The WHU Foundation Receives Generous Donation

WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management has received one of the most significant testamentary donations in the history of German academia. As part of their final wishes, Dr. Herbert Krautkrämer (†) and his wife Erika (†), both of whom were closely involved with the school throughout their lives, have donated their combined assets to the WHU Foundation—an amount totaling roughly €35M. To commemorate the couple’s extraordinary commitment, the school’s Bogenhalle, located at the Düsseldorf campus, is to be renamed the Krautkrämer Building on June 18. The striking structure is central to WHU’s location in the state’s capital and a lively place for teaching, coming together, and exchanging ideas.

“We are deeply grateful for Dr. Krautkrämer and his wife Erika’s remarkable support, which will allow us to more easily fulfill our duty of setting the stage for a brighter future through education,” said Professor Christian Andres, Dean of WHU. “The Krautkrämers’ legacy goes beyond financial support. It reflects their deeply rooted dedication to WHU’s vision that academic excellence, innovation, and social responsibility work in parallel. And we’re thrilled to make our gratitude visible to all through the renaming of this facility at the heart of our campus in Düsseldorf.”

“Their memory serves as motivation and a promise. A standard for conducting business responsibly. Inspiration for future generations. An important foundation for long-term growth,” noted Dr. Toni Calabretti, Chairman of the WHU Foundation, which sponsors WHU. “That legacy will endure far beyond today. It will create new opportunities and encourage people to follow in their footsteps. And it will long be a part of our school’s DNA.”

The Krautkrämers’ connection to WHU stretches all the way back to its infancy, the couple having accompanied the school as supporters and trusted partners since 1984. Dr. Krautkrämer spent several years as an honorary member of the WHU Senate and member of the WHU Foundation’s Board of Trustees. 

The driving force behind this donation was Dr. Krautkrämer’s own entrepreneurial spirit: Shortly after the end of the Second World War, he and his brother Josef opened a facility for non-destructive testing (NDT) solutions. In a garage in Cologne, the duo became true pioneers when they developed the first German ultrasonic flaw detectors—an achievement that served as the foundation for them becoming market leaders with 400 employees behind them. The “Krautkrämer” line of products from Waygate Technologies, the world market leader for industrial inspection technology with headquarters in Hürth, Germany, is a reminder of this technical innovation. His brother was responsible for the technical side of things, while it was Dr. Krautkrämer who steered the company toward commercial success. He had simultaneously begun a remarkable journey from craftsman to entrepreneurial academic—eventually completing an apprenticeship as a radio mechanic, studying physics, and, in 1955, earning his doctorate through his research on the elastic properties of barium titanate. After his passing in 2003, his wife continued to uphold their staunch commitment to WHU until she herself passed in 2022.

Click here to read more about the Krautkrämers and their dedication to WHU.