University President Enrico Schleiff on the recently deceased economist and former University President Werner Meißner, who led Goethe University from 1994 to 2000 and played a decisive role in the acquisition of the IG Farben Building, thereby initiating the development of the new Westend Campus.
It was with great sorrow that I learnt of the passing of my predecessor, Prof. Dr. Werner Meißner. I had the opportunity to meet him personally on several occasions and was deeply impressed by his character and human integrity. It is no exaggeration to say that Prof. Meißner shaped Goethe University more than almost anyone else over the past four decades. Whenever I walk across our modern, green, and cosmopolitan Westend Campus today, I often think of the man whose great dedication and skill ensured that Goethe University was able to establish its new main campus. In his commemorative publication released during our anniversary year, “Goethe Moves – How Goethe University Came to the Westend”, he made it clear that everyone involved in the process in the 1990s was aware of the need to approach the historically burdened IG Farben complex with sensitivity and reflection. He also addressed internal university debates on how best to honor the memory of the victims of concentration camps.
For Prof. Meißner, the architectural restructuring of the campus was never an end in itself. His main concern was to create an attractive space for the university – one that would both foster interdisciplinary exchange and facilitate engagement with the broader urban society. He achieved this and more: our campus is considered one of the most beautiful of its kind in Germany and continues to impress visitors from both near and far.
As a researcher, too, Werner Meißner was a distinguished figure and an outstanding representative of his field. He began his academic career studying business administration in Berlin and Cologne, then studied economics at Stanford University, and ultimately earned his doctorate at Freie Universität Berlin. After further studies in econometrics and statistics at Uppsala University and Darmstadt University of Technology, he completed his Habilitation in economics and econometrics in Darmstadt. In 1971, he was appointed to the chair of Economic State Sciences at Goethe University Frankfurt. Meißner also held visiting professorships at the universities of Stockholm, Gothenburg, Vienna, and Toronto. In addition, he held leadership roles in various academic institutions, advised several international organizations, and was deeply involved with the Hans Böckler Foundation, where he served on both the Scientific Advisory Board and the Board of Trustees. His support for the Foundation’s mission dates back to 1995, and served to extend his impact well beyond Frankfurt’s city limits.
In 2023, Werner Meißner was rightfully awarded the Order of Merit of the State of Hesse for his exemplary contributions and commitment to research and teaching. He helped lay the foundation for the future of our university and for Frankfurt as a science hub. He was the architect of Westend Campus. On behalf of the entire university, I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family. We will hold the memory of this great shaper of our university in great honor.
