Mysterious case – where are the files of Helmut Kohl’s government?

For example, the originals of 70 documents that historians from the Institute of Contemporary History copied during Kohl’s lifetime at his private home in Oggersheim in Rhineland-Palatinate between 2012 and 2014 were missing, the magazine reported Friday ahead of the new issue.

Files officially belong in the federal archives
The selection includes, among other things, the note on Kohl’s meeting with French President François Mitterrand on 16 May 1983 or Kohl’s correspondence with ministers, such as Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher (FDP). At that time, the scientists were traveling on behalf of the State Department, the “Spiegel” reported. The files officially belong to the federal archives, but have not been turned over by either Kohl or his widow Maike Kohl-Richter, as the “Spiegel” reported, citing the archive’s president Michael Hollmann.

Widow doesn’t want to know about documents
In proceedings before the federal administrative court on Wednesday, the chancery said it was not aware of any official documents held by third parties. According to the report, Kohl’s widow said she had no such records.

The lawsuit was brought by a freelance journalist who requested access to the files at the Federal Chancellery and was eventually allowed to see 45 documents. In court, she wanted to make sure she was allowed to see any documents Kohl-Richter might have. But she failed.