Incredibly for all of us, and as a complete surprise, Roland Daebel died on 23rd December 2020, one day before Christmas Eve. For decades "our Roland" worked with full commitment using his excellent specialist knowledge across a wide range of areas for our research community.

Roland Daebel, who had previously been awarded the Honorary Prize of the Research Association of the Nordic States for special services to philately, was also made an honorary member in 2019.

From 1972 Roland joined the working groups of the Nordic countries of the GDR, first as deputy and later as lead. In 1991 he became a member of the board of the FG Nordic States and has been its managing director since 1992. From 1991 he was a co-designer of the Philatelic News, responsible for the FG website and for many years auctioneer for two internal auctions each year, which unfortunately he had not been able to do in recent years, for health reasons.

Since 1986, Roland has also received many awards from the Philatelist Association of the GDR and the Association of German Philatelists. Without exaggeration, he was the good soul of the Research Association of Nordic States.

In addition to his work as a specialist author, translator and juror, for more than 45 years, since 1984, he worked as an auditor and association auditor for the Iceland audit area. His philatelic expertise, and knowledge of posts beyond Iceland was enormous, so that he was able to support many members of our association again and again. Iceland philately is losing one of its best specialists, if not best expert in Germany!

We are losing a very good friend, an outstanding member of our board of directors and a funny, open and lovable person, whom we will miss forever.

Everyone who knew him well is very sad and deeply moved and our thoughts are with his partner Inge Beckmann and his family during these difficult hours.

The board and the members of the Forschungsgemeinschaft Nordische Staaten e.V.

[Board, 2021-01-15]