Prof. Dr. med. Jörn Rittweger Verifiziert listing

We mourn the departure of this excellent researcher, who will continue to inspire his colleagues through the work he carried out throughout his life. My sincere condolences to the family.

It is hard to understand the impredictability of end of life, and this news was for me like a bolt from the blue.
I had the opportunity to meet Jörn about 15 years ago, during the meetings for organizing ESA bed rest at DLR, as young researcher approaching the space physiology field, and I soon appreciated his calm way of dealing with situations and problems, his passion for his work, his availability. During these years, other opportunities of meeting and collaboration arose (the last videoconf about a month ago), keeping in touch periodically, always appreciating his experienced point of view and knowledge.
For sure a great loss for his family and friends, but also for the human space phyisology scientific community.
My deep condolences to the family of Jörn and friends.
Enrico Caiani

Jörn had a significant impact on the ‘world’ of space physiology, and human physiology more generally, but far more importantly – he challenged us all to be better.
He will be missed, but his impact will persist, in our work, and our hearts.
Sincerest condolences to his cherished family.
Cheerio Jörn.
Dave Green

To all Jörn’s friends and family,

The scientific community has lost one of its most outstanding members far too soon. I am honoured to have had the opportunity to meet him in person and to discuss ideas with him.
I will always remember him as an exceptional scientist, very reflective, but also a person with an excellent sense of humour and an enormous taste for something that is universal: music.

My sincere condolences go out to his family and all those close to him.

Adérito Seixas

Fast 2 Jahre durfte ich Jörn Rittweger und sein Team kennenlernen als einen überaus warmherzigen, wahrhaftigen Menschen und Wissenschaftler wie es nur die Allerbesten sind. Unser Austausch war getragen von dem Willen und Wunsch, die gesundheitliche Versorgung soweit möglich ein bisschen besser zu machen mit allem Idealismus wie auch fachlich fundierter Expertise, vertrauensvoll und vertraulich aufmerksam im Umgang miteinander, stets sehr wertschätzend, auch humorvoll-freundlich-innovativ-entspannt bei aller Ernsthaftigkeit zu den Themen wie Klima, Umwelt, Infektionen und vieles andere. Großen Dank für diese wunderbare gemeinsame Zeit im Dunkel mancher Wirrnisse neue Wege zu suchen, wir vermissen Sie schmerzlichst und trösten uns nur mit der liebevollen Erinnerung an viele produktiv-kreative Stunden. Sie bleiben im Herzen bei allen, die Sie kennenlernen durften, unverwechselbar als herzensguter Mensch und weit vorausschauender Wissenschaftler…..DANKE und grosses Mitgefühl für die Nächsten – Angehörige, das berufliche Umfeld und alle, die ihm nahestanden !!!
Sabine Knapstein

I am honored to have known Jörn through our strong research collaborations between Baylor, NASA and the DLR. He was a brilliant scientist, very creative, with a diverse and deep knowledge across many topics, and had a terrific sense of humor. He was always welcoming, warm, and enthusiatic about new ideas, eager to contribute his expert insights. He will be greatly missed. My sincerest condolences to his family.

Eric Bershad

To all Jörn’s family, friends and colleagues

it’s with a huge shock and very great sadness that we learned about Jörn’s passing. Jörn was an esteemed researcher, with a huge passion and drive for science that was for sure contagious. He always pushed for harder and better and didn’t shy away from challenging people to get a better outcome. He has made an important contribution to the field of space physiology. From the ESA side, we are losing a very important and knowledgeable collaborator, Jörn will be dearly missed. As a scientist, but much more so as a person. Sending condolences on behalf of the extended ESA team.

We are grateful having known you, sad you had to leave, hopeful to be together some day, some place, somehow. You remain in our hearts and memories, Matthias

With deep sadness I heard the terrible news.
Science has lost Jörn’s smart and brilliant smile, his tireless work for a collaborative and productive team, where humanity is at the top of priority. Only outstanding scientists are able to do this.
My sincere condolience to Natia, his wife and sons.
My heart is really broken.

Miriam Capri from Italy

I am deeply saddened to hear about the loss of Dr. Rittweger. I remember the first time I met you, nine years ago when I was a Master’s student and doing my internship at the EAC. When I was introduced to you as coming from the Physiology group in Milan and being Italian, you immediately smiled and started speaking to me in Italian, making me feel at ease right away.

We will cherish your signed book on vibrations here at the University of Udine, and we will always remember you for your passion and expertise in aerospace physiology, as well as your love for Italy.

Rest in peace, Dr. Rittweger. You will be missed.
Lucrezia and the team in Udine

Dear family and colleagues of Jörn,
I am very saddened to hear that Jörn so suddenly passed away, way too early. I remember Jörn from my PhD times at Manchester Metropolitan University in 2005, where he was ‚the bone-prof‘. His office directly entered the street and on my way to the laboratory, we always greeted each other. His house parties at his cosy English house in Alsager were legendary, with plenty of home-made feuerzangenbowle. Scientifically, he taught me a lot of things that I still teach students these days (mechanostat theory in astronauts for instance), and I fondly remember working on a bone paper together. Since his time at DLR, I remember Jörn as a passionate scientist with his heart at the right place. Not only passionate for science, but also for the people he took care of. He was always full of future plans, new ideas and ready to help where needed. More recently, the organisation of ‘his’ human physiology workshop became a yearly event for our lab to attend to, and I always looked forward to these meetings. Jorn always thought along and I fondly remember our discussions (partly even in Dutch!) about ongoing projects. He also really enjoyed talking about culture and typical Dutch traditions, such as Sinterklaas. Jörn, you will be dearly missed by many. You may have left this world, but you now shine among the stars. My sincere condolences go out to his family, colleagues and others close to him.

I just learned about Prof. Rittweger’s passing, and I am really saddened.
Prof. Rittweger published a successful book with Springer in 2022 (Manual of Vibration Exercise and Vibration Therapy) and two more books were planned.
He was always very kind and human.
My deepest condolences to his family and friends.
Corinna Parravicini from Springer, Milan, Italy