Prepared for the Future?

With the beginning of the year 2009, Johannes Schramm hands over the position of editor of Zentralblatt für Neurochirurgie – Central European Neurosurgery.

The Zentralblatt für Neurochirurgie was founded in 1936 by the German neurosurgeon W. Tönnies, but remained fairly unnoticed for decades by neurosurgeons outside of Germany especially after 1945. The journal's relative obscurity was short-lived after Johannes Schramm became editor. Recognizing that the scientific world speaks English today, Johannes Schramm only considered manuscripts written in English for publication. The Zentralblatt für Neurochirurgie subsequently became increasingly accessible and appealing to neurosurgeons abroad, with a growing number of international manuscripts submitted and published and a rising impact factor.

Reflecting its newer international character was a change in name: The Zentralblatt für Neurochirurgie became Central European Neurosurgery.

Today Central European Neurosurgery is well prepared for the future, thanks to the never ending dedication of Johannes Schramm. It is an honour for me to follow him in the position of editor, but simultaneously a challenge: as the journal's profile continues to rise among neurosurgeons in and outside of Europe, we must capture this momentum and continue to strive for improvement and progress. I hope that you, the readers and authors of Central European Neurosurgery, will support me on this undertaking.

Veit Rohde

Correspondence