In death as in life, Helmut Kohl was a European giant. Having witnessed the destruction of Germany during World War II, Kohl made it his political mission to bring Europe together to avoid any future military conflicts on the continent. The father of the reunification of Germany and a major contributor to European unity, Kohl was finally farewelled on a scale never seen before.
Kohl is the first leader to be honoured with a European memorial service
He made world history when he became the first Chancellor of a united Germany in 1990. As the leader of the Christian-Democrats, Kohl did not only work towards uniting his fatherland, but also towards bringing Europeans closer.
His funeral has made history too, as it is the first time that the European Union has held such a ceremony - similar to a state funeral, such as those held for members of Europe's royal families.
Yet another historic moment of Kohl's career was the commemoration service for German and French war victims in the 1980s when Kohl reached out to then-President Francois Mitterand. When the two leaders of former rival nations held hands, the whole European community came closer, paving the way for the EU integration process of the 1990s and 2000s.
A German national flag and European Union flag fly at half mast after the announcement of the death of the former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl Source: AAP
At the European Parliament in Strasbourg, where the first ceremony for Kohl was held, the new French President Emmanuel Macron made a promise to renew the Franco-German friendship in the spirit of Kohl.
"The European spirit must not abandon us," Macron said, calling it "Kohl's message."
Leaders from the United States, Russia and across Europe have paid tribute to former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl who wanted a European Germany and not a German Europe.
Soldiers carry the coffin of Helmut Kohl at the European Parliament. Source: EPA
"Goodbye old friend" is what former US President Bill Clinton said when he farewelled Kohl in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. His full speech has gained a lot of attention on Youtube where it has been widely shared on social media.
Mr Clinton said "Helmut Kohl gave us the chance to be involved in something bigger than ourselves."
Widow of Helmut Kohl, Maike Kohl-Richter, former US President Bill Clinton, President of EU Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and German chancellor Angela Merkel Source: AAP
"Bigger than our terms of office. Bigger than our fleeting careers.
"Because all of us, sooner or later, will be in a coffin like that and the only gift we can leave behind is a better future for our children, and the freedom to make their own choices - including their own mistakes.
"I loved him."
The two statesmen developed close ties during the mid-1990s when Clinton first became President. Watch the full speech below:
Clinton said, "Politics in the end is not about great waves of domination but about the possibilities of ordinary life for the largest number of people.
"The richest person in the world will one day lie in a coffin. The most powerful person, whether you kill or preserve life - we’re all going home."
European Chief-Commissioner Jean-Claude Juncker, who worked alongside Kohl when he was still Chancellor, described him as a "continental monument". Juncker was also the one who initiated the EU memorial on a grand scale.
Tributes laid in Kohl's hometown of Oggersheim Source: Immanuel Giel / Wikimedia
“Helmut Kohl was a German patriot, but he was also a European patriot”
European Chief-Commissioner Jean-Claude Juncker
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is normally known for her rather cautious style of conversation, found some very personal words for her mentor who died last month, aged 87.
Merkel, who was born in East Germany behind the Iron Curtain, thanked Kohl for his work that changed the lives of millions of people and she also paid tribute to Kohl for giving her personally the opportunities that made her the woman she is today.
The funeral was overshadowed by a family feud between Kohl and his two sons who only found out about their father's death through the media. The families have not been on talking terms with Kohl and his new wife Maike Kohl-Richter for years.
Kohl's political downfall followed a controversial illegal party funding scandal that eventually led to the rise of Angela Merkel. Kohl stood by his word and never revealed the secret donours to his party.
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