Trivia

Has his look-alike puppet in the French show Les Guignols de l'info (1988).

He and wife Doris adopted a 3-year-old girl named Viktoria from Russia (2004).

Adopted his wife Doris' daughter Klara (born 1991) when he married her.

Was brought up by his mother Erika after his father Fritz had been killed in action in World War II in Romania on 4 October 1944.

German chancellor from 27 October 1998 to 22 November 2005.

Politician (Federal Republic of Germany).

Minister President of the West German Federal State Lower Saxony (1990-1998).

Half-brother of Lothar Vosseler.

After stepping down as chancellor, he accepted a post as the head of the shareholder's committee in a Russian-led consortium, controlled by the gas company Gazprom, which is building a pipeline from Russia to Germany. Thus, he was heavily criticized because he signed the agreement during the final weeks in office and he is a close personal friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

His autobiography "Entscheidungen" was published in October 2006.

Only German chancellor to be born in a village.

Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, SPD (1999-2004).

Chairman of Lower Saxonian SDPD (1994-1998).