In memory of Professor Dietrich Kölzow
In memory of Professor Dietrich Kölzow
Prof. Dr. Dietrich Kölzow was born in Greifswald, 29.06.1930 and studied mathematics and physics at the Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University. In 1960 he earned his doctorate under renowned topologist Willi Rinow with the dissertation “Zur konkreten Darstellung der abstrakten Integrale von Stone und Bourbaki-McShane”.
Until 1961 he worked at the Institute of Mathematics in Greifswald and the Institute of “Gasentladungsphysik (Plasmaphysik)” at the academy of science. After his emigration to the BRD Dietrich Kölzow worked as a research assistant at the mathematical institute of Jülich and completed his habilitation at the University of Saarland through his work about differentiation of measures. He also took a one-year position as visiting professor at the University of Florida, as well as many other universities in the following years.
In 1972 after some formative years in Karlsruhe, Stuttgart and Waterloo (Canada), he accepted a position as chair of mathematics in Erlangen in 1972, a position he held up to his retirement in 1998.
During his long professorship he inspired many of his students and provided them with a sound basis in mathematical fundamentals that would go on to assist them in their lives, whether academically or otherwise. He was also responsible for 31 doctoral theses and 7 habilitations.
He had a wid spectrum of interests in particular: The theory of measures, functional analysis focusing on the transformation of integrals, fractals and stochastical analysis as well as harmonic analysis and time-frequence analysis .
Besides that Professor Kölzow regularly organized a conference about measures at the research institut in Oberwolfach in the 80s which were joined by internationally renowned scientists from across the world, also he shared related lecture Notes.
Because of him Erlangen had a lot of foreign guests. Until his retirement Professor Kölzow was for many years the head of the promotion committee of the Faculty of Natural Sciences of FAU.
Dietrich Kölzow made an impact with his students, inspired them with his ideas and stayed true to his research in quantum mechanics even after his retirement until the end.
With the passing of Dietrich Kölzow, the university of Erlangen-Nürenberg looses an internationally renowned scientist and lecturer. He dies within his family on 26.12.2018