In Memoriam: Dr. Thomas Eggers (1939-2026)
In Memoriam: Dr Thomas Eggers (1939–2026)
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our former colleague, Dr Thomas Eggers, on 8 October 2026.
Dr Thomas Eggers completed his PhD in vegetation science at Kiel University, Germany, in 1968. He began his professional career as a botanist at the former chemical company Spiess-Urania in Germany, where he conducted glasshouse and field trials on herbicides and plant growth regulators in horticulture, agriculture, and railway weed management.
In 1971, Thomas joined the newly established Weed Research Institute of the Federal Biological Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry (BBA) in Braunschweig. There, he specialised in weed biology and ecology, including aspects of nature conservation. Among his major research projects were initiatives to protect threatened arable weed species in their natural habitats. In Braunschweig, he established a weed garden comprising more than 100 species, which is still maintained by the weed science group today. The potential for biological weed control under Central European conditions was another focus of his research. In the final years of his career at the BBA, he was also involved in assessing the biological efficacy of herbicides and their authorisation in Germany.
Thomas became an Ordinary Member of the European Weed Research Society (EWRS) on 21 March 1975. One of his first major contributions to the Society came in 1976, when he designed the EWRS logo, which remains in use today. From 1982 to 1987, he served as Secretary of the Executive Committee, also undertaking the responsibilities of Membership Officer and Editor of the EWRS newsletter. From 1992 to 1996, he translated the newsletter into German. During his tenure as Secretary, Thomas served on the committee responsible for the first revision of the EWRS Constitution (1984–1986). He later played a key role in the second revision, which was adopted in 1999.
In 1987, Thomas was elected an Additional Member of the Executive Committee, a position he held until 1995. He continued to serve the Committee as Membership Officer until the end of June 2000. His many years in this role were invaluable to the Society, ensuring continuity and accuracy in its membership records. He subsequently served another term as an Additional Member of the Executive Committee from 2002 to 2005. He was also a member of the Editorial Board of the journal Weed Research from 1986 to 1997 and was responsible for preparing the German summaries of all papers published in the journal from 1984 to 1994.
From 2015 to 2024, Thomas served as Head of the EWRS Heritage Committee and, together with Jukka Salonen and Ben Post, was responsible for the physical EWRS Archive in Arnhem, the Netherlands. Reflecting his commitment to preserving the Society’s physical archive, Thomas had a strong appreciation for printed materials and was initially somewhat hesitant about the transition to a digital newsletter and the online version of Weed Research. In addition, Thomas actively supported the revision of the EWRS Constitution in 2017 and successfully nominated candidates for EWRS Honorary Membership.
Thomas also provided valuable advice to the organisers of numerous EWRS symposia and served on the organising committees of several EWRS symposia held in Germany during the 1980s and 1990s. His extensive experience, commitment, and meticulous attention to detail were greatly appreciated by his fellow committee members and contributed to the successful organisation of these events. In recognition of his outstanding and longstanding contributions to the Society, Thomas was awarded Honorary Membership of the EWRS in 2002. His longstanding dedication to the EWRS is also reflected in the fact that he was the only person listed in the current membership database who had been a member of the Society since its establishment in 1975.
Thomas’s passing is a great loss to the weed science community. His scientific work, his dedication to the EWRS, and his many years of service have left a lasting mark on the Society. From designing its enduring logo to supporting its governance, publications, and scientific meetings, he helped shape the EWRS into the organisation it is today. We will remember Thomas with gratitude and respect, and his contributions will remain an important part of the Society’s history. Our sincere condolences go to his family, friends, and all those who had the privilege of knowing and working with him.