In Memoriam: Hubertus Riedmiller (1951-2026)
The EAU was saddened to learn of the passing of Prof. Hubertus Riedmiller (1951-2026) of Würzburg, Germany. Prof. Riedmiller was a respected colleague who contributed greatly to the EAU by chairing the Guidelines Working Group on Paediatric Urology and producing the very first paediatric chapter in the 2001 edition. He (co-)chaired the Paediatric working group until 2013. Below is a tribute by Prof. Gerharz, one of Prof. Riedmiller’s close colleagues.
In one of the most beautiful sonnets in the German language, Andreas Gryphius wrote in the midst of the turmoil of the Thirty Years’ War: “When the weary body falls asleep, let the soul remain awake.” As the bells fell silent and the organ ceased to sound, the final day drew to a close for the great German physician, university professor, and urologist Hubertus Riedmiller. He passed away on Good Friday, April 3rd, in the Year of Our Lord 2026, at dusk, at home, at a festively and lovingly set table, in the bosom of his beloved family—just as he had wished and, in the end, longed for with a quiet sadness.
Once again, death was an act of grace after a struggle that Hubertus Riedmiller had known from the very beginning he would not win. Of all people, he - who had healed so many patients in seemingly hopeless situations and helped so many colleagues out of dire straits. He, who was accustomed to victory and who had once before fought his way back to life with iron determination. He, who never spared himself and gave his family and his patients so much security, comfort, and confidence.
The brilliant teacher conveyed knowledge in language ready for publication and with intellectual radiance, and he operated with an elegance that was second to none. His care for patients was exemplary, his dedication to them nearly boundless. From his staff, he always demanded the same devotion—at times to the point of pain.
Hubertus was a seasoned and tough negotiator, to whom the University of Würzburg owes that the Department of Urology is now where it belongs: at the Center for Operative Medicine. Together with Dominique Beurton, Radim Kocvara, and Philippos Androulakakis, he developed in 2001 the first guidelines on pediatric urology on behalf of the European Association of Urology.
He was a broadly educated man; his literature quizzes during long operations were legendary, as was his iconic appearance—always with a headband, in light blue surgical attire, and most recently with a flowing ward coat on his rounds.
Now the man who embodied urology has left us forever. We take comfort in the image of him sitting by a lake on a bright Finnish summer day that will never end, his soul at one with the wind and the water. He will never be forgotten. We know: your light continues to shine in the night - and in your students. Hubertus Riedmiller: It was an honour.
About the author
Prof. Elmar Gerharz
Urologist
Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg