Mourning the loss of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hartmut Wittenberg

The Professor of Hydrology and Water Resources Management joined the then University of Applied Sciences of North-East Lower Saxony at its Suderburg campus in 1988. Hartmut Wittenberg studied civil engineering at the Technical University of Braunschweig and graduated in 1969 with a degree in engineering. He then worked for a construction company in Braunschweig, specialising in structural analysis and design. In 1974, he was awarded a doctorate at the University of Karlsruhe for his thesis on ‘The influence of increasing urbanisation on flood discharge’. This pioneering doctoral thesis quantitatively and mathematically analysed how advancing urbanisation and soil sealing affect the formation and progression of flood waves. From 1975 to 1983, Hartmut Wittenberg took on planning and management roles for water management projects in Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia, with a focus on hydrology.

His scientific work centred on issues of the water cycle and the responsible management of water as a resource. Hartmut Wittenberg’s research covered, amongst other things, groundwater and its recharge, aspects of water management, and the effects of human intervention on the water cycle. With well over 100 publications, he made a significant contribution to his field; his publications also include the textbook “Practical Hydrology”, which made his knowledge accessible for both teaching and practice.

Through his exceptional dedication to teaching, he shaped generations of students. To this day, alumni remember his great professional expertise. In addition, he devoted himself to researching historical hydraulic engineering systems, for example on Madeira. Alongside hydrology, Hartmut Wittenberg took a particular interest in the history of past cultures and in foreign languages. Among other languages, he was fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

For many years, he was actively involved in the university’s academic self-governance, including serving on the Research Commission and the Committee for Internationalisation. From 2005 to 2006, he was Dean of the Department of Civil Engineering. From 1998 to 2000, he held the post of Vice-President of the University of Applied Sciences of North-East Lower Saxony. In addition, he welcomed numerous visiting academics and scholarship holders to Lüneburg, who were funded by organisations including the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the DAAD.

Alongside his many years as a university lecturer and researcher, he worked as an independent expert and consultant on international water projects. Even after his retirement in 2008, he remained closely connected to Leuphana University in many ways. In particular, he continued to supervise doctoral theses and final-year dissertations and enriched academic discourse through numerous further publications.

In 2017, the German Hydrological Society honoured him with the prestigious German Hydrology Prize. In 2022, he was awarded the Golden Pin of Honour by the Federation of Water Management Engineers (BWK).

He was held in high esteem by staff and students alike, as well as by his colleagues, for his outstanding professional expertise, his helpful nature and his research achievements. Right up to the end, the professional advice of this critical yet forward-thinking scholar was in great demand.

Leuphana University Lüneburg commemorates him with deep sorrow and great gratitude. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to his family.