Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences “Friedrich List” mourns Prof. Dr. sc. pol. habil. Johannes Bröcker - an obituary

We are deeply saddened by the passing of our highly esteemed former colleague and long-term managing director of the Institute of Transport and Economics

Prof. Dr. sc. pol. habil. Johannes Bröcker

The Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences "Friedrich List" remembers Prof. Johannes Bröcker, who passed away in Kiel on January 19, 2021 after a serious illness at the age of 70. He was a formative personality for the faculty. In particular, the development of transport economics at the beginning of the 1990s is closely associated with his name. With Johannes Bröcker, the faculty has lost a highly respected and committed colleague and supporter.

From 1993 to 2000, Prof. Bröcker was professor for economics at TU Dresden, Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences "Friedrich List". He played a major role in establishing the Institute of Transport and Economics. With great personal commitment he led and shaped it for many years as Managing Director. From 1994 to 1997 he also held the office of Vice Dean of the Faculty. Johannes Bröcker inspired and impressed colleagues, co-workers and cooperation partners as well as students with his extensive knowledge, his strength of argumentation and his human and connecting nature.

Johannes Bröcker came to Dresden from Christian Albrechts University (CAU) Kiel in 1993. In Kiel, he had obtained his degree in economics in 1974. In 1983 he received his doctorate in economics and in 1992 his habilitation at the Institute for Theoretical Economics at CAU Kiel. He returned to the university in Kiel in 2000 as Professor of Economics and Director of the Institute for Environmental, Resource and Spatial Economics (until 2015).

When Johannes Bröcker came to Dresden at the beginning of the 1990s to the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences "Friedrich List", it was in a state of change and awakening. Prof. Bröcker contributed to the design, reorientation and future orientation of the faculty with great commitment and passion. He played a key role in promoting the faculty's orientation towards the international scientific landscape.

It is thanks to the dedication and foresight of Johannes Bröcker (in cooperation with K-J. Richter, former Prof. at the Institute of Transport and Economics) that the now nationally and internationally renowned degree program in Transport Economics (then as a diploma, now as a bachelor's degree) was established at the faculty - as the first economics degree program in the field of transport in Germany. In setting up the Institute of Transport and Economics and in establishing the transport economics degree program, he worked closely with the integration commission that founded the faculty at the time (including Prof. Aberle).

As a committed networker, Prof. Johannes Bröcker attached great importance to close coordination and cooperation with the Faculty of Business and Economics, in which he also was a member, from the start of his work at TU Dresden. A connection that continues to this day.

Johannes Bröcker was a respected scientist in the field of regional economics. He was scientifically internationally recognized and very successful as well as very active in policy consulting. He has always considered the practical relevance of regional economic issues.  Colleagues appreciated his incredible commitment to getting to the bottom of problems and developing and implementing constructive solutions. Johannes Bröcker was a scientist with heart and soul. He cultivated (sometimes heated) the discourse on scientific and methodological issues, always with the aim of finding the best scientific answers.

We will always honor the memory of this committed scientist and the person Johannes Bröcker at the “Friedrich List” Faculty of Transport and Traffic Science at TU Dresden. Our sympathy and condolences go to his grieving family.

On behalf of all colleagues and employees of the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences "Friedrich List"

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Günther Prokop             Prof. Dr. rer. pol. habil. Georg Hirte
Dean                                                        Managing Director
                                                                  Institute of Transport and Economics                                                                          
Dresden, January 2021