Jun 24, 2026
Order of Merit of the Free State of Saxony awarded to Prof. Hans Wiesmeth and Prof. Hans-Egbert Schröder
Minister-President Kretschmer honors outstanding service to the Free State of Saxony
On June 23, 2026, at Albrechtsburg Castle in Meissen, Minister-President Michael Kretschmer awarded the Order of Merit of the Free State of Saxony to 13 individuals whose work is closely linked to Saxony. Among those honored were TU Dresden professors emeriti Hans-Egbert Schröder and Hans Wiesmeth, the former Vice Rector Research. The Saxon Order of Merit is the highest state distinction awarded by the Free State of Saxony.
Prof. Hans Wiesmeth
Minister-President Kretschmer (right) presents the Order of Merit of the Free State of Saxony to Prof. Hans Wiesmeth.
Prof. Hans Wiesmeth (76) distinguished himself through his great professional dedication and many years of volunteer work for Saxony’s scientific community. Through his work in both research and teaching, as well as his role as former President of the Saxon Academy of Sciences and Humanities, he has been a versatile leader and a key figure in academic management. In this capacity, he served as Rector of HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, as Vice-Rector Research at TU Dresden from 1993 to 2000, and as President of Dresden International University. His dedication to supporting early-career researchers deserves special recognition. As part of his voluntary work with the Association for the Promotion of Students at TU Dresden, he has served on the board of trustees for the Georg Helm Prize since 2000. In this role, he has evaluated a large number of academic theses and actively participated in the award ceremonies.
Prof. Hans-Egbert Schröder
Prof. Hans-Egbert Schröder (left) receives the Order of Merit of the Free State of Saxony from Minister-President Kretschmer.
Prof. Hans-Egbert Schröder (86) played a decisive role in shaping Saxony’s healthcare system. Beginning in 1993, he served as Director of Medical Clinic III at the Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine of TU Dresden and is one of the founding fathers of the Saxon State Medical Association and the Saxon Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. However, his contributions to the Free State extend far beyond healthcare. For decades, he has been passionately committed to Saxon art and culture. Among other activities, he has carried out valuable voluntary research and exhibition work as a board member of the “Forum Mitteldeutsche Kunst 20. Jahrhundert e. V.” (Forum for Central German Art of the 20th Century) and within the „Neuen Sächsischen Kunstverein e. V.“ (New Saxon Art Association). Prof. Schröder uniquely combines pioneering achievements in medicine with remarkable dedication to the visual arts.
Background:
The Saxon Order of Merit is the highest state award in Saxony. With this award, the Free State of Saxony honors individuals who have demonstrated outstanding commitment in the political, economic, cultural, social or volunteer fields. The Order of Merit was established in 1996 and first awarded on October 27, 1997. It can be awarded to individuals from Germany or other countries who have rendered outstanding services to the Free State of Saxony and the people living here. Since its establishment, the Saxon Order of Merit has been awarded 419 times.