[Casa] Fwd: [EXTERNAL] Herwig Schopper 1924-2025

[Andrew Hutton]

Todd

“The Lord of the Rings” has passed.  Ironic that I gave you his book just last week!  

I first met Herwig as a young accelerator physicist working on LEP when he asked me to be the editor of LEP News, designed to provide technical information to the CERN staff and experimenters while providing details on the civil engineering to the local population - part of the campaign to get LEP accepted by the community.  Later, when LEP had to be downsized, Herwig entrusted me with developing the new accelerator layout, sworn to secrecy with a few trusted collaborators (Emilio Picasso, Gunter Plass, Kees Zilverschoon). Herwig guided this delicate operation with great attention to detail and the impact it would have on the local population.  The result was that LEP was approved and built, laying the foundation for CERN today, and Herwig rightly is given the credit for that.  

Decades later, I was surprised to receive an email from him inviting me to join the LHeC collaboration board where, once again, I was struck by his command of the physics, the machine, but more importantly, the politics.  

We have truly lost a giant in our field, someone I have always looked up to. 

Andrew

> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> From: Jorgen D'HONDT <Jorgen.DHondt at vub.be>
> Subject: [EXTERNAL] Fwd: Herwig Schopper 1924-2025
> Date: August 21, 2025 at 4:41:47 AM EDT
> To: "lhec-fcceh-all at cern.ch" <lhec-fcceh-all at cern.ch>
> 
> 
> Dear LHeC/FCC-eh colleagues,
> 
> With great sadness we learned of the passing of Herwig Schopper, a long-term leader in our field, and also a continuous source of inspiration and support for the developments of electron-proton projects at CERN. 
> 
> Herwig Schopper, together with Max Klein, initiated the idea for an electron-proton collider at CERN and fostered research towards the extraordinary LHeC and FCC-eh projects as we know them today. Until recently, he chaired the International Advisory Committee of our projects.
> 
> I am deeply grateful to Herwig for the insightful conversations we had over the past few years regarding the further development of electron-proton projects at CERN. 
> 
> In grief we say farewell to Herwig, but his wisdom will continue to guide us.
> 
> Kind regards,
> 
> Jorgen D'Hondt
> 
> 
>> Begin forwarded message:
>> 
>> From: Fabiola Gianotti <Fabiola.Gianotti at cern.ch>
>> Subject: Herwig Schopper 1924-2025
>> Date: 20 August 2025 at 15:04:47 CEST
>> To: "cern-personnel (CERN Personnel - Members and Associate Members)" <cern-personnel at cern.ch>
>> Cc: Carlo Rubbia <Carlo.Rubbia at cern.ch>, "chris.llewellyn-smith at physics.ox.ac.uk" <chris.llewellyn-smith at physics.ox.ac.uk>, Rolf Heuer <rolf.heuer at cern.ch>, Luciano Maiani <Luciano.Maiani at cern.ch>
>> 
>> Dear colleagues,
>>  
>> It was with great sadness that we learned that Herwig Schopper passed away yesterday at the age of 101. He was Director-General of CERN from January 1981 to December 1988.
>>  
>> Herwig Schopper played a central role in shaping CERN into the prestigious laboratory that it is today. Involved in CERN’s research since the 1960s, he held several key decision-making roles from the 1970s onwards, including Chair of the ISR Committee from 1973 to 1976 and member of the Scientific Policy Committee from 1978 to 1980. 
>>  
>> During his term as Director-General, his scientific vision and diplomatic skills played an essential role in securing the approval of the Large Electron–Positron Collider (LEP) project, and then in successfully leading the construction of this accelerator, the largest ever built. He contributed to CERN’s global expansion and was one of the architects of the international cooperation model for the LEP experiments, which paved the way for today’s large experimental collaborations. His mandate was also marked by the discovery of the W and Z bosons by the UA1 and UA2 experiments at the SPS proton-antiproton collider in 1983, which was recognised by the Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to Carlo Rubbia and Simon van der Meer the following year.
>>  
>> In the years that followed, Herwig Schopper took on major responsibilities, serving on the scientific councils of several laboratories and presiding over the German Physical Society and later the European Physical Society. One of his greatest achievements was SESAME, the international centre for Synchrotron-Light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East, of which he was a co-founder and the first President of the Council.
>>  
>> We have lost a brilliant scientist and one of the greatest contributors to CERN and to our field, who really embodied the core values of our Laboratory. We have also lost a cherished friend who was admired for his insight, his dedication and his warmth. CERN was at the heart of his life and, until his very last moments, he cared deeply about the Laboratory. 
>>  
>> On a more personal note, Herwig was a true source of inspiration for me. Throughout my two mandates as CERN Director-General, he provided me with his strong, unwavering support, sharing his wisdom, advice, vision and extensive experience, for which I will always be deeply grateful.
>>  
>> He will forever remain in our memories.
>>  
>> Obituaries will be published in the CERN Bulletin and the CERN Courier shortly.
>>  
>> Kind regards,
>>  
>> Fabiola Gianotti
>>  
>> The funeral will take place at 2.00 p.m. on Wednesday, 27 August, in Hamburg, Germany:
>> Friedhofskapelle 
>> Rupertistraße 37
>> 22609 Nienstedten, Hamburg
>>  
>> *********************************************************************************************
>>  
>> Chers collègues,
>>  
>> C'est avec une très grande de tristesse que nous avons appris le décès hier d’Herwig Schopper, à l’âge de 101 ans. 
>>  
>> Herwig Schopper a été directeur général du CERN de janvier 1981 à décembre 1988. Il a largement contribué à faire du CERN le prestigieux laboratoire que nous connaissons aujourd’hui. Associé aux recherches du CERN dès les années 1960, il a occupé plusieurs postes stratégiques dès les années 1970 ; il a été notamment président du Comité des ISR de 1973 à 1976, et membre du Comité des directives scientifiques de 1978 à 1980. 
>>  
>> Au cours de son mandat de directeur général, sa vision scientifique et ses talents de diplomate jouèrent un rôle déterminant dans l’approbation du projet de Grand collisionneur électron-positon (LEP), puis dans la réalisation de cet accélérateur, le plus grand jamais construit. Il contribua à l’élargissement international du CERN et fut l’un des artisans du modèle de coopération internationale des expériences du LEP, qui a inspiré le fonctionnement actuel des grandes collaborations. Son mandat fut aussi marqué, en 1983, par la découverte des bosons W et Z par les expériences UA1 et UA2 auprès du collisionneur proton-antiproton SPS. Cette découverte fut couronnée l’année suivante par un prix Nobel de physique, attribué à Carlo Rubbia et Simon van der Meer. 
>>  
>> Après la fin de son mandat, Herwig Schopper a continué à œuvrer pour la science en assumant des responsabilités de haut niveau, participant aux conseils scientifiques de plusieurs laboratoires, présidant la Société allemande de physique, puis la Société européenne de physique. L’une de ses grandes réussites fut SESAME, le Centre international de rayonnement synchrotron pour les sciences expérimentales et appliquées au Moyen-Orient, dont il fut l’un des fondateurs et le premier président du Conseil. 
>>  
>> Nous avons perdu un éminent physicien et l’un des grands artisans de la réussite du CERN et de notre discipline, et aussi quelqu’un qui incarnait véritablement les valeurs de notre Laboratoire. Nous perdons également un ami très proche, qui se distinguait par son esprit, son engagement et sa bienveillance. Le CERN était au cœur de sa vie, et jusqu’à ses derniers instants, Herwig Schopper a continué à suivre de près l’activité du Laboratoire. 
>>  
>> Sur un plan plus personnel, Herwig a été pour moi une véritable source d’inspiration. Tout au long de mes deux mandats en tant que directrice générale, il m’a apporté un soutien indéfectible, me faisant bénéficier par ses conseils et ses suggestions de sa sagesse, de sa vision et de sa grande expérience. Je lui en suis profondément reconnaissante.
>>  
>> Il restera à jamais dans nos mémoires.
>>  
>> Des nécrologies seront publiées prochainement dans le Bulletin et le CERN Courier.
>>  
>> Bien cordialement,
>>  
>> Fabiola Gianotti
>>  
>> Les obsèques auront lieu mercredi 27 août à 14h, à Hambourg (Allemagne) :
>> Friedhofskapelle
>> Rupertistraße 37
>> 22609 Nienstedten, Hamburg 
> 
> 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://mailman.jlab.org/pipermail/casa/attachments/20250821/28ab5268/attachment-0001.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: smime.p7s
Type: application/pkcs7-signature
Size: 4640 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://mailman.jlab.org/pipermail/casa/attachments/20250821/28ab5268/attachment-0001.p7s>