BONN, JANUARY 5: For the first time in German history, a former chancellor has become the subject of a criminal investigation for his handling of illegal cash donations to a political party headed by him. Helmut Kohl, who ruled Germany for 16 years, was defeated at the 1998 general election. Celebrated as `The Chancellor of Unification', for merging the former Communist Germany Democratic Republic (GDR) and West Germany ten years ago, Kohl has admitted receiving more than one million dollars in improper contributions while in power.Under German law, parties must name all supporters who make contributions of more than 10,000 US dollars. In a recent television interview, Kohl said the money was used to support his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in the former GDR.
