12 October. Heinz Leitner, a former ICCROM participant (MPC78) and long-time ICCROM collaborator, has died after a long illness at the age of 54.

Initially trained in Austria, Heinz received a Master´s degree in the Conservation of Wall Painting from the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London. Since 1999, he was Professor at the Dresden University of Fine Arts and Head of the Mural Paintings Conservation Laboratory.

An outstanding course participant Heinz had an enormous impact, despite his youth, on generations of ICCROM course participants through his strong involvement over twenty years in courses in Rome, Thailand, and Romania.

Further collaborations included his lectures for the courses on Conservation of Architectural Surfaces (ASC) held in the 1990s in collaboration with the Österreichische Bundesdenkmalamt in Mauerbach, Austria, and his participation in the GRADOC Seminar on graphic documentation systems in mural painting conservation held at ICCROM in1999.

He was a team member on ICCROM Mural Painting conservation campaigns including the conservation of the Tokali Church in Göreme, Turkey and the earthquake-damaged mural paintings in the Monastery of Pod Latsva, Montenegro.

His kindness and generosity will be greatly missed by all who had the good fortune to have known him.

updated on: 15 October, 2007