Berlin, April 1 (IANS) Former German foreign minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher on Friday died at the age of 89, his office said.
Genscher, the long-time German foreign minister and leader of the country's Free Democratic Party (FDP), died of cardiovascular failure, Xinhua cited Genscher's office in Bonn as saying.
His workplace had recently told the media that Genscher, who born on March 21, 1927, was mainly bedridden because of health factors.
After years of political experience as FDP member, Genscher was appointed the interior minister by Chancellor Willy Brandt, whose Social Democratic Party (SPD) was in coalition with the FDP, in 1969 and held the role till 1974.
He served as foreign minister and simultaneously held the vice chancellorship from 1974 to 1992.
Genscher withdrew from an active politics in 1992 for health reasons. Having finished his political career, he remained active as a lawyer and in international organisations.
