After completing his studies of physics, mathematics and philosophy in 1964 with a diploma, Professor Fahr earned his doctorate in 1966 at the University of Bonn. After his habilitation in 1971 in the field of astrophysics, he was appointed as a University Professor at the University of Bonn in 1978. He conducted research and taught at the Institute for Astrophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics, one of the three predecessor institutes of the Argelander-Institute for Astronomy, and was granted emeritus status in 2005.
Professor Fahr was an internationally highly regarded expert in the field of plasma physics in the Solar System. Early in his career, he postulated the existence of neutral gas particles of interstellar origin in the solar environment; only much later were these experimentally confirmed. This field of research, founded by him, had one of the world’s leading centers at the University of Bonn. Professor Fahr and his group were involved in many international programs. He was from 1979 to 1982 President of Commission No. 49 “The Interplanetary Plasma and the Heliosphere” of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and was very active in the international scientific cooperation. For his national and international merits as an astrophysicist, Professor Fahr was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit (Bundesverdienstkreuz), 1st Class, in 2003.
In addition to his main research focus, Professor Fahr also devoted himself to questions of philosophy, relativity theory and cosmology, on which he authored several books. Even after attaining emeritus status, he remained scientifically very active and worked almost daily in his office at the Argelander-Institute for Astronomy, even a few days before his death. His even-tempered personality and his friendly manner towards his students and colleagues made him highly respected and popular.
The staff of the Argelander-Institute mourns the loss of Professor Fahr and extend their condolences to his family and friends.