Obituary Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Fritz Blume

It is with deep sadness that we bid farewell to Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Fritz Blume, a formative personality in manufacturing technology at the TUD Dresden University of Technology, who passed away on April 1, 2026 at the age of 99.

He was appointed full professor of production engineering/joining technology in 1971 and dedicated his work to research and teaching in the field of production and joining technology for over two decades, from 1971 to 1992. For Fritz Blume, engineering was more than just a profession - it was a vocation, which he fulfilled with tireless precision, technical excellence and a deep connection to practice.

As a university lecturer, he was able not only to impart technical knowledge to generations of students, but also to sharpen their awareness of the essentials and the responsibility of engineers in society. The basis for this was the combination of theoretical depth in manufacturing technology with the practical requirements of industry.

The deceased was extensively involved in the development of technical literature in the GDR and the early post-reunification period. The textbook "Introduction to Production Engineering", which Prof. Blume edited, accompanied generations of undergraduate students. His scientific publications focused primarily on the industrial application and technological development of welding technology. Prof. Blume published regularly in the leading professional journals of his time.

During his time as a professor from 1971 to 1992, he supervised 76 dissertations and habilitations.

His voluntary work on a large number of committees deserves special recognition. His activities in the Chamber of Engineering (until 1990) and the German Association for Welding and Allied Processes (from 1990) are particularly noteworthy. In addition to his technical expertise, Professor Blume demonstrated great organizational skills in the management of scientific committees. In times of technological upheaval, his foresight secured the national and international reputation of Dresden welding technology. He promoted interdisciplinary dialog and made a significant contribution to consolidating joining technology as a central pillar of modern production technology.

With Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Fritz Blume, we have lost a highly esteemed university lecturer, a passionate scientist and a person whom we will honor in his memory.

Our condolences go to his family and all those who were close to him.

On behalf of all employees of the Institute of Manufacturing
Uwe Füssel, Hans Christian Schmale, Alexander Brosius, Andrés Lasagni, Thomas Arnold