Richard von Weizsaecker, German president who helped nation face Nazi past, dies at 85
Von Weizsaecker served as Germany's moral conscience and raised the profile of the position
Richard von Weizsaecker
1920-2015
In the German parliamentary system, the chancellor is the head of government and exercises more authority over the policies of the government than the president does.
But Richard von Weizsaecker, a onetime soldier in Hitler's army broke that mould. Von Weizsaecker, a patrician and eloquent figure who was president from 1984 to 1994, raised the profile of the largely ceremonial presidency and established himself as a moral conscience for the nation.
Von Weizsaecker, who died on Saturday aged 94, became known as the "political president" with a knack for giving stirring speeches that were often shaped by his own history.
"The death of Richard von Weizsaecker is a great loss for Germany," Chancellor Angela Merkel said. "He rendered a great service to our country. We won't forget him."