Berlin's Helmut-Kohl Street stands idle

In a significant move, Berlin's governing mayor, Kai Wegner, announced in November that he would honour former Chancellor Helmut Kohl this year. The proposal to name a street or square after Kohl, who played a key role in the reunification of Germany from 1982 to 1998, has been under discussion for years, but so far without result.

Helmut Kohl, internationally known as the "Chancellor of Unity", was a CDU politician and an honorary citizen of Berlin. His contributions to German politics, particularly his role in the German-German reunification, have earned him widespread respect. However, it is important to note that Kohl is also controversial due to his role in the CDU donation scandal.

The District Office of Mitte, where the Bundestag and Federal Chancellery are located, is considered a suitable location for a street or square named after Kohl. The district already bears the names of former SPD Chancellor Willy Brandt and the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic, Konrad Adenauer (CDU).

Berlin's Senate Chancellery is still discussing the location for a street to be named after former Chancellor Helmut Kohl. The Berlin CDU and SPD have agreed in their coalition agreement to name a street or square after Helmut Kohl. However, the District Assembly in Berlin has not yet received a corresponding initiative, and the District Office of Mitte has not yet been involved in the discussion.

The renaming can only become effective three months later, provided there is no objection. Once a decision is made, the planned renaming must be published in the official gazette. Despite the ongoing discussions, an implementation by October 3rd, the Day of German Unity, is not considered realistic.

As the discussions continue, the city of Berlin is considering honouring a significant figure in its history. The final decision and location for the renaming are yet to be determined, with the responsible districts still in the process of making a decision.