Dr. Christian Schwarz-Schilling served as High Representative and EU Special Representative from January 2006 to July 2007. Yet his bond with Bosnia and Herzegovina began long before his official role and remained unwavering throughout his life, until his passing on 06 April 2026.
At a time when Bosnia and Herzegovina faced its darkest chapter, Dr. Schwarz-Schilling chose not to remain a distant observer. Guided by a deep sense of moral responsibility and humanity, he became personally and actively engaged in efforts to ease suffering and bring people together. Through his work as a mediator – later formalized within the framework of the Washington Agreement in 1994 – he dedicated years of his life to seeking dialogue where there was division, and hope where there was despair.
As High Representative and EU Special Representative, he approached his mission not merely as a political duty, but as a profoundly human one. He believed in Bosnia and Herzegovina – its people, its resilience, and its future. He worked tirelessly to rebuild trust among communities, convinced that reconciliation is not only necessary, but possible. For him, reconciliation was not an abstract goal, but a lived commitment to ensuring that future generations could live in peace.
His role in enacting the Law on the Center for the Srebrenica – Potočari Memorial and Cemetery for the Victims of the 1995 Genocide, remains one of the clearest expressions of that commitment. It stands as a place of remembrance, dignity, and truth – values he deeply cherished and defended without hesitation.
“Dr. Schwarz-Schilling’s legacy is not only found in the institutions he helped shape, but in the lives he touched and the hope he carried for this country. He believed that Bosnia and Herzegovina could rise above its past and build a future defined by coexistence, respect, and shared purpose.
We will remember Dr. Christian Schwarz-Schilling as a courageous diplomat, a humanist, and a kind and compassionate individual with a strong sense of justice. I am certain that Bosnia and Herzegovina will remember him as one of its truest friends and supporters,” said High Representative Christian Schmidt.