Professor Dr. Wilfried Andrä was among the first employees of the Institute for Magnetic Materials, from which today’s Leibniz IPHT emerged.

Born in 1923 in Weimar, Wilfried Andrä earned his doctorate at the University of Jena in 1957 and was awarded the title of “Doctor of Natural Sciences” by the Technical University of Dresden in 1970. In 1969, he was appointed professor at the German Academy of Sciences in Berlin and worked at the predecessor institutes of Leibniz IPHT until his retirement, at times serving as director.

Wilfried Andrä was an internationally recognized expert in the field of solid-state magnetism (domains, thin films, information storage, high-temperature superconductivity, micromagnetism). His research findings gained worldwide recognition, and through numerous collaborations with international colleagues, he helped to establish the institute’s reputation beyond national borders.

After his retirement, his primary interest shifted toward the application of magnetism in medicine, particularly in magnetic marker monitoring, magnetically induced drug release, and magnetic hyperthermia. He continued his research in these fields for more than 20 years after retiring, both at Leibniz IPHT and EAH Jena, where he successfully mentored doctoral candidates and students.

We will remember his contributions to the development and establishment of Leibniz IPHT with gratitude. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and all who were close to him. His work and achievements remain an important part of our institute’s history.