Farewell to Vogel

FRIENDS and family were joined by German political figures yesterday to mourn the death of Hans-Jochen Vogel, a former leader of the Social Democrats (SPD).

SPD co-leader Norbert WalterBorjans praised Vogel as a “real great of social democracy”. “His life was fully dedicated to serving people.”

Vogel, who led the SPD from 1987 to 1991, overseeing a time of great change for the country and his party following reunification in 1990, is to be buried on Friday. He died in Munich on Sunday at the age of 94.