Professor Gerhard Lausberg

Prof. Gerhard Lausberg

On June 5, 2016, Professor Gerhard Lausberg died unexpectedly at his home in Bochum/Germany. He was born July 7, 1927, in Lennep/Remscheid. After his graduation from school in Chemnitz, he served in the German Luftwaffe during the last years of World War II. He was kept prisoner in Poland until 1946.

In 1948 he began his study of medicine at the University of Bonn and graduated on December 18, 1953. He spent the years that followed as a medical trainee within the psychiatric and several surgical wards. He received his doctoral degree for the publication of Folgezustände der Fleckfieberencephalitis.

From 1959 to 1962, Lausberg completed his fellowship in neurosurgery under the tutelage of Professor Ruf at the Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe-University of Frankfurt. On July 27, 1962, he finished his studies and could practice on his own. He continued his academic interests with Professor Pia at the Justus-Liebig-University Giessen and finished his research with the publication of Zentrale Störungen der Temperaturregulation. He was promoted to full professor in 1971.

In 1974, Lausberg worked for a transitional period as provisional head of the neurosurgical department of the Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg.

Two years later, he became head of the neurosurgical department at Knappschaftskankenhaus Bochum-Langendreer. From 1977 on, he conducted his work as a university professor at the University of Bochum. He was a very committed university teacher and also served as a member of the university senate from 1989 to 1992. During that period of time he took care that clinicians as well as researchers focused on spine surgery as their first priority.

For many years, Lausberg headed a subgroup within the German Society for Neurosurgery (DGNC) called “Operative Probleme im Bereich der Halswirbelsäule.” Later on, the group renamed themselves “Sektion Wirbelsäule der DGNC.” Lausberg was an elected board member of the DGNC from 1984 to 1992.

He retired on July 31, 1992. For his great work and his commitment, Lausberg became an honorary member of both the German and the Austrian Society of Neurosurgery.

Lausberg was a very charismatic man and always very engaged in all neurosurgical topics. He was one of the founding members in 1989 of the Berufsverband deutscher Neurochirurgen (BDNC) as well as a board member until 1993.

Although having been retired for years, Lausberg still took part in many scientific meetings and symposia. He always inspired people as they pondered scientific as well as ethical questions.

Professor Lausberg was married to Dr. med. Chr. Lausberg (a specialist in otolaryngology) who had died some years before.