble remained a dedicated public servant, serving as president of the Bundestag from 2017 to 2021. He continued his parliamentary service until his passing, battling cancer in recent years. In a candid interview with Der Spiegel magazine, Schaeuble reflected on his life, expressing excitement about observing its conclusion and acknowledging a sense of loneliness as many of his peers were no longer present.
