We remember our former colleague, Dr. Christa Liebschwager, who sadly passed away on June 3, 2025.

It has only now become known that Dr. Christa Liebschwager, a long-time employee of the former Chair of Prehistory and Early History, passed away on June 3, 2025. After completing her degree in prehistory and early history at the University of Leipzig from 1954 to 1958, she worked as a research assistant at the State Museum of Prehistory in Halle from 1958 to 1961. Shortly before the Berlin Wall was built in 1961, she fled to West Germany. In addition to various research activities, including at the Feddersen Wierde excavation, Dr. Liebschwager then began doctoral studies at the University of Freiburg.

Dr. Gerhard Mildenberger, the founding professor of the Chair of Prehistory and Early History in Bochum, brought Ms. Liebschwager to Bochum as a research assistant in early 1966. After completing her doctorate at the University of Freiburg with the title “Die Gräber der Frühlatènekultur in Baden-Württemberg” (The Graves of the Early Latène Culture in Baden-Württemberg) (1969), this position was converted to that of an academic advisor. At the time, she was one of the few women in German archaeology to hold a permanent position. Her main areas of responsibility were the development and management of the prehistoric library and the teaching collection for the subject. This was supplemented by regular courses, particularly on the systematics and methodology of prehistory and early history. Over more than seventy semesters until the end of 2001, almost all graduates of prehistory and early history in Bochum are likely to have attended these courses. 

During Prof. Mildenberg's tenure, the institute moved from Building IA to Building GA (1971), a project she carried out with her characteristic dedication and meticulous attention to detail. After Prof. Mildenberger's retirement in 1980, she continued for another 21 years under Prof. Dr. Volker Pingel, during which time she was also responsible for the student assistants at the chair.

She followed the introduction of the BA-MA degree programs (2002), the merger of the Bochum archaeology departments into a joint institute (2004), and the recent move to the former Mathys building at the Mining Museum (2010) with interest and conscious distance. With the passing of Dr. Christa Liebschwager, the Bochum institute has lost one of the defining forces of its founding period. The traces of her 35 years of work are still clearly visible today, especially in the institute's library and in the memories of former graduates.