Obituary for Dr. Jörg Baumann

May 24, 1966 to January 28, 2025

written by Niko, February 21, 2026

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Jörg was the kind of person whose mind could open new paths – and whose heart made room for others when they needed it most. I knew him for more than 25 years. Our friendship began unexpectedly, when he called me from the United States with a question about an invention he had developed and a patent someone else had filed. We talked it through, and I was immediately impressed – not only by his ability to innovate and explain complex ideas, but by his rare ability to listen. I was glad to help Jörg and his wife, Sabine, avoid unnecessary costs, and in time the matter faded in importance. But the connection remained, and it kept us in touch.

When Jörg and Sabine returned to Germany, I had the privilege of being involved with their visionary projects. The science was exciting, and their bold approach to any challenge – no matter how large – was exhilarating. Those projects moved forward on the strength of their endless energy. Around that time I discovered that Jörg and I shared not only the same birthday, but the same birth year as well. In a small but meaningful way, it felt like we had been given the same span of life – down to the day.

In my early fifties, I received a serious diagnosis and underwent treatments. Although I kept the problem secret,  I told Jörg and Sabine. From that moment on, they became known in my family as “My Angels,” because they quite literally took me by the hand and guided me – through their expertise, their network, and their steadfast care – through one of the most difficult times of my life. They were the most competent advisors, and even organizers, who were willing to go to remarkable lengths simply to help. Their generosity was unexpected, sometimes almost unbelievable, and I felt privileged to know people like that. When my situation stabilized, I remained grateful to have My Angels close, always ready with advice.

That is why I was so shocked to hear of Jörg’s own diagnosis. If I have ever felt life was unjust, it was then. Jörg was determined to meet his illness with the full measure of his scientific ability and human strength – even as it attacked the extraordinary brain he had honed to such mastery. I always saw him pushing back, refusing to surrender, even when the pressure must have been unbearable. I still cannot grasp that he is gone. I only know that I will miss him deeply, and that I will carry his courage, his brilliance, and his generosity with me.

Nico from Munich

This is post No. 268