In Memoriam: Rolf Ackermann 1941 - 2015

The EAU is saddened to hear about the passing of Prof. Rolf Ackermann, on Wednesday, February 11th. He was a member of the EAU Management Committee (now known as the EAU Board) from 1992 to 1996 and has since then been a member of the EAU Academy of Urology, which he chaired between 2010 and 2012. Prof. Ackermann was 73 years old.

His long medical career began in 1962 at the University of Würzburg, Germany and the University of Vienna, Austria. He became a certified urologist in 1975 and focused his research on onco-urology; in particular on prostate, bladder, and kidney cancer. In 1993 Prof. Ackermann was appointed Vice-president of the Medical Faculty of the Heinrich-Heine-University in Düsseldorf and from 1995 to 2003 he served as Medical Director of this faculty. From 1983 to 2007, Prof. Ackermann was Professor of Urology and Chairman of the Department of Urology at the University of Düsseldorf.

Next to his academic career, Prof. Ackermann was deeply involved in various activities which facilitated the development of the EAU. From 1992 to 1996, he was a member of the EAU East West Exchange Committee. In the same period he was also a member of the EAU Statutes & Bylaws Working Group. The work of this group has been instrumental in turning the organisation from a small club into a true pan-European Scientific Urological Organisation. In 2008, Prof. Ackermann was awarded the EAU Frans Debruyne Life Time Achievement Award for his longstanding contribution to the activities and development of the EAU.

Our condolences to his family and friends, he will be greatly missed.