Obituary for Edzard Reuter
It is with sadness that we learned of the passing of our dear friend and former Board Member, Edzard Reuter. A great supporter of the Aspen mission, with a spirit for unity, democracy, and European values, he will be greatly missed by the Aspen Germany community. We send Helga and the family our condolences and hold our memories of this extraordinary man close to our hearts.
As son of renowned Governing Mayor of West Berlin, Ernst Reuter, he spent his formative years in exile from Nazi Germany in Ankara, Turkey, from the age of seven until early adulthood. This time in Turkey had a great impact on his engagement for openness and understanding, highlighting the importance of not only being open to different cultures and ideas but welcoming them with open arms.
He returned to Germany in 1947, having become a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) a year earlier, to study mathematics and theoretical physics in Berlin and Göttingen, before switching to a Law Degree at the Freie Universität Berlin.
While best known as Chair of the Board at Daimler-Benz AG, his contributions to the Aspen values are held very close to our hearts, serving on the Board of Trustees for two decades (1983-2003), including as Chairman.
He first met our founder, Shepard Stone, many years before Aspen Berlin’s creation at an event with his father, when Stone was serving as Assistant Director of Public Affairs to the new U.S. High Commissioner, John J. McCloy. Their friendship grew over many years, culminating in their collaboration at Aspen Berlin.
In honor of his friend, he founded the Shepard Stone Foundation, which continues to support Aspen Germany to this day.
He was an important figure in the development of Berlin both during and after the Cold War. Championing civic engagement and acting as ambassador for the city, he was named an Honorary Citizen in 1998, 15 years after Shepard Stone had been presented with the very same honor.
Few people could call themselves such a good friend of Aspen Germany as Edzard Reuter. Throughout his decades-long service, he consistently offered his advice and served as an Honorary Board Member from 2003. His passion helped make our Institute the place of meaningful dialogue and discussion it is today.
A true transatlanticist, the shared values between Germany, Europe, and the United States characterized his career. In this spirit, Aspen Germany was delighted to be able to pay tribute to Edzard Reuter for his life services a month ago at our 50th Anniversary Gala.
Without his steadfast support, it is hard to imagine how the Institute would be in the position it is today as a proud think tank and convening platform at the heart of Berlin. While we have lost an important member of our community, Reuter’s unwavering commitment to the values of a just and open society will undoubtedly live on for decades to come.
