TU Dresden Medal of Honor
Recipients of the TUD Medal of Honor
A medal of honor can be awarded for services of various kinds to the well-being of TU Dresden rendered by natural or legal persons, inside or outside the university. These merits relate to special achievements for sub-areas of the university, are directed towards a limited period of the university's development in terms of their temporal influence or relate to individual university tasks. The award of the Medal of Honor is to be regarded as the final recognition of an achievement.
v.l.n.r. Kanzler, Prof. Gerhard Ehninger, Rektorin
(32) Prof. Dr. Gerhard Ehninger (on the initiative of Honorary Senator Prof. Dr. Hans Müller-Steinhagen and the Dean of the Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine Prof. Dr. Esther Troost, awarded on 22 May 2025)
During his work at the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus from 1994 to 2018 and since his retirement, Prof. Dr. Gerhard Ehninger has made excellent scientific, economic and social achievements - not only for the benefit of patients and for the development of university medicine in Dresden, but for the entire TUD, the scientific location of Dresden and the state of Saxony. His achievements as a haematologist, oncologist, scientist and socially committed stakeholder are outstanding. In his role as Director of the Medical Clinic I of the Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Prof. Ehninger not only revolutionized patient care, but also built TUD's university medicine into an international center of excellence for haematology and oncology. During his time as Chief Physician at the UKD, he developed procedures and databases for the early detection and treatment of cancer, which led to the founding of several successful companies. Prof. Ehninger was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit together with Prof. Wirth for his commitment and his competent planning and leadership during the flood in 2002. In addition to his professional achievements, Prof. Ehninger is a personality who has always stood up for social cohesion and against intolerance. With his commitment to a cosmopolitan and tolerant Dresden, including the establishment of the Cellex Foundation and the "Dresden - Place to be" association or as the initiator of "Dresden isst bunt" (Dresden eats colorfully), he has not only left a lasting mark on science, but also on the values of society.
v.l.n.r. Kanzler, Prof. Dr. Andreas Roloff, Rektorin
(33) Prof. Dr. Andreas Roloff (at the request of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, awarded on 22 May 2025)
Prof. Dr. Andreas Roloff, Senior Professor of Tree Biology in the Faculty of Environmental Sciences at TUD, has been Director of the Institute of Forest Botany and Forest Zoology for many years and has carried out educational work in addition to his scientific activities. Since 1994, he has managed the Forest Botanical Garden in Tharandt, successfully campaigned for its preservation and its expansion to include the "North America section", thus helping to write part of the history of TUD Dresden University of Technology. Today, the Forest Botanical Garden is an internationally unique teaching and research object for students and scientists as well as a visitor attraction. In addition to his scientific work, Prof. Roloff has repeatedly initiated and supported environmental education programs, including for daycare centers and schools, as well as planting campaigns with sponsorships. He is also actively involved in the initiative to protect national heritage trees. In 2024, Prof. Roloff was awarded the Order of Merit of the Free State of Saxony.
Rektorin, Prof. Dr. Karl Lenz, Kanzler (v.l.n.r.)
(31) Prof. Dr. Karl Lenz (Antrag des Rektorats), Verleihung am 23. Juni 2023
Prof. Karl Lenz received the Medal of Honor as a key initiator and source of inspiration for the quality management of studies and teaching at TU Dresden. For over a decade, the sociologist served as director of the Center for Quality Analysis, for which he developed instruments, strategies and structures since 1995. These are continually developed and refined at the Competence Center for Education and University Research, which he co-founded. The methods developed by Prof. Lenz have had a substantial impact on course management at the university. In 2008, his Dresden alumni study was extended to all state-run universities in Saxony, including universities of applied science. In addition, Karl Lenz served as Vice-Rector Academic Affairs and Vice-Rector for University Development at TU Dresden, helping to shape the university in a profound way over the course of ten years.
(30) Prof. Peter Paufler (proposed by the Faculty of Physics), awarded on July 13, 2022
(29) Prof. Dr. Stefan Bornstein (proposed by the Faculty of Medicine), awarded on October 4, 2021, at the TU Dresden Festival
(27)
Dr. Eva-Maria Stange (proposed by the University Executive Board), awarded on July 8, 2020, in the Senate
Prof. Winfried Hacker (proposed by the Faculty of Psychology), awarded on July 8, 2020, before the Senate in the Rector’s Office
(26)
Prof. Horst Hartmann (proposed by the Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry), awarded on September 18, 2019, on the occasion of a tour of the dye collection with the Senate
(25)
Andreas Heinz (proposed by the University Sports Center), awarded on November 30, 2017, Athletics Honors TU Dresden
(23)
Prof. Alexander Andreeff, awarded on April 2, 2012, at the kick-off of the Senior Academy's Summer Semester (80th birthday)
(24)
Rudolf Kühne (proposed by Faculty of Transport Sciences), awarded on November 9, 2012, on the occasion of “Friedrich List” Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences Day
(20)
Prof. Jürgen Stritzke (proposed by the Faculty of Civil Engineering), awarded on March 16, 2010, on the occasion of the 20th Dresden Bridge Construction Symposium
(21)
Viola Klein (proposed by the Faculty of Computer Science), awarded on April 23, 2010, on the occasion of the OUTPUT event at the Faculty of Computer Science
(22)
Prof. Gottfried Fritzsche (Proposed by the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering), awarded on November 5, 2010, on the occasion of the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering Day
(19)
Dr. Rolf Dietzel (proposed by the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering), awarded on October 26, 2009, on the occasion of a faculty event for his 75th birthday.
(16)
Ingvild Goetz (proposed by the Faculty of Science), awarded on October 16, 2008, on the occasion of the 1st Symposium on Eating Disorders
(17)
Dr. Stephan Goetz (proposed by the Faculty of Science), awarded on October 16, 2008, on the occasion of the first Symposium on Eating Disorders
(18)
Dr. Walter Seipp (proposed by the University Executive Board), awarded on November 7, 2008, on the occasion of the presentation of the Commerzbank Awards 2008
(15)
Dipl.-Ing. Rudolf Koller (proposed by the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences), awarded on February 3, 2006, at an event held by the Faculty of Economics
(13)
Wilhelm von Carlowitz (proposed by the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Law, and the Faculty of Business and Economics), awarded on December 12, 2005, on the occasion of the Commerzbank Awards Ceremony
(14)
Prof. Horst W. Endriss (proposed by the Faculty of Business and Economics), awarded on January 25, 2006, at a faculty event
(11)
Dipl.-Ing. Jörg Thielges (Faculty of Computer Science), awarded on June 22, 2004, on the occasion of the IBM presentation
(12)
Wolfgang R. Assmann, awarded on October 8, 2004, on the occasion of the enrollment of TUD Quandt scholarship holders
(10)
Prof. Klaus Steffens (proposed by the Faculty of Civil Engineering), awarded on March 13 on the occasion of the Bridge Construction Symposium
(9)
Prof. Günther W. Tumm on November 22, the 10th anniversary of the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences
(8)
Prof. Dr. Karl Petzold (proposed by the Faculty of Architecture), awarded on May 16 on the occasion of his 75th birthday (honorary colloquium)
(3)
Prof. Dietrich Schulze (proposed by the Faculty of Science), awarded on May 16 on the occasion of the Physics Colloquium of the Department of Physics
(4)
Prof. Wilhelm Albrecht (proposed by the Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering), awarded on June 28 on the occasion of the 5th Dresden Textile Conference
(5)
Dipl.-Ing. Herbert Krippendorf (proposed by the Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering and the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences), awarded on September 28 on the occasion of his 100th birthday
(6)
Prof. Erwin Gniza (proposed by the Faculty of Science), awarded on October 18 after his 90th birthday
(7)
Prof. Günter Zumpe (proposed by the Faculty of Civil Engineering), awarded on October 27 at the Faculty Day of the Faculty of Civil Engineering
(1)
Prof. Arthur Vogel (proposed by the Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering), awarded on October 5, 1999, on the occasion of the honorary colloquium for Prof. Vogel’s 90th anniversary
(2)
Erich Geiger, awarded on October 8 at the Seniors' Academy's 1999/2000 winter semester kick-off