We grieve for our former Rector and esteemed Professor, Gernot Karl Gutmann, who passed away on 3 July 2024, at the age of 94. Born on 26 November 1929 in Freiburg im Breisgau, Gutmann significantly influenced the field of economics over the decades.
After the end of the Second World War and subsequent captivity, Gutmann dedicated himself to the study of economics and earned his doctorate in Freiburg in 1956. His academic career led him to the University of Marburg and, in 1971, to the University of Cologne, where he took on the Chair of Economic Sciences and served as Director of the Institute for Political Economy. In addition, in 1974, he was entrusted with the leadership of the Economic Archive of the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences at the University of Cologne. Within the academic administration of the University of Cologne, he served as Dean of the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences from 1982 to 1983 and as Rector from 1983 to 1985.
Gernot Gutmann’s main areas of work were economic order theory and economic policy, as well as the comparison of economic systems. He focused on the social market economy of Western style, particularly on the development in the Federal Republic of Germany, and expressed his views on current issues. Gutmann also conducted comparative studies on the Marxist-Leninist central administrative economy of the Soviet type, especially in the GDR. In this context, he analysed the collapse of political systems in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe, and also addressed the process of European integration. In addition to his work at the University of Cologne, Gutmann was the founding Dean of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Leipzig and taught as a guest lecturer in Bulgaria, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.
Gernot Gutmann received numerous awards for his contributions, including the Federal Cross of Merit First Class and several honorary doctorates. His commitment to the University of Cologne and the sciences leaves a lasting legacy.
To honour his memory, the University of Cologne has ordered flags to be flown at half-mast during his burial. We remember him with deep gratitude and will always cherish his memory as an outstanding reseracher and esteemed colleague.