Dr. Gertrude Tripp passed away on 17 April, 2006 at the age of 91. Her death marks the end of an era for Austrian conservation professionals; Dr Tripp was the last witness to the events that marked the progress of conservation in Austria in the immediate post World War II era. She served the cause of conservation untiringly throughout her life, first as Deputy to four successive Presidents of the Bundesdenkmalamt (Federal Office of Historic Monuments) and later, in her so-called retirement, as Deputy Chair, and finally as member of the Denkmalbeirat (Monuments Advisory Board) of the Bundesdenkmalamt.

Having graduated with a PhD in art history, she joined the Zentralstelle für Denkmalschutz (Central Department for Monument Protection) in 1939. After World War II she was appointed Landeskonservator (Head of Monument Preservation and Conservation) for Upper Austria. Recalled to Vienna, she was appointed Deputy President of the Bundesdenkmalamt in 1961.

She was active in the international arena and was one of the five members of ICCROM’s first full council, serving as a Council Member from 1960 to 1969. She was among the signatories of the Venice Charter in 1964 in her capacity as Austrian representative to this congress. As well as receiving various Austrian honours, she was the recipient of the ICCROM Award in 1981 and of the ICOMOS’s Gazzola Prize in 1990, both given in recognition of her life’s work.

(With thanks to Franz Neuwirth for supplying biographical details of Dr Tripp’s life).

updated on: 12 July, 2007