Fresenius J Anal Chem (1993) 346:391 Fresenius' Journal of

Editorial

@ Springer-Verlag 1993

To Professor Viliam Krivan, on his 60th Birthday Karlheinz Ballschmiter

Professor Viliam Krivan, Head of the Department of Analy- sis of High Purity Materials of the University of Ulm celebrated his 60th birthday on the 10th of February, 1993. A week later he completed his 20th year at the University of Ulm.

Prof. Krivan was born in Sklene Teplice in Central Slo- vakia. In 1952, after school and apprenticeship as a chemical engineer, he began his further studies in chemistry at the Slovakian Technical University in Bratislava; these led to his Diploma (Masters Degree) in 1957 and to a distinction in the degree "Candidate of Chemical Sciences" in 1964. (This is equivalent to Dr.rer.nat or PhD). In 1966 Professor Krivan received a lectureship at the Komenius University in Brad- slava in Radiochemistry and a year later became Reader in Analytical Chemistry. In 1968/9 he received a visiting bur- sary from the Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung to visit the Chemical Institute of the University of Freiburg and work in the Analytical Chemistry Department. He learned of the end of the "Prague Spring" during a visit with his wife and son to the Nuclear Research Centre in Karlsruhe. After much hesi- tation and soul searching Professor Krivan accepted the invi- tation from Professor T61g to lead the Radioanalytical Labo- ratory at the Max Planck Institute for Metal Research in Schwibisch Gmind . The price to be paid was that the family

had to leave the country they loved. Together with the scien- tific work at the Max Planck Institute came the call, on 16th February 1973, to become first an external Reader in Radio- chemistry and subsequently, in 1975, Professor for Analyti- cal Chemistry at the University of Ulm. As Professor he was also Director of the Section for Analysis of High Purity Materials. At Ulm, Professor Krivan's fruitful, broad-based scientific work in the area of trace element analysis really began to blossom; in particular radiochemical and spectro- scopic methods were applied, with great success, to the anal- ysis of impurities in ultra pure metals and, more recently, to the analysis of traces of metals in minerals. "At different times, Professor Krivan has held the "world record" for ultra trace analysis in at least twelve different areas". (Quote from Professor Cammann (Minster) at the Birthday Celebration for Professor Krivan).

In recognition of his achievements, Professor Krivan has worked as Invited Professor at the Texas A & M University and the University of Michigan. Prof. Krivan is author of over 200 original papers and of numerous chapters in books; he is much sought after as a Plenary Lecturer at conferences. He has played a significant role in the development of the student courses in Analytical Chemistry at the University of Ulm; this has ensured that Germany has continued to occupy a leading position in Analytical Chemistry world- wide. Professor Ballschmiter and his colleagues talk particu- larly of his enthusiasm, his desire for theoretically well- founded work and his fruitful and collegial cooperation.

In his private life, Professor Krivan loves to play tennis and other sports; he is known locally as a woodsman, at least in providing the fuel for the family's stove. Although now totally at home in Ulm, Professor Krivan's experience of the West German political system and the previous totalitarian system of his homeland, have made the developments in Czechoslovakia since the downfall of communism particu- larly painful and disappointing. He has kept and continued to foster contact with many colleagues in Czechoslovakia; this is now leading to fruitful cooperation in both the new states. It was interesting that at his birthday celebration, three of the first four speakers were from Czechoslovakia or had visited the country many times.

The present volume is part of the Birthday Tribute to Professor Krivan in the form of 11 papers provided by col- leagues and former students. Together with the four lectures presented at the Colloquium held at Ulm in his honour, it represents a little of the acclaim in which the Analytical Community holds Professor Viliam Krivan.