Obituary for Dr. Klaus Ritter
After almost 50 years in various positions in the energy and water sector, Dr. Klaus Ritter passed away peacefully on the 19th of December 2021 surrounded by his family.
As an orphan in post-war Germany, he obtained his high school diploma through a second-chance education, then studied urban water management at RWTH Aachen University, where he received a scholarship for his doctorate on the topic of cooling water accumulation during power generation in thermal power plants and its effects on receiving waters.
His first job was at the BMFT (now Federal Ministry of Education and Research) in a working group that developed and tested concepts for energy saving and the use of renewable energy sources after the second oil price shock.
Already at the age of 36, he became the managing director of the professional association DELIWA. Here he had found the vocation to which he would dedicate his entire professional life, namely the transfer of knowledge and technology; first at national and later predominantly at international level. The focal regions of Dr. Klaus Ritter’s activities in this regard were in China, Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East as well as in North Africa.
After the merger of DELIWA and DVGW, which was completed in 2000, Dr. Klaus Ritter served as managing director of the new DVGW. He transferred the ”Energie Wasser PRAXIS”, which he published, and the vocational training center to the new association.
He subsequently took over the DELIWA/DVGW subsidiary EITEP (Euro Institute for Information and Technology Transfer in Environmental Protection) as president and led the company to high international recognition with a committed staff.
The Pipeline Technology Conference, which he founded, is today Europe's leading event for the international pipeline industry and increasingly covers topics from municipal gas and water supply.
As planned, Dennis Fandrich and Marian Ritter will take over the management of the EITEP Institute.
Dr. Ritter's warm, open manner and his relentless motivation to develop and push innovative ideas will be missed.
Our deepest sympathy also goes to the family and all relatives.
Dennis Fandrich and Marian Ritter
along with the entire EITEP team
Comments
Condolences
Dr. Ritter will be missed. Rest in peace.
Condolences
My deepest condolences go to Dr. Ritter´s family and friends. His warm, engaging and reliable manner will always be remembered. Rest in peace, Dr. Ritter.
Beileid
Mein herzliches Beileid.
Ich durfte Herrn Dr. Ritter auf der China-Reise und auch auf den Messen und Veranstaltungen als sehr offener und freundlicher Mensch kennenlernen.
Anita Braun
Braun stahl pipe tec GmbH
Condolence Klaus Ritter
My heartfelt condolences on the death of Klaus Ritter. Since the beginning of the PTC, I have fond memories of our cooperation and have always appreciated his trust. He made the PTC what the pipeline industry in Europe wanted it to be. The community will not forget him.
Jens Focke and the BIL Cooperative in Germany
I am deeply saddened by the…
I am deeply saddened by the news of the death of Dr. Klaus Ritter. My deepest sympathies go out to his family and close friends. Klaus will be missed. RIP!
It was an honor
I am very thankfull for the opportunity to work with Dr. Ritter during my 4 years of employment at EITEP. I feel honored to have met him. There were many things I learned from him and his vast knowledge. But above all else it was his kind and caring heart that made me truly respect him. Rest in Peace and thank you very much, Dr. Ritter. It has been an honor.
Klaus Ritter obituary
Dr Ritter was a great force for sharing information and technology. He will be sorely missed. My condolences to the Ritter family and the EITEP team.
BJ Lowe
Klaus Ritter
This is sad news. Klaus was a big personality in our industry, and a character we all instantly recognised and enjoyed. His contributions are well known, and we can all learn from his passion to pass on knowledge to all of us, young and old. A huge loss, but he has left a legacy.
Phil
Condolence Dr. Klaus Ritter
At an age when most people were dealing with retirement, Klaus Ritter founded a company and expanded it further and further into broader areas due to his many and well-connected contacts. His "first" lifetime achievement, which resulted in the management of the DVGW, is already remarkable, but this "second phase" with PTC and EITEP is almost unbelievable.
I have always admired this enormous achievement to the highest degree and am very pleased to be able to contribute at least a small part to this success in the last years.
The pipeline community has lost a great supporter, a higly renowed integer person and a good friend! Rest in peace, Klaus ! You will be missed ! My sincere condolences for his family and close friends. Your life´s work is in good hands and will be continued!
Condolences Dr. Klaus Ritter
My heartfelt condolences go to Dr. Ritter's family. I vividly remember when he "made his case" to the German pipeline industry to start an international pipeline conference series, initially attached to the Hannovermesse. I remember the scepticism this idea was met with. And I remember many a ptc in Berlin, evidence of his triumphant victory over all these sceptics. I will always remember him as a visionary industry leader.
Condolences Dr Klaus Ritter
It was with great sadness I read about Dr Ritter, he was an enigmatic person with such an engaging manner who was such a driving force in our industry to spread knowledge, he will be sadly missed.
My condolences to the Ritter family.
Dr. Ritter passing
Dr. Ritter was instrumental in knowledge sharing and technology progress. He will be sorely missed by the pipeline industry and other sectors. My condolences to the Ritter family and the EITEP team.
Klaus Ritter
This is sad news indeed. Klaus was an eminent figure in our industry. I have fond memories of all the times I met Klaus including all our often lengthy but always enjoyable discussions. His name will always be linked to the PTC, which he started all those years ago in Hannover. I will miss him. My heartfelt condolences go to his loved ones.
Michael
Condolences
Our Condolences to Dr Klaus Ritter'a family and friends.
Klaus Ritter
I met Klaus Ritter all those year ago when he had the vision to create the leading European Pipeline Technology Conference. It was a great pleasure to see how the Conference and Exhibition grew from year to year. It was the drive, enthusiasm and determination of Klaus to create the success this leading European event has become, truly a great platform for exchange.
Klaus will be missed.
My heartfelt condolences go to his family.
A true loss
The passing of Dr Klaus Ritter is a true loss for vast network of professionals he brought together, enabling knowledge sharing across the industry. May he rest in peace.
Condolences Dr. Klaus Ritter
Truly sad news. I came to know Klaus some years ago and value the interesting discussions we had. He was truly an important and eminent member of our industry. It is admirable how he has built EITEP and the Pipeline Technology Conference from its beginnings in Hannover to the impressive event it has now become in Berlin.
Klaus will not be forgotten.
My heartfelt condolences go to his family.
condolences!
I just sent an xmas greetings to his email and receive this sad news:(
our deep condolences to his family& freinds &the EITEP team. R.I.P Dr Klaus Ritter
our deep condolences
Our deep Condolences to Dr. Klaus Ritter's family, friends and the EITEP-team. May he rest in peace.
Dr. Klaus Ritter passed away
this is really sad news. I have met Klaus many times during more than a dozen years and always admired his tireless motivation to develop the PTC, in addition his personality and character and his open manner. my deepest sympathy to his family and close friends and the EITEP team. Klaus will not be forgotten in our industry!