Helmut Kohl from the province to the world stage

He was an international politician, but with roots firmly in his home region of Rheinland-Pfalz. Helmut Kohl’s relationship with his province played a vital role in shaping his political career and his historical legacy. But it wasn’t always easy: pilloried for his provincialism, Kohl had to prove his mettle on the world stage. And he did so with aplomb, hosting world leaders at his cherished Deidesheimer Hof hotel and introducing them to local fare that disarmed their fears about a unified Germany.

But Kohl didn’t see a future Europe as an abstract bureaucracy. For him, a united Europe meant a community of regions. And while his political vision secured him a place in history, his personal life was fraught with problems. With his burial in Speyer’s cathedral, Kohl returned home for the final time. In this documentary, we travel to Rheinland-Pfalz to untangle the threads of Kohl’s legacy and find out how the province helped shape the man.