Memorial, funeral held for former German leader Kohl

A funeral service was held for the former German chancellor, Helmut Kohl in the German city of Speyer on Saturday.

A number of leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron, former US President Bill Clinton, and the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker spoke at an earlier memorial service at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

Juncker said Kohl's legacy in Europe was enormous. After the memorial event in Strasbourg, Kohl's body was flown to Speyer, where it will be buried in a private ceremony at a cemetery in the city.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev speaks at a memorial ceremony for former German chancellor Helmut Kohl at the European Parliament on July 1, 2017 in Strasbourg, France./VCG Photo

Kohl passed away on June 16 at the age of 87. He was regarded as the architect of the German reunification and a driving force for European integration.

More than 800 dignitaries attended the memorial service in Strasbourg, including UK Prime Minister Theresa May, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.