In Memoriam: Prof. Dr. Hans Martin Vieth

The Department of Physics at Freie Universität Berlin mourns the loss of Prof. a.D. Dr. Hans-Martin Vieth, who passed away unexpectedly on February 25, 2026, at the age of 83 years.

Hans Martin Vieth was born in 1942 in Hannover, Germany. In 1962, he began studying physics in Hannover and later continued in Heidelberg. After his diploma work at the MPI for Nuclear Physics he moved for his doctoral research to the group of Karl-Hermann Hausser at the MPI of Medical Research in Heidelberg. His doctoral thesis on electron–electron double resonance sparked not only his fascination for magnetic resonance but also his lifelong collaboration with Herbert Zimmermann, an expert in isotope chemistry. A formative period as a postdoc in the group of Costantino (Nino) Yannoni at the IBM Research Laboratory in San Jose introduced him to solid-state NMR.

In 1977, Hans Martin Vieth was appointed Professor of Experimental Physics at Freie Universität Berlin. Together with his colleagues Dietmar Stehlik and Klaus Möbius he established a highly visible center for magnetic resonance at the Department of Physics, which was later extended to the Chemistry Pepartment to the groups of Harry Kurreck and Hans-Heinrich Limbach.

In his scientific work in Berlin, with his research group, he developed and refined numerous experimental techniques, most notably optical nuclear polarization, time-dependent polarization methods, and advanced multiple quantum NMR approaches. His research spanned an extraordinary range of systems, ranging from inorganic solids, zeolites, superconductors, and nanocarbons to organic crystals, glasses, soft matter, and reactive molecular systems. His group made seminal contributions to chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization, parahydrogen-induced polarization, and dynamic nuclear polarization, revealing coherent spin phenomena and magnetic field effects that had been overlooked for decades. Hans Martin Vieth was widely regarded as one of the very few scientists with genuine expertise across all major hyperpolarization techniques.

Equally remarkable was his commitment to international collaboration. Starting in the Cold War in the 1980s when cooperation with Eastern European scientists from Warsaw Pact countries was still far from easy, he played a crucial role in building and sustaining partnerships with well-known scientists from Poland and Russia, such as Alexander Gutsze, Kev Salikhov and Renard Sagdeev. He supported numerous young scientists from these countries, such as Alexandra Yurkovskaya, Konstantin Ivanov, and many others, and helped them establish independent careers. Equally important were his collaborations with Israel. He spent several sabbaticals in the groups of Zeev Luz and Shimon Vega at the Weizmann Institute. 
Hans-Martin Vieth cared deeply about the education and training of future physics teachers. He invested considerable effort in laboratory instruction and outreach to schools and set up a laboratory and special experiments to train these teacher students, to to instill in them an interest in and enthusiasm for physics. Beyond his scientific achievements, Hans Martin Vieth was an exceptionally gifted mentor.

Hans Martin Vieth will be remembered not only for his pioneering contributions to magnetic resonance, but also for his integrity, curiosity, and generosity of spirit. His scientific legacy lives on in the methods he developed, the ideas he introduced, and the many students and colleagues who were fortunate to work with him.

The Department of Physics has lost a highly esteemed scientist and colleague. Our sympathy goes out to his sister Renate.

Gerd Buntkowsky and Hans-Heinrich Limbach