Wolfgang Schaeuble

"I can now observe my life as it comes to an end. I find it exciting to observe myself," Wolfgang Schaeuble, Germany's former finance minister, said in one of the last interviews he gave before his death on Tuesday. "Yes, I feel lonely," he told Der Spiegel magazine a month ago.

Wolfgang Schaeuble was an emblem in German politics, one of the pioneers of European integration, a catalyst in the unification of the two Germanies - he probably made it happen on the economic front - and, of course, one of Europe's longest-serving MPs, having served in the Bundestag for more than 50 years.

One of the key figures of the 2009-2018 Greek debt crisis, Germany's former finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, died on Tuesday. It is a development that appears almost symbolic in this country, as the deep wounds inflicted on its economy during that period, leading to a loss of a quarter of its output, have gradually started to heal.

Wolfgang Schaeuble, who helped negotiate German reunification in 1990 and as finance minister was a central figure in the austerity-heavy effort to drag Europe out of its debt crisis more than two decades later, has died. He was 81.

Schaeuble died at home on Tuesday evening, his family told German news agency dpa on Wednesday.

In a reflection of a new era of cooperation, President Katerina Sakellaropoulou began a three-day visit to Germany on Wednesday.

The visit is taking place amid mutual trust after a decade of bilateral friction over the debt crisis, the migration issue and the German government's stance of equal distances with regard to tension between Greece and Turkey.

World-renowned conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim said on Jan. 6 he was stepping down as general musical director of Berlin's State Opera due to deteriorating health, marking the end of an era at the fabled institution.

Angela Merkel took another step towards resigning from politics today after receiving an official document for her dismissal from the post of chancellor, where she spent 16 years, the Associated Press reported.

Merkel attended today the first session of the new German parliament, but sat in the gallery for VIP guests. Merkel was elected to the Bundestag 31 years ago.

Outgoing European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi says that he was never part of the camp that wanted "to let Greece go" from the eurozone during the deadlock between lenders and the then recently elected SYRIZA party in 2015.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias is visiting Berlin on Monday, where he will be holding talks with German counterpart Heiko Maas and Bundestag President Wolfgang Schaeuble.

As the International Monetary Fund prepares to choose a new managing director to replace Christine Lagarde, who is to leave the post in the coming months, CNBC has reported that former Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos is among the candidates in the running for the job.