Prime Minister Kohl of Germany
Zip Dobyns
As our readers know, I love to get birth data for politicians and gurus. Helmut Kohl is an important figure in current European affairs, having to handle the protests of his anti-nuclear citizens against the United States nuclear missiles now based in West Germany. There is an active pacifist movement building up in Germany, as in many other European countries. They have no desire to be the battleground for a struggle between the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R.
Though his country is in better financial shape than most, they are still feeling the pressure of the recession of the early 1980s. They are competing commercially with Japan for the world markets in cars, cameras, etc. German banks, like many in the U.S., have loaned large sums to Latin American countries and also to Eastern Europe. Unlike the U.S. banks, they have been prudent enough to set aside large sums to cover probable losses on those loans.
Ecology is also increasingly important as a political issue, in light of massive damage to German forests in recent years. They are currently leading the effort to determine scientifically whether “acid rain” from factory and auto emissions is responsible for the damage.
They continue to quietly pay what amounts to ransom money to buy the freedom of many East Germans, so that they will be permitted to emigrate to West Germany. East Germany is still firmly under the control of Russia, but the industry of its people and some help from West Germany have steadily improved its situation. The inauguration of Gorbachev in the U.S.S.R. has brought both hope of a better relationship with Russia and at the same time, fear that behind a suave front, Gorbachev may be as ruthless and more likely to take action than were the series of old and ill men he replaced.
Turning to the horoscope of Kohl, he has a classic key to executive power with both natal and progressed Saturn conjunct his MC. He also has a loaded twelfth house, fitting the Gauquelin research and contrary to traditional astrology’s negative treatment of that part of the chart. The Aries emphasis points to high drive, energy, courage, and initiative. Uranus conjunct the Sun, Mercury, Antivertex and East Point indicates a quick, sharp mind with the capacity for real originality. Venus on the Ascendant can denote charm, while the first house Taurus (along with the Saturn) represents the staying power of earth. The Gemini Moon, Jupiter and Ceres are additional keys to intelligence, versatility, and ability to deal with people. Empathy and idealism are shown by the Mars in double Pisces (sign and house), and its trine to Pluto in Cancer in the fourth house adds to the intuitive potential. Neptune in the sixth house connects his work to ideals and Vesta in the fifth house connects it to power. I often find a prominent Pallas in the charts of politicians, and Kohl has it in a Gauquelin “power zone”, within ten degrees of the Ascendant in the first house.
In general, the horoscope points to a very strong but also idealistic person who could be a power in the world. There is enough fire and earth to mark a “steamroller,” but also a lot of water for sensitivity. Air is the weakest element but the Gemini Moon and the first house Taurus should help him to relax now and then. Still, the rising Chiron adds to the identification with the Absolute, along with Aries and Mars in the twelfth house. With a steamroller potential and a nine or twelve identification, we do have to guard against overreach.
So far the chart seems appropriate for a person in a leadership role, dealing with economic, ecological, and military issues. But when I put some of the new asteroids in the chart, I experienced the usual amazement at their relevance. During this moment in time, the years in which Kohl has overseen the installation of U.S. nuclear missiles in West Germany and has witnessed the installation of U.S.S.R. nuclear missiles in East Germany, progressed Russia, progressed America, and progressed Mars have been conjunct Kohl’s natal Ascendant, all within a one degree orb. Does anyone in astrology still believe in coincidence? Russia and the U.S. face each other in the divided parts of Germany, each trying to outbluff the other.
And that is only the beginning. Dembowska (like another Saturn) and Winchester (so far associated with guns though potentially a key to religion and/or education) are conjunct each other in opposition to Kohl’s natal Moon and square his natal Neptune. Progressed Neptune maintains the T- square for all of his life; a mixture of fixed and mutable signs and houses connected to the use of power and ethical issues. Progressed Dembowska and Winchester have remained together and they are now conjunct Kohl’s progressed Vertex, bringing the power confrontation issue into current sharp focus.
Kohl also has progressed Industria conjunct his natal Ascendant along with Mars, Russia, and America. Germans are noted for their industrious habits, but in recent years the labor unions of Germany have been fighting for a shorter, 35 hour, work week. As a clue to the commercial rivalry with Japan, natal Nipponia is conjunct Kohl’s natal MC and Saturn as well as his progressed Saturn.
Argentina has had strong ties with Germany in the past, and my impression is that it is the Latin American country with the largest German debt. It is interesting that the asteroid “Argentina” is progressing over Kohl’s Descendant for a period of some years. For whatever it is worth, progressed Rockefellia is slowly moving over natal Vesta with a square to the progressed nodes of the Moon. Progressed Washingtonia is also conjunct Vesta and progressed Rockefellia. Sometimes you wonder what the bankers and politicians are up to, and what effect it will have on the workers of the world?
It is possible to get so caught up in the new asteroids that we neglect the traditional factors, but they are clearly pointing to this period as an important one in Kohl’s life. As Gorbachev came to power in Russia, Kohl had a new lunation cycle begin, with progressed Sun and Moon at six Gemini trine progressed Juno in Aquarius and progressed Moskva (Moscow) in seven Libra. The combination seems to offer hope of improved relations between West Germany and Russia. Progressed Mercury is retrograde, moving back to conjunct the progressed Antivertex, which would also fit new communication and understanding. Progressed Ceres is just coming to the fourth house cusp for developments possibly involving the homeland and its plants and animals as well as its workers. Of course, its coming opposition to Saturn and the MC might just mean a change of job or home for Kohl.
Other hopeful aspects involving the new asteroids include Ra-Shalom (named for the Camp David peace developments) coming to natal Jupiter in less than a year, and Panacea and Pax (Latin word for peace) progressing over Neptune. Unfortunately, we have to remember that Neptune stays in a T-square, but it is also sextile-trine the progressed lunar nodes. A little farther ahead, progressed Jupiter and America (the latter is retrograde) will reach a sextile. Maybe Kohl’s judgment can help our militant politicians calm down.
There is always so much more that might be said, but time and space set limits on the inquisitive mind.