Friends and Colleagues Celebrate Christof Mauch

On Friday, 10 July, Christof Mauch celebrated the culmination of his long and successful career with friends and colleagues at the Evangelische Akademie in Tutzing. Amidst soft summer breezes across the lake, a crowd of 300 well-wishers gathered to participate in festivities dedicated to Christof’s expansive reach as a scholar, a mentor, and a friend.

The celebrations opened with an introduction from Lena Engel, the managing director of the Rachel Carson Center, and a greeting from Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Matthias H. Tschöp, president of LMU Munich, who spoke on Christof’s leadership, vision, and impact. Although only a few friends and colleagues were asked to speak, many took the stage to laud his long career, including Prof. Dr. Francesca Biagini, an LMU vice president; Prof. Dr. Gregg Mitman of the University of Wisconsin-Madison; Prof. Dr. Shen Hou of Peking University; Prof. Dr. Charlotte Lerg of Christof’s second home at the Amerika-Institut and Lasky Center for Transatlantic Studies at LMU; clarinetist, composer, and author David Rothenberg; Prof. Dr. Katie Ritson of the University of California, Berkeley; Prof. Dr. Robert Gioielli of the KTH Environmental Humanities Lab; Dr. Pavla Šimkova of the Collegium Carolinum; Malin Klinski, Michael Stehling, and Jonas Stuck, representing the Rachel Carson Center Alumni Association; Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Donald Worster of the University of Kansas; Prof. Dr. John Agbonifo of Osun State University; Prof. Dr. Dirk Schumann of the University of Göttingen; Prof. Dr. Abosede Omowumi Babatunde of the University of Ilorin; Prof. Dr. Wolfram Mauser of LMU; Prof. Dr. Sule Emmanuel Egya of the University of Duisburg-Essen; and Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Sverker Sörlin of KTH Royal Institute of Technology.

All spoke to Christof’s big heart, great energy, curiosity of thought, collaborative creativity, drive to create community, generosity of support and spirit, and lasting leadership. Tributes included the unrolling, recitation, and translation of a Chinese poem composed for the occasion; humorous and appreciative mention of Christof’s “goal-orientated nonlinear thinking”; a live jazz clarinet improvisation to accompany local birdsong; the publication of The Lexicon of Mauch Studies by the “Global Association of Mauchian Lexicographers” and the White Horse Press; a replica of the bronze bust of wise Queen Idia of the ancient Benin Kingdom; a poem composed in part by Starnbergersee; and many stories of Christof’s adventures on horseback, down rivers, in gastronomy, song, and in expanding boundaries across arenas.

The evening’s honoree thanked speakers and guests, and gave the closing address. Christof spoke to his journey as a scholar, his peripatetic life, and all he intends to do upon his so-called retirement, proving that, as he stated, an end can indeed be a beginning.

The evening concluded with long laughter and conversation, accompanied by bubbles, light bites, and ice cream on the charming grounds of the Akademie.

Congratulations again to Christof on your fruitful and vibrant career. We thank you for many years of care, generosity, and unstoppable enthusiasm.