February 5, 2016 Dear MEDICHEM Board Colleagues, dear

February 5, 2016
Dear MEDICHEM Board Colleagues, dear MEDICHEM Members,
I have the sad duty to inform you that Prof. Dr. med. habil. Dr. med. h. c. Alfred Michael Thiess, Founder & Honorary
President of MEDICHEM, has passed away. Prof. Thiess died on Wednesday, the 3rd of February 2016, exactly four
months after his 94th birthday on October 3, 2015. Dr. Gisela Thiess, his wife for 67 years, informed me yesterday
evening.
Prof. Thiess founded and established MEDICHEM in the year 1972, when he was Corporate Medical Director at the
world’s largest chemical company BASF in Ludwigshafen, Germany. He is Holder of the Grand Order of Merit of
the Federal Republic of Germany and recipient of numerous awards and honors of medical societies. Prof. Thiess is
Honorary Citizen of Urwegen / Transylvania.
MEDICHEM is invited to honour Prof. Thiess with a funeral speech. If ever possible this should be done by our
President, Dr. Murray Coombs. If you are not able to travel to Germany, Murray, it would be my honour to represent you.
I will put an obituary at our MEDICHEM Website and I will write an official MEDICHEM Letter of Condolence to his
wife and family. If you also want to express your sympathy you either could send your letter via e-mail to my attention
and I will pass your words to his wife, who cannot be reached via e-mail, or you could send your letter by post to
Dr. Gisela Thiess
Weimarer Strasse 73
67071 Ludwigshafen
GERMANY
Please find the official Death Announcement attached. Furthermore please find some photos from our MEDICHEM
Board Champagne Reception on March 31, 2015 in my home (with Heidelberg Castle behind the window) and from our
Board Meeting on April 1, 2015 at BG RCI in Heidelberg. This was the last Board Meeting at which Prof. Thiess actively
participated.
From the attached short biography you can get an impression of the outstanding life performance which resulted from
the 34091 days, or 1132 months, of Prof. Thiess´ life.
Let us always hold him in honorable memory.
Best regards
Maren Beth-Hübner
Dr. med. Maren Beth-Hübner
Prävention
Kompetenz-Center Gefahrstoffe und biologische Arbeitsstoffe
Referat Gefahrstoffe, Biostoffe, Analytik
Berufsgenossenschaft Rohstoffe und chemische Industrie (BG RCI)
Secretary General MEDICHEM
Kurfürsten-Anlage 62
69115 Heidelberg
Tel.: 06221 5108-28451
Fax: 06221 5108-21199
E-Mail:maren.beth-huebner@bgrci.de
Internet:http://www.bgrci.de
http://www.medichem.org
Mein geliebter Mann, unser fürsorgender Vater und liebster Großvater ist nach einem erfüllten
Leben friedlich eingeschlafen
3. Oktober 1921 (Großau/Siebenbürgen) – 3. Februar 2016 (Ludwigshafen am Rhein)
Professor Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Alfred Michael Thiess
Arbeitsmedizinischer Direktor der BASF i.R.
Träger des Großen Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland
Ehrenbürger von Urwegen/Siebenbürgen
Träger zahlreicher Auszeichnungen und Ehrungen medizinischer Fachgesellschaften
Im Namen der Angehörigen
Dr. med. Gisela Thiess, geb. Helwert
Dr. Andrea Thiess-Blanke und Wolfgang mit Felix
Michael Thiess und Regine, geb. Scharpff mit Franziska, Theresa, Nikolaus
Trauerfeier im Familien- und Freundeskreis am Freitag, 12. Februar 2016, 10:20 Uhr,
Trauerhalle Hauptfriedhof, Bliesstrasse 10, Ludwigshafen am Rhein
Die Urnenbeisetzung findet im engen Kreis zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt im Familiengrab auf dem
Bergfriedhof Heidelberg statt.
Im Sinne des Verstorbenen bitten wir, statt Blumen, um eine Spende „Hilfe für Siebenbürgen“ an die
Rotary Fördergemeinschaft des Rotary Club Ludwigshafen IBAN DE90545400330208654400
Curriculum Vitae
Professor Dr. med. habil. Dr. med. h.c. Alfred Michael Thiess
October 3rd, 1921
Born in Cristian (Grossau), Siebenbürgen – Transilvania, Rumania
1951
Degree in medicine at the J. W. Goethe University in Frankfurt
1954 – 1986
Plant physician and Corporate Medical Director at the BASF
Chemical Industry
since 1954
Member of the Occupational Health Association in Germany, six
years Board Member
1973 – 1986
Apl. Professor at the University of Heidelberg – Faculty of Medicine
1965 – 1986
Lecturer at the Academies of Occupational Medicine in Berlin
and Munich
1968 – 2001
Lecturer at the Academy in Ulm
1961 – 1986
Member of Trustees, University of Heidelberg – Faculty of Orthopedics
since 1961
Member of ICOH (P.C.), six years Board Member of American
Occupational Medicine Association
Corresponding fellow of the Academy American Occupational
Medicine Association
Corresponding fellow of Sociedad Argentina and da Trabalho
Brasil
1972 – 1986
CEFIC in Brussels: Member in many Expert Committees on Occupational Health
1963 – 1986
Member of the Advisory Board Occupational Health of BG Chemie (Institution for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention
in the Chemical Industry)
1970 – 1986
Member of Trustees Occupational Health, University of Ulm
1972
Founder of MEDICHEM: 14 years Chairman (1972 – 1986).
Since 1986: Honorary President
1973 – 1986
Member of the Expert Advisory Panel of Occupational Health of
the German Association of the Institutions for Statutory Accident
Insurance and Prevention
1973 – 1986
Member of the Expert Advisory Committee Occupational Health
Diseases of the Ministry of Labour
1975 – 1986
Member of the WHO-Expert Advisory Panel on Occupational
Health
since 1982
Member Ramazzini Society Europe
1995
Dr. med. hon. causa, University of Cluj-Napoca (Klausenburg),
Rumania
page 1 von 2
Curriculum Vitae
Professor Dr. med. habil. Dr. med. h.c. Alfred Michael Thiess
1996
Koelsch Award from the German Association of Occupational
and Environmental Health
Honorary Member of ICOH
1997
Honorary Degree in Medicine, University Varna, Bulgaria
1956 – 1990
more than 250 scientific publications
1975
Federal Distinguished Services Cross with Ribbon
1981
Federal Distinguished Service Cross, First Class
1986
Grant Order of Merit of The Federal Republic of Germany
since 1967
Rotary Club Ludwigshafen
1972 – 1973
President Rotary Club Ludwigshafen
1980
Rotary – Paul Harris fellow
1985
Rotary Socio Honorario Rotary Club Guaratingueta, Brazil
1995
Rotary “Service about Self” Award
1997
Rotary First Saphir, Paul Harris fellow
1988 – 2007
20 Rotary AID Transports to Rumania
1998
Ramizzinibust, MEDICHEM Congress, Cape Town
2001
Rotary – Paul Harris fellow – Second Saphir
2002
Honorary Citizen from Girbova
2006
Paul Harris fellow – Third Saphir
page 2 von 2
MEDICHEM Board Champagne Reception on March 31, 2015
in Maren´s home (with Heidelberg Castle behind the window)
Dr. Gisela Thiess, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Alfred Thiess, Dr. Maren Beth-Hübner
MEDICHEM Board Champagne Reception on March 31, 2015 in Maren´s home
Dr. Gisela Thiess, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Alfred Thiess
MEDICHEM Board Meeting on April 1, 2015 at BG RCI in Heidelberg
Dr. Steffen Hitzeroth, Dr. Maren Beth-Hübner, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Alfred Thiess, Dieter Junker
MEDICHEM Board Meeting on April 1, 2015 at BG RCI in Heidelberg
Dr. Steffen Hitzeroth, Director of BG RCI Thomas Köhler, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Alfred Thiess