Dr. jur. Hartmut Dieterich

Dieterich spent several years in business until 1966, when he was assigned to the Land Planning Office of the City of Stuttgart. Geodesists mostly consider themselves an exclusive circle; anyone who has not studied surveying is not well liked in a profession typical of geodesy. Dieterich, by his own admission, managed to be accepted as a "booty surveyor." From 1973 to 1977, Dieterich worked as a consultant for the law and practice of land evaluation at the Ministry of Construction in Bonn. In 1977, Dieterich succeeded Walter Seele, first as a departmental deputy and then as an appointed university professor. Through his publications, lectures and studies, Dieterich quickly gained an excellent reputation as an expert in land readjustment and valuation (e.g. Dieterich 1980; Dieterich, Hoffmann & Junius 1981; Dieterich & Junius 1981; Dieterich et al. 1985; Dieterich 1990; Dieterich 1991; Dieterich, Dransfeld & Voß 1993a; Dieterich, Dransfeld & Voß 1993b; Dieterich et al. 1993). In 1984/85, Dieterich assumed the position of Dean of the Department of Spatial Planning. He became best known as the author of the standard handbook "Baulandumlegung" (land reallocation), which was published in 1984 in its first edition and in 2006 in its 5^th edition (Dieterich 2006). Scientifically innovative was especially the six-volume series "European urban land & property markets" edited by Dieterich, Williams and Wood (both: University of Newcastle) (Dieterich, Williams & Wood 1993-1996). Long before "internationalization" became a buzzword at German universities, Dieterich was researching comparative land policy - with contributions on land regulation and property markets in the Netherlands, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy.

The scientific staff also included some geodesists under Dieterich, but then increasingly spatial planners: Dipl.-Ing. Peter Kuhlmann (geodesist, from 1978 to 1985); Dr.-Ing. Gerd Geuenich (geodesist, at VBO from 1981 to 1987; dissertation: "Wohnbauland durch Flurbereinigung [Geuenich 1986]) together with Dr.- Ing. Bodo Steiner (spatial planner, from 1979 to 1987; dissertation topic: "Quartiers und ihre planerische Bewertung: eine Untersuchung zur Typisierung und Ausgrenzung städtischer Quartiere in gründerzeitlichen Stadterweiterungsgebieten"); Brigitte Hower together with Geuenich; Dr.- Ing. Reinhard Scholland (spatial planner, from 1982 to 1988; dissertation topic: "Road traffic noise in residential areas," 1988); Dr.-Ing. Armin Lutze (spatial planner, 1982 to 1988; "Value development of listed properties" [Lutze 1988]); Dr.-Ing. Franz-Josef Lemmen (geodesist, 1988 to 1994; dissertation topic: "Building land through urban development measures" [Lemmen 1993]).

The first scientific assistants were Dagmar Joeris and Monika Teigel. The geodesist Dr.-Ing. Dagmar Joeris worked at the Chair of VBO from 1987 to 1994 and received her PhD in 1994 on the topic "The historical relationship between land consolidation and nature conservation/landscape management". Ms Joeris returned to the chair during the transition period between Dieterich (VBO) and Davy (BBV). The geodesist Dr.-Ing. Monika Teigel worked at the chair from 1994 to 2000 and received her doctorate in 1999 on the topic "Land readjustment for compensation areas. - Reallocation as a Means of the Polluter Pays Principle" (Teigel 2000).

Other scientific collaborators of Professor Dieterich were Dr.-Ing. Winrich Voß (geodesist, from 1988 to 1894; doctoral thesis: "Functioning of urban land markets in member states of the European Community", 1994; later professor for land and real estate management at the Geodetic Institute of the Leibniz University of Hannover), Dr.- Ing. Egbert Dransfeld together with Heinz Kobs (spatial planner, from 1988 to 1994; doctoral thesis: "Functioning of urban land markets in member states of the European Community", 1993) later owner of the engineering office "IBoMa-Institut für Bodenmanagement" in Dortmund) as well as Dipl.-Ing. Wolfgang Göllner (geodesist, from 1994 to 1996).

In his memoirs, Dieterich arrives at a remarkable assessment that many university teachers would probably agree with: "And this brings me to the observation that professors are much envied, but not for their most important privilege: namely, to have constant contact with bright young people; many, no, all of the dissertations at my chair have helped me to gain essential insights and knowledge" (Dieterich 2002: 7). Dieterich (2002: 5) also emphasizes the close collaboration with his wife Beate, née Buchwald. Their book on sustainable land policy, jointly published as volume 119 of Bauwelt Fundamente, is an impressive testimony to this (Dieterich & Dieterich 1997). In July 1996 Hartmut Dieterich emeritus to see together with the rector of the University of Dortmund, University Professor Dr. Klein together with his wife Beate at the walkout at the chair.

Previously, Dieterich and some assistants had founded the Institute for Soil Management - an expert office based in Dortmund. The term "soil management" was also included in the new chair title. However, the faculty council was probably not entirely comfortable with releasing the chair without limitation into the realm of management - which was (mis)understood as being purely for private benefit. Land management was framed by two terms that were intended to emphasize more clearly the turn toward the public interest in land. The new name of the chair was: Bodenpolitik, Bodenmanagement und kommunales Vermessungswesen (BBV)!