Prof. Wolfgang Maria Fischer Foundation

The foundation’s purpose

In 2002, Maria Fischer-Flach together with her husband Prof. Wolfgang Fischer created the foundation “Professor Wolfgang Maria Fischer Stiftung” with the intention to promote students of the bachelor’s programme Computer Science. Since its creation, the foundation awards the year’s best graduates with the price “Professor Wolfgang Maria Fischer-Preis”.

Prof. Wolfgang Fischer

Prof. Fischer was born in 1926 and spent his youth in Veitshöchheim near Würzburg. After military service and captivity, he studies mathematics and physics in Würzburg and then worked as a teacher in Marktbreit and Kitzingen.

In 1959, he became appointed at the Balthasar-Neumann-Polytechnic School Würzburg, a predecessor institution of FHWS. After the foundation of our University in 1971, Mr Fischer was first appointed director of construction and, in 1978, professor.

Already in 1961, Wolfgang Fischer completed a programming course at the Zuse company, where he met Konrad Zuse, the inventor of the computer and by the way honorary member of our alumni network IWInet, in person.

He had a prominent role in the introduction of the degree programme Computer Science in the year 1975 and, over many years, was responsible for the establishment and further development of the degree programme. During his many years of work at our University, Prof. Fischer was programme director for Computer Science, deputy dean of our Faculty, member of the construction committee and the budget committee as well as in examination committees. In addition, he was the head of the computer centre.

After a serious illness, Prof. Fischer left our University in 1986. In September 2003, Prof. Fischer died at the age of 77.

Sub-foundation by Maria Fischer-Flach

In 2008, Ms Maria Fischer-Flach brought a property into the foundation as a sub-foundation, with which she wants to promote only women who have completed their bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at FHWS and have taken up a master’s degree at FHWS. Scholarships are awarded annually as part of the sub-foundation.

Celebration on the foundation’s 15-years anniversary

On the occasion of the foundation’s 15-years anniversary in January 2017, the Faculty of Computer Science and Business Information Systems remembered the life of Prof. Wolfgang Fischer and foundation’s history during a celebration. Since then, a poster and a display case with objects from the life of Prof. Fischer remind of the life of Prof. Fischer on Level 3 of our Institute Building.

President Grebner and Dean Braun present a bouquet of flowers to Ms Maria Fischer-Flach.
President Prof. Dr. Robert Grebner, Ms Maria Fischer-Flach, Dean Prof. Dr. Peter Braun (left to right)
Students awarded by the Foundation together with Ms Maria Fischer-Flach and Dean Braun in front of a display case
Students awarded by the Foundation together with Ms Maria Fischer-Flach and Dean Braun.
The display case with objects from the possession of Prof. Wolfgang Fischer
The display case with objects from the possession of Prof. Wolfgang Fischer on Level 3 of the Institute Building
Poster on Prof. Wolfgang Fischer which is displayed in the Institute Building in the series “Luminaries of Computer Science”.
Poster on Prof. Wolfgang Fischer which is displayed in the Institute Building in the series “Luminaries of Computer Science”.