Erich R. Wölfel (1922 - 1995)

Erich R. Wölfel

Professor Erich R. Wölfel died February 23, 1995 at the age of 72. Wölfel established an international reputation with his careful X-ray diffraction work on the electron densities of various materials including NaCl, CaF₂, diamond, and silicon in collaboration with H. Witte, A. Weiss, S. Göttlicher and numerous students. He combined scientific knowledge with practical development of new technologies and instruments for X-ray crystallography.

Wölfel was born June 13, 1922 in Zittau/Saxony. His education in Budapest (Hungary), Eger (Czechoslovakia) and two years of  undergraduate studies at the Charles-University in Prague contributed to his open minded character, sense of humor and tolerance towards others. After military service he studied at the Technical University of Darmstadt, where he completed a thesis on the electron density of NaCl in 1952 and later accepted an appointment as Professor for "Structural Research" in 1959, a position which he occupied until his retirement in 1989.

Erich Wölfel was one of the pioneers of neutron diffraction in Germany and constructed two diffractometers at the FR2-reactor at Karlsruhe. The development of a new type of X-ray camera, position sensitive detectors and powder diffraction facilities with transmission geometry are among his main achievements. He successfully combined scientific knowledge with mechanical skills and commercial experience at STOE, where he was general manager until his untimely death.

Professor Wölfel was a keen collector of paintings and postage stamps, and author of articles on the postal history of his native Egerland.

The community of crystallographers has lost a pioneer of electron density studies, an engaging teacher and a man full of humor, common sense and understanding for human beings.