The Bavarian American Academy's board and members mourn the loss of Prof. em. Dr. Berndt Ostendorf, who passed away in Munich on October 18, 2024. Berndt Ostendorf was a long-standing companion, a dedicated university teacher, and an outstanding, internationally renowned scholar. Our condolences go out to his family, especially his wife and sons. Berndt Ostendorf was a founding member of the Bavarian American Academy (BAA) and served as the BAA's deputy director from 1998 to 2001.
Photos: Berndt Ostendorf ©American Corner Innsbruck
In memory of Prof. em. Dr. Berndt Ostendorf
Obituary (in German) by Prof. Dr. Klaus Benesch (PDF)
For further obituaries (in German) go to Amerika-Institut of LMU München
American Corner Innsbruck
About Berndt Ostendorf
Berndt Ostendorf was professor of North American cultural history at LMU Munich's Institute for American Studies from 1981 until his retirement. The Americanist's main research interests included, among other things, American cultural and social history, the topics of immigration and ethnicity, as well as popular culture in all its facets. Before coming to Munich, he taught at the universities of Freiburg and Frankfurt. During his career, he held visiting professorships at Elmira College in New York, the University of Massachusetts, Harvard University, and the University of New Orleans.