In Memoriam

Friedrich Konigshofer (1944 – 2023)

Friedrich ‘Fritz’ Konigshofer, who passed away on February 1, 2023, joined the World Bank in 1981 and retired from it as the Lead Procurement Specialist in 2004. He helped modernize procurement policies and practices in many countries in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, where government officials highly appreciated his knowledge and expertise and the generosity with which he shared it with them. Inside the Bank Fritz was well respected for helping to focus the WB Staff Association on matters relevant to staff members at all levels and their relations with management.

Before joining the Bank, Fritz had a most illustrious career. After having obtained a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics and Physics from the University of Graz, he managed the Austrian Computer project. He was a Research Associate at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland (1974-77) and then Section Head of Telecommunications and Graphics at ECMWF in Reading, England (1977-81).

In his retirement, Fritz pursued his passion for ancestral research and was awarded the ‘Honor Medal’ and the ‘Golden Medal of Burgenland’, the region in Austria where he grew up, by the Governor of Burgenland. He loved ballroom dancing, competitive table tennis, hiking in the Alps, mushroom hunting, chess and exploring caves. He especially loved spending time with his five grandchildren.

In his later years he very much enjoyed playing Skat with former WB colleagues once a week, a ritual that included sharing his wisdom about life and knowledge of history and fine wines. He accepted the limitations of Parkinson’s with calm and dignity, at times even with a smile.

 

Ulrich Hewer