In 1952 Professor Helmut Dietrich was born in Friedrichsthal. Between 1971 and 1977 he studied Chemistry at the University of the Saarland in Saarbrücken. In 1980 he completed his doctoral thesis on alcohol dehydrogenase. After working as a Post Doc on a DFG-funded project (German research association) on electron spin resonance of copper proteins, in November 1981 he became research assistant with the former Department of Wine Chemistry and Beverage Research of “Forschungsanstalt Geisenheim” (now Hochschule Geisenheim University). Since 1990 he had been professor and head of the Department of Wine Analysis and Beverage Research. From 2010 to 2012 he was deputy head of Forschungsanstalt Geisenheim.
Professor Dietrich was particularly interested in developing analytical methods for wines and beverages, fruit juice technology, polysaccharide- and colloidal chemistry, enzyme technology, beverage stabilization and secondary plant substances in fruits and vegetables. Most recently his research has focused on the aging of wines and fruit juices. Professor Dietrich is on several wine and fruit juice committees and for many years he was chairman of the scientific-technical committee of the International Fruit and Vegetable Association (IFU).
Professor Dietrich was a passionate teacher. From 1982 to 2012 he taught at the Fachhochschule Wiesbaden, now Hochschule Rhein-Main, since 2013 at Hochschule Geisenheim University and from 1985 to 2008 he gave lectures in food chemistry at the University of Frankfurt. He taught Bachelor and Master students in the Beverage Technology and Enology degree programs and gave lectures on fruit juices, alcohol and spirits, food law, non-alcoholic beverage technology and enzyme technology. Professor Hans Reiner Schultz, President of Hochschule Geisenheim University described Professor Dietrich as being "practice-oriented, always willing to pass on his immense knowledge to students. For 37 years Professor Dietrich has been a true “Geisenheimer” and is one of the most widely published scientists in Germany’s food industry”. Professor Schultz thanked Dietrich on behalf of the University for his commitment. He is succeeded by Professor Ralf Schweiggert.
Perhaps due to his other passion – beekeeping – Professor Dietrich is still as busy as a bee. Congratulations on your retirement and best wishes from Hochschule Geisenheim University and your colleagues in the Department of Beverage Research.
