60th Annual Conference

The 60th Annual Conference of the AGMS/DEÄV was held from Thursday 5 September to Sunday 8 September in Hamburg.

On Thursday evening we had the pleasure of welcoming Professor Klaus Püschel, Department Chair of the Department of Legal Medicine at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) who delighted us with his talk on the subject of Klaus Störtebeker.

Since then we have repeatedly seen him on German TV in programmes about legal medicine or solving cold cases.

Our first short sundowner at the Zeppelin Hotel brought our most enjoyable evening to a close.

Friday began with a guided tour of Hamburg City Hall.

After walking around a coach was waiting to take us to the highlight of the day, an Airbus factory tour in Hamburg Finkenwerder.We were able to marvel at the production of all the Airbus aircraft, although we heard at the same time that production of the A380 is to be wound down soon.

We then boarded a harbour launch for our return trip to the Elbphilharmonie in the Port of Hamburg. On arrival we spent a thoroughly enjoyable time strolling around the Plaza of the new Elbphilharmonie. This was followed by a visit to the Old Elbe Tunnel. Here we saw the original steel construction, the large lifts for motor vehicles, a technical masterpiece that opened in 1911.We spent the evening in the Störtebeker restaurant enjoying Hamburg’s gastronomic specialities.

Saturday, our scientific day, started punctually at 09:00 in the lecture hall of the UKE Medical History Museum. Since both invited politicians, Mr Nicholas Teller, English Honorary Consul, and Ms Gitta Connemann, deputy parliamentary party leader of the Christian Democrat party in Berlin had cancelled their appointments, Dr Michael Bohndorf joined Professor H.P. Zenner from Tübingen in opening the proceedings. With Professor Ulrich Wahn, Professor Moisés Calderón, Professor J. Buters, Professor Uta Jappe and Professor Jörg Kleine-Tebbe we welcomed the European elite in allergology and immunology as guests. This unusually high scientific standard was reflected in many lively discussions.

The crowning finale to the scientific programme was our gala dinner in the renowned “Hafen-Klub” at the famous Landungsbrücken (St. Pauli Piers).
We had a fabulous view out over the Port of Hamburg. That evening all the ships in the harbour were illuminated in blue as part of the “Blue Port” event. A delicious buffet, good wine and beer accompanied by the fantastic Hamburg jazz band (“Niendorf Jazz Quintett”) made this evening an unforgettable event – the first time guests had been requested to wear evening dress again for some years.

We can look back at a highly interesting and completely successful conference, and I would like to thank Mr Wolfgang Wannoff for preparing and organising the cultural social programme as well as all the other members of the DEÄV/AGMS who helped make the congress such a memorable event.

Yours, Dr Michael Bohndorf
President of the AGMS/DEÄV