Former High Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina and long-time German politician Christian Schwarz-Schilling has died at the age of 96.
Born in Innsbruck in 1930, Schwarz-Schilling built his political career in the ranks of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU). During his decades-long engagement, he was a member of the Bundestag, where he gained a reputation as a politician who dealt with telecommunications issues, as well as international relations. He served as Federal Minister of Post and Telecommunications in Helmut Kohl’s government from 1982 to 1992.
He was appointed High Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2006, succeeding Paddy Ashdown. His mandate lasted until 2007 and was marked by a different approach compared to his predecessors. In contrast to the previous practice of imposing decisions, Schwarz-Schilling advocated greater responsibility for domestic political actors and a reduction in interventionism by the Office of the High Representative.
During his mandate, he often emphasized that political leaders in BiH must take responsibility for the reform processes and the country’s European path.
