Alexander Holschneider is 65 Years Old

Alexander Holschneider can look back on 37 eventful and successful years in pediatric surgery. His career began with Prof. Oberniedermayr at the Dr. von Haunerschen Children's Hospital in Munich in 1968. After a short time with Prof. Joppich in Goettingen, he returned to Munich in 1969, and became senior consultant under Prof. Hecker in 1974, and associate professor of pediatric surgery in 1979. He was Director of the Department of Pediatric Surgery of the Children's Hospital of the City of Cologne, from 1984 until August, 2005, when he retired at a scientific symposium arranged in his honor.

The Children's Hospital in Cologne has become a well-known center of pediatric surgery, especially for newborns and complex malformations, through Prof. Holschneider's efforts. He was always a strong supporter of specialized training on a high level, and of future concepts concerning the discussion about centralized versus decentralized pediatric surgery. As director of “his” clinic and champion for a strong pediatric surgery, he always supported maintaining the wide spectrum of pediatric surgery in Germany.

Alexander Holschneider is both nationally and internationally well-known. As senior consultant of a non-university clinic of pediatric surgery, his publication list is more than comparable to the lists of his university colleagues. His publication list includes 123 articles listed in Medline, and numerous books and standard editions on Hirschsprung's disease and anorectal malformations. He initiated a large number of cooperations with German and foreign universities, especially with Prof. Meier-Ruge in Basel.

For his research work he was twice awarded the Drachter prize, which represents the highest pediatric surgical price in Germany. He was honored for his international activities with the chairmanship of both British and French societies of pediatric surgery, and with the honorary membership of the Greek and South African pediatric surgical associations.

Alexander Holschneider is the editor-in-chief of the European Journal of Pediatric Surgery since 22 years, having taken over in 1983 from Prof. Rehbein, who was at the time the editor of the “Zeitschrift für Kinderchirurgie”. Today, through Prof. Holschneider's efforts, the journal is the official periodical of 22 European pediatric surgical societies and EUPSA.

We know Alexander Holschneider from innumerable congresses, symposia and workshops as an uncompromizing fighter for good academic standards in pediatric surgery. He himself organized numerous national and international events, the last being the Krickenbeck Consensus Conference on Anorectal Malformations. Alexander Holschneider will retain his influence in pediatric surgery through his activities for the European Journal of Pediatric Surgery and as delegate and member of the Management Councils of UEMS.

Dear Alex, very best wishes for the coming years to you and your family.