The DMG mourns the loss of Klaus Keil, who passed away on 26 February 2022 at the age of 87.

Born in Hamburg in 1934, Klaus Keil, an Honorary Member of the DMG, grew up in Jena, where he studied mineralogy and chemistry at Friedrich Schiller University. Shortly before the construction of the Berlin Wall, he fled to Mainz, where he completed his doctorate at Johannes Gutenberg University. After several further appointments in the United States, he was appointed Professor of Geology at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, where he also became Director of the Institute of Meteoritics. In 1990, Klaus Keil was appointed Professor of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in Honolulu, where he later served for many years as both Director of the department and Dean.

Throughout his career, Klaus Keil devoted himself to the study of meteorites, particularly chondrites. In recognition of his countless and outstanding contributions to mineralogical research, the DMG awarded him the Abraham Gottlob Werner Silver Medal in 2014 and elected him an Honorary Member in 2020. A more detailed account of his scientific achievements can be found in a separate article.

After 69 years of membership, the DMG has lost a great scientist, internationally recognized as a pioneer in his field. We will honor his memory with deep gratitude.

F. von Blanckenburg
on behalf of the DMG Executive Board