[Olaf Breidbach (1957-2014)].

Abstract

When Olaf Breidbach took over the directorate of the Ernst-Haeckel-Haus on 1 April 1995, the philosopher and neurobiologist officially commenced his career as an historian of science. For almost twenty years he held the chair of History of Science in the Biological-Pharmaceutical Faculty of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, at the Institute for the History of Medicine, Science and Technology and the field of theoretical biology situated in the Ernst-Haeckel-Haus. From the very beginning he fulfilled his post with a fine sense of flair and ability for the unique possibilities offered at the institute with its museum, archive and the graduate study in the history of science as well as firmly anchoring this institute in the field of theoretical biology within the Biological-Pharmaceutical Faculty. In one of the oldest institutions for history of science in Germany he understood its genius loci as both an educational and research centre, as well as the importance of a cultural orientation of the history of science that facilitated leading dialogues and encounters between the natural sciences and the humanities. He was very much aware of his responsibility towards the University. The University of Jena acknowledged his inter-disciplinary work when he was awarded an additional membership of the philosophical faculty. His reputation as an historian of science was acknowledged and recognised far beyond Jena as well. Since the 1990s he had already established particularly good relations with Italy, most notably with Gian Franco Frigo (Padua) and Stefano Poggi (Florence). In 2004 he was appointed a member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, and the following year he was elected as a corresponding member in the Mathematical-Physical Class of the Academy of Sciences at the University of Gottingen. From 2009 he was co-editor of Sudhoffs Archiv and took responsibility for the section for history of biology and the life sciences. He worked in this function for barely five short years. Olaf Breidbach died in Jena on 22 July 2014 after a severe illness; he was only 56 years of age. The history of science has lost an outstanding research personality who was a captivating university teacher in his lectures, seminars and papers, and a truly farsighted scientific organiser.