The European Commission hopes to organise a grand ceremony to remember former German Chancellor and European “visionary” Helmut Kohl, a Commission spokeswoman said on Sunday (18 June).

“Preparations are already underway,” Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker’s spokeswoman Mina Andreeva told AFP. “We are in close contact with the German authorities and his family”.

Such a rare event would be a fitting tribute to Kohl, recognised as one of three men to hold the title of Honorary Citizen of Europe, along with Frenchmen Jean Monnet and Jacques Delors.

EU summit to recognise Delors as one of Europe’s fathers EU leaders meeting for a two-day summit today (25 June), dedicated to the divisive immigration issues and the Greek crisis, will bestow the title of “Honorary Citizen of Europe” on Jacques Delors, for extraordinary work to promote European cooperation.

Kohl, widely regarded as the father of German reunification after the fall of the Berlin Wall and a key player in European integration, died on Friday aged 87.

Helmut Kohl, father of German reunification, dies Former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, the architect of German reunification, died on Friday (16 June), the mass-selling newspaper Bild reported. He was 87.

He helped a Germany that was split during the Cold War between a capitalist west and a communist east make the traumatic transition to a unified democracy.

The towering figure of European contemporary history also worked with France’s François Mitterrand to shape the European project and pushed Germans to part with their cherished Deutschmarks in favour of the single European currency, the euro.

Juncker described Kohl as the “very essence of Europe”.

“Helmut Kohl filled the European house with life – not only because he built bridges to the west as well as to the east, but also because he never ceased to design even better blueprints for the future of Europe,” Juncker said.

“Helmut’s death hurts me deeply. My mentor, my friend, the very essence of Europe, he will be greatly, greatly missed,” he said.

Helmut's death hurts me deeply. My mentor, my friend, the very essence of Europe, he will be greatly, greatly missed https://t.co/ikJFdzK9m0 — Jean-Claude Juncker (@JunckerEU) June 16, 2017

Although no date for the tribute has been announced, it could reportedly take place at the headquarters of the European Parliament in the eastern French city of Strasbourg, near the German border.

I strongly support @JunckerEU's proposal of a European state ceremony for Helmut #Kohl in @Europarl_EN. Right place for a dignified farewell — Manfred Weber (@ManfredWeber) June 18, 2017

Kohl died peacefully in his bed at home in Ludwigshafen, in the southwestern state of Rhineland-Palatinate, said the Bild newspaper, adding that his wife Maike Kohl-Richter was by his side.