The IfB mourns the death of Professor Horst Weishaupt
Obituary
It is with deep sorrow that we bid farewell to
Professor Dr em. Horst Weishaupt
Head of the "Centre for Educational Research and Teacher Training" (2005-2008), which a few years later became today's Institute for Educational Research in the School of Education.
*02.11.1947 †03.02.2025
For Horst Weishaupt, empirical research was never about 'recognising the power of the factual' (Heinrich Roth), but was always associated with the demand for a critical classification and necessary further development of the given. As a pioneer and influential co-editor of the German Education Report, Horst Weishaupt tirelessly contributed to critically scrutinising the apparent realities of the German educational landscape. His work uncovered systematic contradictions and disruptions and brought previously unnoticed and unknown facts to the attention of the scientific and political public.
Horst Weishaupt's interests were wide-ranging and included analyses of national education policy development, studies on school structure, questions of school network planning and education economics. He attached particular importance to comprehensive and reliable data, which formed a sound basis for scientific diagnoses and recommendations to politicians. Throughout his life, he was characterised by a data-based commitment to a democratic, high-quality and equitable education system and to the development of a highly qualified educational research infrastructure.
In Horst Weishaupt, we have lost not only an outstanding and highly recognised academic, but also a valued colleague and friend. With his special calmness, friendliness and approachability and his tireless support of students, staff and early career researchers, he characterised the places where he worked and created an atmosphere of open exchange, appreciation and academic curiosity.
You can find the obituary of the University of Wuppertal here.
