Born 1942 near Heidelberg (Germany). Study of physical science finishing with the doctor rerum naturarum of the University of Heidelberg 1972. After five years teaching and research in botany, a one year field research about the ecology of tropical primary jungles in South Columbia, change to the State Institute for Agricultural Testing and Research Augustenberg in Karlsruhe/Durlach (Germany). Here leader of the section Seed Testing and Applied Botany, directly subordinated to the Ministry of Rural Areas of Baden-Württemberg (Germany).

Therefore the responsibility covers seed testing for seed lot certification and post control, testing for purposes of seed production and delivery control. Besides this the main tasks are research in seed testing in general, the solution of actual problems connected with seeds in a wider sense and as honorary professor (University of Karlsruhe) teaching about seed testing, plant systematic, also in charge of students diploma and doctoral thesis. Scientific work presented in numerous publications. Another field is the Vice Chairmanship of the Organisation of German Seed Testing Stations.

Member of ISTA since 1977 and started active work in the Purity Committee with the „Avena problem", later also as member in the Committees for Variety (developing an ISTA method for testing the self pollination rate of Zea mays by electrophoresis), Tree and Shrub Seeds, Rules and Tetrazolium, from 1992 to 2001 as chair. Certified auditor for food analysis and seed testing. Organisation of ISTA Workshops about Purity-, Tetrazolium- and Variety- Testing in Hanghzhou (China), Edinburgh (United Kingdom), Buenos Aires and Mendoza (Argentina). Since 1995 member of the Executive Committee and 1998 elected as Vice-President of ISTA and since December 2001 acting President of ISTA.

At the end of the day enjoys to dealing with the systematic of flowering plants and spiders and as compensation under water rugby and scuba diving.