October 2008
Dear Members:
Those of you who joined us on Tour #30, in May 2004 when we went to see Dr. Geßwein in Bonn, or on several other Tour programs where we attended International Symposiums, will remember hearing Dr. Gerhard Ohlenschläger. I remember him so clearly. A big man, not too mobile in his later years, but always a presence that inspired and challenged everyone he met – a man who even Dr. Fritz-Albert Popp considered a respected mentor.
I remember a time during a Med-Tronik Symposium when he struggled to his feet, raised his hand and pointed to a doctor who had raised an interesting question. No, he said quite forcefully, think instead from ‘this’ perspective. And it was of course the essence of the question tied into the answer.
You will find a few excerpts from a tribute written for Dr. Ohlenschläger on the next page. I will admit it, I cried when I read this tribute. Yet another shining light in our field of endeavor has been extinguished. The picture above was taken at a recent meeting of the “Frankfurter Consilium” and shows his ready smile. I’m not sure who the gentleman on the right is, but you can see Dr. Ohlenschläger’s encompassing acceptance of those who want to learn.
It is with the greatest of sadness and a feeling of overwhelming loss that I advise you of the passing of Dr. med. habil. Gerhard Ohlenschläger. Thanks to Marcus Stanton for his wonderful words of tribute.
s/Carolyn Winsor-Sturm
The Question of the Nature behind Things
Prof. Gerhard Ohlenschläger, MD was one of the few Universalists
In a time when many ostensible personalities draw attention to themselves by specialization and defense of their niches, we find only a very few characters who educate universally and think as well. Undoubtedly such was Gerhard Ohlenschläger whose superior thinking, admonishing and motivating voice left us unexpectedly and suddenly at the age of 78 years. A scholar who got only restricted acknowledgement from the official side, but whose inspiring mixture of down-to-earth humanity, explorative natural scientific enthusiasm, and philosophical and theological questions were unique.
The contemporary scientific circus too often sinks into the swamp of mediocrity or into the ease of favors. Dr. Ohlenschläger walked the uncomfortable path instead of currying favor, and called things by their name. With every individual he dealt with, he pushed their values, contents and goals for high self standards. He showed great respect to every conversation partner even if almost always they were clearly less universally educated, and whole dimensions were at the least inspired by the remarkable genius of one such as him.
His appeal, science and search for truth lead back to his essence, but remain further unfulfilled. The approach that the commercial science doctrine constantly confirms anew by minute fragments in their colored self image instead of basic, not book-bound, research according to the true nature of things tired him. Many known naysayers were judging him by what they themselves were achieving in status.
He had the courage to leave the security of the consensus in order to hold a mirror in front of the
realities . . .
. . . He put his energy into research and teaching and so today standards of established therapies are based on his personal work, for example the use of Alpha-Lipoic Acid and Glutathione. He developed this into the particular form of the S-Acetyl-Glutathione for oral administration in diminished form . . .
The world and particularly medicine have been very much enriched by Gerhard Ohlenschläger, and there was even an effort to nominate him for the Nobel Prize. He would have earned it. His whole life work is to be appreciated in the highest measure and his passing leaves a painful gap.
At the end just a private word: Dear Gerhard, you have always looked for the nature behind things, for the theology. Now that your soul has left your earthly form, you are nearer to this objective, and can be fulfilled by a knowledge that is detached from the three dimensions.
s/Marcus Stanton.
A Tribute Prepared for Members
From THE BRIDGE Newsletter of OIRF
Published October 2008
From a tribute in CO’MED, Nr. 8, September 2008
Machine Translation by SYSTRAN, Lernout & Hauspie, LogoMedia & Promt
Translation & redaction by: Carolyn L. Winsor, OIRF
© Copyright 2008 Dr. Stanton and CO’MED, Germany
