Carl-Johannes Soeder

August Ried (1924–2004), an outstanding researcher, an artist and a dear friend

August was born on 17 July 1924, at Landshut, a town in lower Bavaria, Germany. Having entered school after his parents August Ried (1890–1975) and Anny Ried (maiden name: Moertlbauer) (1885– 1966) moved to Frankfurt, August, still a highschool student, was called up to serve as a soldier in 1943. After WorldWar II, he completed high school and enrolled as a student of biology at theUniversity of Frankfurt. Specializing in botany, he began a doctoral thesis on comparative stress physiology of lichens covering the rocky banks of mountain creeks. His supervisor, Camill Montfort, was a brilliant and inspiring ecophysiologist of his time. After having received his doctoral degree in 1953, August became Montfort’s assistant, qualified as lecturer in 1958 and became Professor of Plant Physiology in 1965. During 1972–1973, he served as Dean of the Biological Faculty at Frankfurt University where he stayed until his retirement in 1988. In 1952, August married his fellow-student Isolde Felgner, a gifted ecologist; they had two sons (Holger, born in 1954 and Gunthard, born in 1956) and two daughters (Ingunn, born in 1959; Joerdis, born in 1967). They moved in 1975, from Frankfurt to a rural area in the Taunus hills, northwest of Frankfurt where they enjoyed living close to nature. August was very proud of the beautiful garden that he had designed and maintained. After having become an acknowledged expert in the identification of lichens, August devoted himself to the ecology of lichens. In every season of the year, he traveled towards a suitable region, carrying in his backpack rubber boots, hammers and chisels. After taking photos for later mapping, he chiselled off hand-sized pieces of rocks covered A 1975 photograph of August Ried