Rest in peace, Franz — my PhD “father” and mentor.
Over the years I’d think of him now and then and tell myself I should write or call. The last I did was in 2017. Not since I married or got kids. I’m ashamed to admit it. In my mind, he somehow remained timeless.
Franz was my PhD advisor, as he was for more than 100 others… he had a big “solar family”. Some of them were even my own teachers when I did my degree and remain today leaders in our field of astrophysics, like he certainly was.
His handwriting to explain plasma physics and speckle interferometry was that old style cursive that my grandma also had… and he also used email on pine in the Linux terminal like a true digital native. He had this quiet calm of someone who had been through a lot. The first time we lived in the telescope in Tenerife during week-long observations I had some leftover macaroni for lunch, he ate it and said he had lived through hard enough times that he couldn’t waste food.
I also remember all the corrections to my manuscripts, and that I could make my PhD as long as I wanted, but he would stop reading at page 100. My thesis has 107 pages.
He didn’t approve of me leaving research. He wanted me to continue — I’d like to think he appreciated me as a researcher. Not only did he respect my decision, he helped me and kept in touch.
Years later, when I popped unannounced into his office (he was always there or at the telescope), he gave me a big hug.
Rest in peace, dear Franz. Thank you — for the patience of helping me become the scientist I am.
His funeral was held on November 28, Stadtfriedhof Göttingen.
Originally posted on LinkedIn.