Former German chancellor feels 'well, considering the circumstances'

Former German chancellor Helmut Kohl attends an unveiling ceremony of a bust of German artist Kaethe Kollwitz in Berlin, in this file picture taken June 26, 2013. Kohl, the architect of German reunification, is in intensive care at a clinic in Heidelberg after surgery on his intestine, a magazine reported on June 2, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

BERLIN - Former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl,85, is reportedly feeling "well considering the circumstances" after hip surgery, German media said on Tuesday, citing sources from his office here.

Kohl underwent hip surgery in early May and came out of the surgery in good shape and was scheduled to soon begin rehabilitation, the sources said.

However, earlier on Tuesday, German weekly magazine Bunte reported that Kohl was staying in the intensive care unit at the University Hospital after a bowel resection surgery.

Based on information from persons close to the former German chancellor, Bunte said, the 85-year-old has been unconscious post operation.

However, the Heidelberg University Hospital where Kohl was treated said it would neither confirm nor deny the report due to its data protection policies, said a spokesman to Xinhua.

In 2008, Kohl suffered a concussion after a fall down the stairs. He had to be operated on at the time. Since then, he has been in a wheelchair.