Born 1954, in Munich. Study of chemistry Munich Univ., doctorate Munich Univ. (1982), postdoctoral stays in Cambridge and Basel, postdoc at the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society and "Habilitation" in chemistry at the Technical University Berlin (1989), Professor of Anorganic Chemistry (C4 level) Frankfurt/Main Univ. (1989-1994), Director and Scientific Member at the Fritz-Haber-Institut of the Max Planck Society (since 1994), "Honorarprofessor" (part-time prof.) of Chemistry at Technical University Berlin (1994), "Honorarprofessor" (part-time prof.) of Chemistry at the Humboldt University Berlin (1999). Emeritus.