Goethe University mourns the loss of philanthropist Friedrich von Metzler
Metzler, head of Germany's oldest private bank until 2018, was a major promotor of culture and science in various different ways. In 2004, he was awarded honorary citizenship by the city of Frankfurt.
University President Professor Enrico Schleiff commented: “We mourn the loss of an important citizen of this city and a philanthropist who, through his generous donations and enormous commitment, provided significant support to science at Goethe-University. Furthermore, the university could always count on the broad expertise of Friedrich von Metzler, who was at all times on hand to help our institution. We will honor the memory of this great friend of science.”
Friedrich von Metzler was closely involved in the transformation of Goethe University into a foundation university. In 1992, Friedrich von Metzler set up the Christoph von Metzler Endowed Visiting Professorship for International Finance, which has carried the title of the Christoph von Metzler Visiting Professorship since 2018 and enables an annual exchange of professors with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. It aims to expand teaching at Goethe University in the various fields of finance. In 2014, the year of Goethe University's 100th anniversary, Bankhaus Metzler and other partners established the endowed guest professorship for Financial History at the House of Finance.
Von Metzler was also one of the first sponsors of the Deutschlandstipendium scholarship. In addition, he made a large donation via the Metzler Foundation to the Goethe Corona Fund, which was set up during the pandemic. Von Metzler was Deputy Chairman of the Administration of the Dr. Senckenberg Foundation until 2021 and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung until his death.
Source (German): Goethe University
Photo: Friedrich von Metzler at the celebration of the House of Finance's 10th anniversary in December 2018
Photographer: Uwe Dettmar
