Archaeologist Prof. em. Dr. Volker Michael Strocka has passed away

One of the leading figures in the field of Classical Archaeology, esteemed academic Prof. em. Dr. Volker Michael Strocka, has died at the age of 84. The Department of Classical Archaeology at the University of Freiburg mourns

He was a distinguished scholar known for his research on the wall paintings of the Terrace Houses in Ephesus, his significant contribution to the reconstruction of the Library of Celsus, and his work on documenting residential areas in Pompeii, making substantial contributions to the world of archaeology. We will always remember him for his benevolent character, tolerant demeanor, his contributions to the development of the Classical Archaeology discipline in Türkiye, and his groundbreaking approaches that merged the studies of "Architectural History" and "Architectural Structures" in this field.

On August 14, 2024, Prof. em. Dr. Volker Michael Strocka, Professor of Classical Archaeology at the University of Freiburg from 1981 to 2005, passed away at the age of 84. After receiving his doctorate in Freiburg in 1965, Volker Michael Strocka was an assistant at the Ruhr University in Bochum, where he qualified as a professor on the wall paintings of the hillside houses in Ephesus in 1973. After working as first director at the German Archaeological Institute in Berlin, he was appointed to Freiburg in 1981. He played a key role in the research and reconstruction of the Celsus Library in Ephesus. The research into the Roman wall paintings of Pompeii and the presentation of important findings on this are among his lasting achievements, along with many other studies. From Freiburg, he led excavations in Thugga and Nysa. The re-establishment of the Archaeological Collection at the University of Freiburg in 1981 goes back to him. In Freiburg he was Dean and Chairman of the Senate; he was active in many professional associations and research funding institutions.

The employees and colleagues of the Department of Classical Archaeology at the University of Freiburg i. Br. said "With Volker Michael Strocka we are losing a colleague who did a lot for Classical Archaeology and had a decisive influence on the subject at the University of Freiburg - a scientist who worked tirelessly for research and was always critical. We will remember him with gratitude and honor."