Former German chancellor Helmut Kohl was one of the favorites for this year's Nobel Peace Prize, a news report said early Thursday ahead of the announcement scheduled for the following day, DPA reported.
The 81-year-old conservative politician, who was head of the Federal Republic of German, or West Germany from 1982 to 1990 and one of the driving forces behind German reunification in 1990, has been nominated for the prize several times.
This may be the lucky year for Kohl, who went on to lead a reunited Germany until 1998, according to Norwegian television broadcaster NRK.
He was being considered for the prize on the strength of his contribution to a peaceful reconciliation of a divided Germany, and to the wider dismantling of the Iron Curtain across Europe.
The last German to win the Nobel Peace Prize was then-chancellor Willy Brandt in 1971, who was also lauded for his efforts in reaching out to the eastern neighbours of the federal republic.
Other favorites for this year's prize are human rights activists from China, Russia and Afghanistan. US President Barack Obama won last year's prize.