Dr. Manfred Gentz was awarded the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Medal at the beginning of February on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Gesellschaft an der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin e. V. (WWG). It is awarded to outstanding personalities in social life who have rendered outstanding services to the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
Gentz, a law graduate and long-time employee of the Daimler-Benz Group, has not only been committed to Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, but to the scientific and cultural landscape of Berlin as a whole. Added to this is his commitment to humanitarian causes, especially the rights of forced labourers under National Socialism and international understanding with Israel.
Commitment to the preservation of Humboldt-Universität
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Gentz was also involved in the reorganisation of the university and research landscape in Berlin and was a member of a working group of the Berlin Senate, which was tasked with examining the merger of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, among other things. "Manfred Gentz was explicitly against a merger at the time. He was of the opinion that two autonomous universities - through healthy competition on the one hand and cooperation on the other - would create the best conditions for excellence in teaching and research in Berlin," emphasised HU President Julia von Blumenthal at the celebration in the Heilig-Geist-Kapelle. "We would probably not be celebrating this festive event in this constellation today if Manfred Gentz had not worked against the merger back then." He has maintained his special relationship with the HU over the years as Chairman of the Friends of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration - the WWG - and has also been involved in the restoration of the Heilig-Geist-Kapelle. He will remain associated with the HU, the faculty and its students as honorary chairman of the WWG.