University Chancellor Bruno Forster: A life for Würzburg's education!

University Chancellor Bruno Forster: A life for Würzburg's education!

Bruno Forster, the former chancellor of the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, died on August 7, 2025 at the age of 84. Loud uni-wuerzburg.de His career at the university from 1992 to 2006 was characterized by a strong commitment to modernization and the preservation of historic buildings.

Born on April 28, 1941 in Weiden, Upper Palatinate, Forster began his professional career at the JMU in 1968 as a legal trainee. In 1971 he took over the management of the legal department and, from 1973, also of the human resources department. In 1978 he was appointed permanent representative of the Chancellor and finally took up the Chancellery on April 1, 1992. During his term in office, he was particularly committed to the reconstruction of the old university and initiated numerous measures to modernize the administration.

Volunteering

After his retirement in 2006, Bruno Forster remained active. From 2012 to 2023, he served as treasurer in the JMU alumni association and acted as a mentor for the management. His commitment to the cultural sector is also demonstrated by his long-standing leadership role as chairman of the Theater and Orchestra Support Association of the Mainfranken Theater, which he held from 2000 to 2024. In 2001 he founded the Rosenkavaliere donor group to provide financial support for artistic work.

Forster's contribution to Würzburg culture has received several awards. The city of Würzburg honored him with the Cultural Medal in 2009. In 2017 he received the Silver City Plaque, and in 2024 he was appointed honorary chairman of the Theater and Orchestra Support Association. At the national level he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit in 2002 and in 2007 he received the “Bene Merenti” Gold Medal of Merit from the JMU wuerzburgwiki.de.

A lasting legacy

With his initiatives, in particular the support for the carillon in the tower of the new church, as well as the development of the university forestry office in Sailershausen, Fürster has contributed to strengthening and further developing the JMU within the academic community. These achievements received a remarkable response and symbolize his lasting legacy at the university that meant much to him.

His death represents a loss not only for the university, but also for the entire cultural life in Würzburg. Bruno Forster is considered a key figure in the university's development, always seeking new ways to support the region's academic and cultural aspirations.

His diverse contributions to both the university and the city show how committed he was to education and culture. In a world that is often characterized by speed, he was a champion of what was constant and valuable campus-mainz.net.