in Memoriam Helmut Eschrig

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Der Vorstand des IFW Dresden  im Namen aller Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter

 Mit Helmut Eschrig verlieren wir einen Menschen, dem wir - die Kollegen und Mitarbeiter des IFW Dresden - die allergrößte Hochachtung und tiefe Dankbarkeit entgegenbringen. Er wird uns als herzlicher, integrer Mensch und unbestechlicher Charakter in Erinnerung bleiben.

Helmut Eschrig wurde 1942 in Thierfeld in Sachsen geboren. Er studierte Physik an der TU Dresden, wo er 1972 promovierte. Seit 1975 war er als wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter am Zentralinstitut für Festkörperphysik und Werkstoffforschung Dresden, dem Vorgängerinstitut des IFW tätig. Helmut Eschrig war ein international renommierter Physiker und als führender Experte auf seinem Gebiet weltweit anerkannt.

Nach der Wende war Helmut Eschrig maßgeblich an der Umgestaltung des Fachbereichs Physik der TU Dresden beteiligt. 1992 erhielt er den Ruf auf die Professur für Festkörperphysik an der TU Dresden und war Gründungsdirektor des IFW. Er hatte bereits im Vorgängerinstitut für ein neues Zukunftskonzept geworben, von dem vieles in die Gründung des IFW eingeflossen ist. Von 1992–1998 leitete er die Max-Planck-Arbeitsgruppe „Theorie komplexer und korrelierter Elektronensysteme“ an der TU Dresden. In dieser Zeit setzte er sich aktiv für die Ansiedlung der beiden physikalischen Max-Planck-Institute in Dresden ein. Von 1998 - 2008 war er Wissenschaftlicher Direktor des IFW Dresden und seit 2004 gleichzeitig Direktor des Instituts für Theoretische Festkörperphysik im IFW.

Wir trauern um einen Menschen, der sich immer für das Wohl des Instituts und für Belange seiner Mitarbeiter eingesetzt hat und werden sein Andenken bewahren. Unsere herzliche Anteilnahme gilt seiner Frau, seinen Kindern und seinen Enkeln.

Marek Ulbrich im Namen des Betriebsrates

Mit tiefer Trauer erfüllt uns die Nachricht vom Tod unseres ehemaligen wissenschaftlichen Direktors. Wir verlieren einen Menschen, der sich mit dem IFW und seiner Arbeit persönlich identifizierte und das Institut zu weltweiter Anerkennung geführt hat. Seine Kollegialität, sein Engagement, und seine Einfühlsamkeit, mit der er den Belangen der Mitarbeiter gegenüber stand, brachten ihm uneingeschränkten Respekt und eine besondere Wertschätzung bei uns allen ein. Wir werden ihm ein ehrendes Andenken bewahren. Unser tiefes Mitgefühl gilt seiner Familie.

Prof. Reiner Kirchheim, Vorsitzender des Wissenschaftlichen Beirats

Als Vorsitzender des Wissenschaftlichen Beirates des IFW-Dresden möchte ich im Namen aller Mitglieder dieses Beirates seiner Frau, seinen Kindern und Enkelkindern mein herzliches Beileid aussprechen.

In all den Jahren, in denen ich mit Helmut Eschrig beruflich verbunden war, habe ich ihn nicht nur als herausragenden Physiker kennen sondern auch als integre, verlässliche und einfühlsame Persönlichkeit schätzen gelernt. Während seiner Amtszeit als Wissenschaftlicher Direktor hat er das IFW zu einem weltweit bedeutenden Institut der Festkörper- und Werkstoffforschung ausgebaut. Als Mitglieder des Wissenschaftlichen Beirates haben wir es als Privileg empfunden, die jährlich vorgetragenen Ergebnisse seines Institutes in Augenschein nehmen zu dürfen.

Persönlich werde ich Helmut Eschrig immer ein ehrendes Andenken bewahren!

Prof. Xavier Obradors, Director of the Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona, Spain

I have received with great concern the news that Prof. Helmut Eschrig passed away just a few days ago. I really appreciated a lot having the opportunity of be in contact with him during the years that he was Director of the Institute. He was a great man with a strong appreciation for life. I will keep him in my mind!

Samed Halilov, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA

My deepest sympathies in time of sorrow. Helmut Eschrig has gone  and yet abides with us in our memories as potent and present as it always was the case. May Lord give him eternal rest and may his soul rest in peace.

Dr. Roman Kuzian, Institute for Problems of Materials Science NASU

First, I would like to express my deepest condolences to family, friends and colleagues of Helmut Eschrig. Since our first meeting in 1983, I have always had great respect for him and the friendliest feelings. I have learned from him a lot of things on physics, philosophy and life.

Helmut Eschrig was recognized as a great scientist both in the West and in the former Soviet bloc. This allowed to him to make a bridge between the two Worlds. In the nineties, he could explain to the West, the value of the achievements of Soviet physics. The collaboration with his Max-Plank group, later with IFW Dresden was really a lifebuoy for many Soviet scientific schools, which could otherwise disappear in the waves of the crisis caused by the disintegration of the Soviet Union.

In the Christian tradition, death is called the Assumption. Believing in the future resurrection of the dead, we still feel the pain of separation. The memory of this remarkable man will live forever in my heart.

Prof. Alexander Moskvin, Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg

Dear colleagues, my deepest condolences with regard to the passing of Helmut Eschrig. His valued contribution to the condensed matter theory is well known in Russia. He was a versatile person with interests in various fields. It is loss both for you and for all our community.

We took the tragic news of the death of our colleague and friend Professor Helmut Eschrig with a deep sorrow. We collaborated with him for a long period, starting from the time of the GDR. Later, we had a pleasure of converse with Helmut when he became director of IFW-Dresden. Unfortunately now, we only have to remember this remarkable man. We express our sincere condolence to Helmut relatives.

Prof. Dr. Dieter Bimberg, Center of NanoPhotonics Berlin

For 20 years, after the German reunion, we were close to each other in reorganizing science in East Germany, in particular at TU Dresden, when we were sitting next to each other in appointment committees. Helmut Eschrig was both a Great Scientist and a gifted organizer having visions. We will all miss his presence.

Rudolf Gross, Walther-Meissner-Institut, Garching

Die Nachricht vom plötzlichen Tod unseres geschätzten Kollegen Helmut Eschrig hat mich mit großer Bestürzung und Trauer erfüllt.

Ich habe ihn nicht nur als kreativen Physiker und auf seinem Arbeitsgebiet international hoch angesehenen Wissenschaftler kennengelernt, sondern auch als herausragende Forscherpersönlichkeit schätzen gelernt. Als Mitglied des wissenschaftlichen Beirats des IFW konnte ich mich oft von seiner Zielstrebigkeit, Weitsicht und Überzeugungskraft überzeugen, mit der er die Dresdner Forschungslandschaft entscheidend gefördert und das IFW zu einer international führenden Forschungseinrichtung gemacht hat.  Ich werde Helmut Eschrig nicht nur als renommierten Physiker sondern auch als einfühlsamen Menschen mit breitem kulturellem Interesse in bester Erinnerung behalten. Diskussionen und Gespräche mit ihm waren stets ein Erlebnis.

Meine herzliche Anteilnahme gilt seiner Familie.

Prof. Jürgen Kirschner, Max-Planck-Institut für Mikrostrukturphysik Halle

Herr Eschrig war viele Jahre der Vorsitzende des Fachbeirats des MPI für Mikrostrukturphysik und wir sind sehr dankbar für die sehr wertvolle Arbeit, die er geleistet hat.

Wir werden ihn stets in dankbarer Erinnerung halten.

Im Namen des Kollegiums und der Mitarbeiter des MPI für Mikrostrukturphysik Halle möchte ich unsere aufrichtige Anteilnahme zu diesem Verlust aussprechen.

Prof. Konstantin Kikoin, Tel-Aviv University, Israel

Helmut has been one of the symbols and cornerstones of Physics in his beloved Dresden, in Saxony in general, and in the community of theoreticians devoted to the studies of electronic structure of condensed matter. He has been a person of highest human quality, and I was happy to be his friend and colleague fo 35 years. Each meeting with him in Dresden, Moscow or anywhere else was a sort of holiday for me.

I am sure that the community located at Noetnitzer strasse will remember Helmut Eschrig as long as physics florishes in the city of Dresden.

Nikolay Plakida, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russia

It was with deep sorrow that I learned of the death of Professor Helmut Eschrig. Please accept my cordial condolences over the loss of a man whose work and personality have contributed so much to the German science. For many years it was a great pleasure for me to speak with him in Dresden and to receive encouragement in my scientific research.

Please also convey my sympathy to his family.

Prof. Peter Oppeneer, Uppsala Universitaet, Uppsala, Schweden und Maria Oppeneer, Uppsala, Schweden

Mit Helmut Eschrig ist eine fuehrende Persoenlichkeit der Dresdner Aufbaujahre nach der Wende verstorben.

Helmut Eschrig bleibt uns in dankbarer Erinnerung fuer die gemeinsame Zeit die wir erlebten in der AG "KoKo", an der TU Dresden und am IFW- Dresden in den Jahren 1991 bis 2004.

Seinen Humor, seine wissenschaftliche Faehigkeit und seinen wissenschaftlichen Weitblick werden wir nicht vergessen.

Ich bin sehr betroffen von Helmuts vorzeitigem Tod. Er war fuer mich, und einige andere Theoretiker meiner Generation aus dem Dresdner Raum ein Lehrmeister und Anfuehrer in theoretischer Festkoerperphysik, im politischen und taeglichen Leben. Er hinterlaesst eine grosse Luecke. All meine Anteilnahme an seine Familie.

Peter Dederichs, Psi-k Chair 2004 – 2011

Helmut has studied Physics at the Technical University Dresden and recieved his PhD there in 1972. He then joined the Central Institute for Solid State Physics and Materials Science in Dresden.

Helmut became interested in first principles calculations very early. Starting with his work on lattice dynamics, he soon moved to many other problems, among them a relativistic density functional approach, problems related to excitation spectra in solids and the connection with the quasi-particle concept. Characteristic for Helmut was his aim to understand physical problems on a fundamental and rigorous mathematical basis which showed also up in part of his DFT work. This is particularly true for his extension of DFT by Legendre transforms as well as for several papers on the extension to magnetic systems.

In the early 80’s Helmut was a well-known East German participant at the annual Gaussig Meetings organized by Paul Ziesche of the TU Dresden. These workshops were wonderful meeting points for ab-initio scientists from East and West, where one could discuss surprisingly open all problems, even political ones. Participants at these meetings will still remember Helmut’s critical comments on and predictions for the Eastern Bloc which indeed became true.

When the Iron Curtain fell, Helmut was urgently needed. He became founding director of the new Institute for Solid State Physics and Materials Sciences (IFW). From 1998 – 2008 he was Scientific Director of this institute and contributed very strongly to its success and present high international reputation. In addition to this he was active in many national committees and councils, where his experience was greatly appreciated. Very important was his strong effort to establish a new scientific landscape in Dresden in order to transform Dresden into a “City of Science“.

During all his work Helmut never lost the interest in ab-initio calculations and published numerous papers in the field. He passed his enthusiasm to the field and his way of thinking to many students and postdocs. He was also strongly involved in Psi-k, by e.g. organizing together with Manuel Richter workshops or tutorials at Dresden. Manuel is now the leader of this former group. Last, but not least Helmut and his institute became a sponsor of Psi-k.

Moreover Helmut published a book on “The Fundamentals of Density Functional Theory“ (2003) and recently another book on “Topology and Geometry for Physics” (Springer 2011).

Helmut was a great scientist. Those who had a chance to meet him closer will miss a warm hearted person, a relentless discussion partner and a wonderful friend.

Als Chairman des Europäischen Netzwerkes Psi-k entbiete ich der Familie Eschrig, insbesondere Frau Eschrig und den Kindern, die herzliche Teilnahme zum Tode von Helmut, der in unserem Netzwerk sehr beliebt war und stark zum Erfolg des Netzwerkes beigetragen hat.

An upright man, a good physicist and respected leader. My condolences go to his wife and children. I miss him.

Ingrid Mertig, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle

Helmut Eschrig war ein brillanter Denker, ein hervorragender Wissenschaftler uns ein exzellenter Manager, der die Dresdner Wissenschaftslandschaft über mehrere Jahrzehnte geprägt hat. Wir werden ihn vermissen und in Erinnerung bewahren. Meine aufrichtige Anteilnahme und mein Beileid gilt seiner Familie.

Dr. Jiri Malek, Institute of Physics, ASCR, Prague, Czech Republic

I have lost a good friend and kind teacher from whom I have learned many things on physics and life. I shall keep him in my heart and memories forever. My deepest condolences to his family.

I was deeply shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of my good friend Helmut Eschrig. Through a strong common interest, namely Density Functional Theory, we became very good friends. His book on Density Functional Theory was widely appreciated for its clarity and rigor. In particular I recall two visits by Helmut to our Institute for Theoretical Physics of which I was Director at the time, as well as my visit to his Institute in Dresden just some days after the great flood. 

He was my principal host on that occasion. The Frauen Kirche was still in reconstruction and the destroyed synagogue had been replaced by a modern building. Helmut and I visited both. Professor Guenter Blobel, in a beautiful act of interfaith charity, had donated his entire Nobel Prize in Medicine to this fine double purpose.    

Please convey my sincere condolence to Helmut's family.

Ora Entin-Wohlman and Amnon Aharony, Ben Gurion and Tel Aviv Universities, Israel

We were sad to hear the news about the passing away of Helmut Eschrig, after some tough struggle.

Helmut was a devoted theoretician, with important contributions to ab initio calculations. We were fortunate to have a binational German-Israeli Foundation grant with him, in connection with our joint interest in oxides, and we have learned a lot from our contacts with him. We also enjoyed his hospitality in Dresden, where we  discussed a very broad range of topics, including his experiences from the East German period. He was a scholar and a gentleman, and we shall deeply miss him.

Matthias Scheffler, FHI Berlin

Sein wissenschaftliche Schärfe, seine kritischen Gedanken und sein Humor waren großartig. Seine Zeit in der DDR und die als Leiter der Max-Planck-Arbeitsgruppe „Theorie komplexer und korrelierter Elektronensysteme“ haben sich besonders in meine Erinnerungen eingeprägt. Den Ausflug ins Elbsandsteingebirge, gemeinsam mit seiner und meiner Frau, werden wir ebenfalls nicht vergessen. ... wie so vieles mehr.

I felt very sad when I heard about the news that Prof. Eschrig passed away. Somehow I was in panic which I experienced only when some members of my family had passed away. Scenes including him during my study at Dresden come to my mind all together... He is really a great teacher, not only on rigorous mathematical derivation of physics, but also on life and social issues.

Ruijuan Xiao, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

I am sad to know that Prof. Eschrig has passed away. I miss the equations on the blackboard in his course, I miss the jokes and stories told by him during birthday party, I miss the discussions in the group, I miss him. I must say that the three years staying in ITF is one of the best experiences in my life because I met and knew such good teacher and colleague there and learned what a great people and scientist should be.

When I open the book “The fundamentals of density functional theory”, I believe that Prof. Eschrig will never truly leave because his great thoughts in science and friendly personality in life will always live in my heart.

My sincere condolences go to his family and the whole group.

 Dr. Wenxu Zhang, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu

I would like to express my deepest sorrow to the news that my beloved supervisor Prof. Dr. Helmut Eschrig had passed away. What I learned from him is not only science, but also how a scientist should behave: be honest and show real interests in certain things. I still remember the jokes that he told us, every time with the same high enthusiasm. The enthusiasm was also fully shown in his scientific contribution, so that there were works published even more rapidly after his retirement. He told me at that time that he had more time to do science now! I regret that I do not have a chance to invite him to pay a visit to China, because he told me he favors such a trip. Although he has passed away, his influence to me is forever!
My sincere condolences to his family!

 Stefan Blügel, Peter Grünberg Institut und Institut for Advanced Simulation, Forschungszentrum Jülich

Die Nachricht vom Tode Helmut Eschrig's hat mich sehr traurig gestimmt. Als junger Kerl habe ich Helmut Eschrig Mitte der 80-iger Jahre  bei einem der Gaussig Meetings zum ersten Mal kennengelernt. Ich war sehr beeindruckt von den vielen und ausgedehnten Diskussionen, von seinem tiefen Verständnis und Interesse der Mathematischen Physik, die gepaart war mit hervorragenden Kenntnissen und Überblick auf dem Gebiet der Kondensierten Materie und den Details der Elektronentheorie, sowie seinem Sinn für die Kunst. Bei den späteren Besuchen in Gaussig, der Max-Planck  Gruppe und am IFW in Dresden hatte ich immer wieder die Gelegenheit mit Ihm zu diskutieren. Elemente seines Buches über Dichtefunktionaltheorie sind in meiner Vorlesung eingeflossen.    

Es traurig, dass er seine humorvollen Diskussionen mit uns eingestellt hat. Der Familie gilt mein Beileid.

In 2001  Helmut was my host on a visit to his Institute in Dresden.  I had known him somewhat from his previous visits to the states, and I recall his graciousness and passion for his physics and his upbeat spirit and his friendship.

I remember particularly my Dresden visit and how impressed I was with the Institute and Helmut's leadership, and the city, too.

We have lost a good friend and fine physicist but Helmut's work and his memory will live on.

My condolences to the Family and Friends of Helmut Eschrig.

 Bothina Hamad, physics department, University of Jordan

I am so sad to hear about the death of Prof. Eschrig.  It was a shock for me since I even did not know about his illness for a year.  It is so sad that he went through this tough suffering.  The physics community has lost such a great scientist. He was my host during my summer visits to IFW in 2007 and 2008, where I could see the human side of his personality. He was a very nice, humble and close to the hearts of his colleagues. He will be sorely missed, such a great person will never be forgotten. I express my deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

Ich habe gerade von Helmuts Tod gehört und bin schwer erschüttert. Wer ihn kannte, weiß, was wir an ihm verloren haben.

Er war nicht nur als Wissenschaftler eine große Persönlichkei, sondern er hat sich auch als

integrer und aufrechter Mensch erwiesen. Damit meine ich auch seine für uns sehr wichtige Tätigkeit als

Gutachter von Forschungsprojekten. Schade, daß man nicht mehr mit ihm über Musik reden kann.

Mein tiefempfundenes Mitleid gilt seiner Familie.

With great sadness, the Editorial Staff, the Editors and Editors in Chief of the European Physical Journal B have learned that Prof. Helmut Eschrig has passed away. Helmut Eschrig was on the Editorial Board of EPJB since 2007 and he left the Board in 2011, when for health reasons it was almost impossible for him to continue this time consuming work.

In first respect we would like to express our deepest condolences to family, friends and colleagues. Helmut Eschrig was a brilliant physicist with high international reputation, a world leading expert in first-principle calculations, a symbol for the German scientific reunification, but for all who met him personally, he was a warm-hearted person and a good friend.

Ich durfte bei Helmut Eschrig in der Max-Planck-Arbeitsgruppe "Theorie komplexer und korrelierter Elektronensysteme" mitarbeiten. Sein scharfer und kritischer Verstand, sowie sein herzliches Wesen, dass die gesamte Arbeit der Gruppe geprägt haben, werden mir in dankbarer Erinnerung bleiben. Mein tiefes Mitgefühl gilt seiner Familie.

Ich kannte Helmut Eschrig zwar nur von Konferenzen, Besuchen im IFW und von der kurzen gemeinsamen Herausgebertätigkeit beim European Physical Journal B. Doch schon von diesen Kontakten her habe ich ihn als sehr freundlichen und offenen Kollegen kennen und schätzen gelernt. Sein unglaublich breites physikalisches Wissen und sein ebenso breites Allgemeinwissen waren immer beeindruckend und Respekt einflößend! Die Physik in Deutschland hat mit seinem Tod eine tragende Säule verloren.

Meine tief empfundene Anteilnahme gilt seinen Angehörigen.

Warren Pickett, University of California Davis       

It was sad news indeed to hear of the passing of Helmut Eschrig.

Helmut was an exemplary condensed matter physicist, director and leader, and a thoughtful and cultured person. Our field of physics, and Dresden in particular, will feel his positive impact for a long time to come.

I really got to know Helmut in Fall 1999 during three months at KITP at Santa Barbara. We reconsidered some basic aspects of spin density functional theory, with the pleasure of a couple of long discussions that included Walter Kohn before his busy life kept him from continuing the collaboration.  Helmut and I uncovered some unexpected and strong aspects of SDFT, using his approach as the most useful and precise (of course). We continued collaboration on the new MgB2 class of superconductors in the following years.

In 2005 Helmut's strong support was crucial for my successful application as Humboldt Professor, during which I spent 3 months in Stuttgart and 5 months in Dresden. Helmut's "beyond DFT" work in the area of orbital polarizability and orbital moments provided the background for many conversations during those months. It was a great pleasure to work in a theory group that Helmut directed, in an institute (IFW) that he directed.  During this time I was able to meet his family (having met Rosi already in Santa Barbara).

Helmut has provided a great example of a life well lived, as a warm and admirable friend, colleague, collaborator, and leader.

Henryk Szymczak, Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences,Poland

It was with deep sorrow that  I learned of the death of Professor Helmut Eschrig, a famous scientist and a wonderful man. The void created by his absence in our  society can never be filled.

My deepest condolences to his family and his colleagues.

Rene Monnier,  ETH Zürich

I can only repeat with all my colleagues how sad the news of Helmut's passing away has made me.

I had the privilege of meeting him in the early eighties, at one of the Gaussig symposia on electronic structure.

We immediately liked eachother, and I will never forget the long walks we took to talk in peace about subjects which were at the time not "politically correct" in the true sense of the term. He introduced me to his family and he and Rosemarie visited us in Zürich a couple of times, while we went to see them in Dresden. I have always admired Helmut for his integrity, his intelligence, his enormous knowledge on so many topics, and for the great sensitivity he showed when he took over the difficult task of reorganizing the institute in Dresden after the fall of the wall.

We have lost a great mind and a great heart, and I wish to extend my deepest sympathies to those most affected by this loss, Rosemarie, her children and grandchildren.

Prof. Dr. Hans-Eckhardt Schaefer, Universität Stuttgart

It is sad news to hear of the passing away of H. Eschrig.I knew him as an excellent scientist with a broad understanding in physics and life. Fortunately, he could enjoy the publication of his book on "Topology and Geometry for Physics".

Peter Fulde, Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics, Pohang, Korea und Max-Planck-Institut für Physik komplexer Systeme, Dresden

Für uns Dresdner ist der Verlust besonders groß, denn Helmut Eschrig steht als Symbol für den wissenschaftlichen Aufstieg der Stadt nach der deutschen Wiedervereinigung. Mit ihm endet ein besonderer Abschnitt der Wissenschaftsgeschichte seiner Heimatstadt, welcher verbunden war mit schmerzhaften Umstrukturierungen und hoffnungsvollen Neugründungen. Wenn die nächste Generation dieselbe intellektuelle Redlichkeit und Standfestigkeit zeigt, wie sie Helmut Eschrig verkörperte, dann braucht man sich um die weitere Entwicklung der Wissenschaft in Dresden keine Sorgen zu machen.

Dr. Claus Ascheron, Springer-Verlag

With deep sadness I learned about the death of Helmut Eschrig. I highly appreciated him as an excellent scientist and a man with rich human skills. Looking back to his live, I am happy that he could enjoy the international appreciation of his outstanding scientific work and the love of his family. We developed a collaboration in the publication of his very good book "Topology and Geometry for Physics". He told me that this was the last work he can accomplish during his last days of seriously suffering from cancer. He forced himself to work hard up to his last days. He will further live in our memory also through his book.

Dr. Nirpendra Singh, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia

I was shocked and become very sad after hearing that Prof. Helmut Eschrig passed away. He meet me with a gracious smile during my last visit to Dresden in 2007. I will always remember him as a nice and helpful person. He left us but the world will remember his great contributions to science.    Please convey my sincere condolence to Helmut's family.

Dr. Vito D.P. Servedio, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

I remember with great pleasure those days I spent In Helmut's scientific group. In almost six years under his supervision I learned that working is much more effective if you feel like at home. I have still memory of our joyous Xmas parties at the MPI Arbeitsgruppe first, and at the IFW dining hall after he became IFW Director. Not to mention our delightful and fruitful daily institutional coffee-breaks at 4pm. I was so impressed by that, that I try to do my best to recreate the same atmosphere of those days also in my small working group in Rome. Besides that, it is my modest opinion that I never met a physicist so well prepared and eclectic like Helmut. He had always the right answer. I have just noticed that he managed to finish his last scientific effort. In his last book I am sure we shall find lots of new ideas and cues to work with.