Abstract
The passing of Winfried Lampert on the 6th of March 2021 has reverberated in the aquatic science community world-wide. As the long-term Director of the Max-Planck-Institute for Limnology (MPIL; now MPI for Evolutionary Biology), he was admired for his honesty, integrity, and impeccable science. He impacted the careers and lives of countless people, both those that chose to stay in science and also those who pursued other professional opportunities. The people who knew Winfried and spent time with him during the MPIL years knew that he could (at times) be a harsh critic of the science (but not necessarily the scientist). If you got the stamp of approval from Winfried, then you knew that your science was interesting, rigorous, and of high standards. At the same time, he had a compassionate “softer” side that he often tried to hide. Some have described Winfried as having a “gruff exterior, but warm interior”. Passing by in the hallways of the MPIL, he may or may not have acknowledged you, but behind closed doors, in one-on-one interactions, he was often warm, open, and chatty (Fig. 1). However, you had to make sure you did not knock on his office door before 10 am, otherwise you risked seeing his “gruff side.” (Although he was known to break his own rule by allowing some international guests to disturb him.)
