Biologimls (1990) 18, 81

Obituary-Walter Hennessen 24 October 1924 to 16 February 1990

Walter Hennessen was born in Mlinchengladbach in 1924. He studied medicine in Bonn, Cologne and Dusseldorf and graduated in 1950 and, thereafter, specialized in microbiology in Dusseldorf, London and Cincinnati where he collaborated with Dr Sabin on the development of live poliovirus vaccine. Back in Germany, he spent five years in Dusseldorf where he created the first viral diagnostic laboratory in the country. He joined Behringwerke in 1958 as Head of the Human Virology Department and later on also became responsible for the Medical and Regulatory Department.

In 1978, he had to take early retirement because of health problems and, from then on, lived in Bern. He kept extremely busy, however, and was one of the most active members of our Council for three decades. He also spent considerable time in the biologicals expert group of the European Pharmacopoeia and was also an Adviser to the Expert Committee on Biological Standardization of the World Health Organization.

For many years, Professor Hennessen had played a pivotal role in our Association, as President and as Scientific Secretary. With incredible patience, he edited more than 60 volumes of our Symposium Series and was also editor of our Newsletter. I will always remember the many hours spent together in the office of the late Frank Perkins in Geneva discus- sing the activities of IABS; Walter would always volunteer for the most demanding tasks. Despite his failing health, he gave a large part of his time to our Association with the same tenacity and the same enthusiasm as before and never missed a meeting of our Council. As a human being, he was known for his extreme honesty and fairness and for his reliability as a colleague and as a friend.

His wife Ruth and his family will miss him as a husband and father; IABS will miss him as one of our pioneers.

C. Huygelen President of the International Association

of Biological Standardization