Erik Flügel: 1934–2004

On April 14, 2004, 8 days after his 70th birthday, Prof. Dr. Erik Flügel (Fig. 1) has died. We lost not only the founder of the Institute of Paleontology of the University Erlangen-Nuremberg, but also an internationally renowned and highly regarded scientist. He was a passionate researcher, ardent teacher, unrelenting science manager, but also a loyal and encouraging colleague—and a reliable friend.