Born in Berlin-Charlottenburg, he studied physics at the Free University, Berlin, gaining a Diploma in 1960 and becoming a Doctor of Science in 1963. After 2 years as a science collaborator at the Free University he was appointed assistant professor. He then moved to be assistant professor at the University of Bonn (1964-1968) and lecturer at Bonn (1968-1969) before moving to be Professor of Physics at the University of Mainz (1969-1973) and finally moving back as to be Professor of Physics and Co-director of the Physics Institute at Bonn since 1973.