The Fakulty of Mathematics and Physics at the University of Stuttgart mourn the
death of
Prof. em. Dr. Bodo Volkmann
16.04.1929 - 18.08.2022
Bodo Volkmann was born in Berlin on April 16, 1929. After graduating from high school in East
Berlin in 1946, he studied mathematics, physics and philosophy in Göttingen, passing the state
examination in 1950. This was followed by a doctorate with Hans Rohrbach at the University of Mainz
in 1951 and a habilitation in 1955. In 1964 he was appointed to a mathematics chair at the
University (then TH) of Stuttgart, which he held until his retirement in 1994. His range of
courses, which were readily accepted by students, was extensive. His scientific work focused on
analytic number theory, metric and probabilistic number theory, and dimension theory. His Erdös
number is 1.
Research and teaching stays in the USA (Princeton, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Honolulu) and
in France (Bordeaux, Marseille) were inspiring for him and the visiting colleagues (e.g.
introduction of the so-called Billingsley dimension by the probability theorist (and actor) Patrick
Billingsley). Of his doctoral students in number and dimension theory and measure and probability
theory, five also became university professors.
As part of his university political activities, Mr. Volkmann was a member of the
Grundordnungskommission and the Senate of the University of Stuttgart and a contact person for the
German University Association.
In addition to his job and family, his wide-ranging interests concerned educational,
philosophical and religious issues, to which he devoted himself on extensive lecture tours,
especially after his retirement, and in essays and books. In organizational terms, he was active,
among other things, as a member of the board of the Christian Youth Village Association of Germany
(CJD). He initiated the Mathematics on Science Day competitions for pupils at the University of
Stuttgart, which are still offered by the department for pupils.
Until the last months of his life he kept up his manifold contacts, among others he was an
active member of the Association of Friends of Mathematics of the University of Stuttgart.
With Mr. Volkmann, we lose a dedicated and kind colleague who was highly esteemed both
professionally and personally. The Faculty of Mathematics and Physics thanks the deceased for his
many years of collegial work.